Browsing by Author "Onen, David"

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From survival to innovation: how loan adequacy influences STEM graduates’ innovation capacity in Uganda
(The Uganda Higher Education Review, 2026-05-25) Orace, Tom David; Rwothumio, Joseph; Onen, David
Economic transformation requires Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduates who are innovators and problem-solvers, not just degree-holders. This study explores how student loan adequacy influences students’ capacity for innovation in STEM programmes at Uganda’s public universities. We employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative survey data from 430 STEM students across four universities, 12 in-depth qualitative interviews with university administrators, and eight focus group discussions with 61 student participants. A simple linear regression model assessed the influence of perceived loan adequacy on students’ innovation capacity. The findings indicate that loan adequacy is significantly associated with innovation capacity (β = 0.32, p < .001), although the model explains a modest proportion of variance. The analysis also examined participation in innovation-related activities, including internships, research projects, and entrepreneurial initiatives. Interview participants reported that financial constraints frequently limited engagement in these innovation-related learning activities that contribute to innovation capacity development. For example, many students reported foregoing internships (78%), lacking access to specialized computing resources (65%), or undertaking time-consuming income-generating activities to meet basic needs. These constraints may reduce opportunities for practical innovation during university training. Overall, the findings suggest that loan inadequacy may function as an important structural constraint shaping how students allocate time and learning effort during their studies, with implications for innovation capacity development at the student level. Current loan models, therefore, risk supporting programme completion while limiting participation in innovation oriented learning opportunities.
Predictors of research productivity of academic staff in Kyambogo University: an empirical study based on Mantikayan and Abdulgani’s (2018) Model
(The Uganda Higher Education Review, 2023-05-05) Komba, Rwakijuma Leticia ; Bakkabulindi, Fred E. K.; Onen, David
The research productivity (RP) of academic staff is of utmost significance as it contributes to the advancement of knowledge, enhances institutional reputation, facilitates funding opportunities, improves teaching quality, and enhances societal impact. In this research we aimed to investigate the predictors of RP among academic staff at Kyambogo University (KyU). Based on Mantikayan and Abdulgani’s (2018) model, we had four study objectives: to examine whether ascriptive, individual, leadership, and institutional factors predicted RP. Using a positivist research paradigm and a predictive cross-sectional survey design, data was collected through a questionnaire survey from 165 academic staff. Multiple linear regression was employed for data analysis. The findings revealed that ascriptive, leadership and institutional factors did not significantly predict RP. However, under the individual factor, it was found that only the constructs of motivation and research skills were significant and positive predictors of RP. The study concluded that Mantikayan and Abdulgani’s model lacked a comprehensive explanation of RP among academic staff at KyU. Therefore, there is a need for further research to develop a more inclusive model or framework that can capture the diverse factors influencing RP within the specific context.