Foreign faculty in South African Universities: A case study of the University of South Africa.

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the experiences, problems and challenges faced by Foreign Faculty at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), with a special focus on how both the institution and the Foreign Faculty address them. The broader focus of the study is to examine and explore how universities address the challenge of internationalisation at the faculty level. An increase of faculty from Africa at an institutional level highlights the changing features of North to South and South to South faculty mobility, within an increasingly international and globalised world. While Foreign Faculty are accepted into internationally acclaimed universities (such as Wits), the study reveals the limited nature of the knowledge base documenting the experiences of Foreign Faculty in South African Universities. The research indicates that in spite of high level qualifications and research experience many Foreign Faculty are required to accept middle-level lecturer and senior lecturer positions. Findings also indicate that Foreign Faculty often experience a variety of challenges as a result of moving from one country / system to another. This study represents a contribution towards the debate on the employment of Foreign Faculty.