Abstract

The 21st century higher education institutions (HEIs) are under constant pressure to nurture productive faculties. Research output is one aspect that arguably separates productive faculty members from those who are not. Yet there have always been concerns that faculty conducts research at the expense of teaching (Tierney, 1999). The pressure is on HEIs though, to prepare their faculty beyond just merely teaching. As HEIs strive for relevance and transformation, they require initiatives to build and sustain communities of strong researchers and effective teachers. This article’s focus is on the need for HEIs to strengthen intellectually stimulated faculty. Institutions and faculty members are up against a myriad of obstacles that appear to hinder research initiatives. In this case study, 32 participants were interviewed. These academics shared their experiences on faculty commitment to produce more research output. Whilst they concurred that challenges exist for some faculty members, they also pointed out that there is a need for HEIs to instil a culture of scholarship and inquiry through effective policies of knowledge generation and management.