While Africa is experiencing an exodus of academics to overseas universities, are foreigners willing to work in the region? Primarashni Gower speaks to Dr Jon Harris of Executive Partners, an academic recruitment specialist.
Are overseas academics keen to work in Africa?
Often academics are employed on a three- to five-year contract, which may or may not be renewable. Because of this academics are perhaps more willing than others to “give Africa a try”.
There is a lot of variety in Africa, and some countries hold more appeal than others. What we have found recently is that Botswana is looked on very favourably. It represents a stable democracy and an environment that is relatively crime-free.
What evidence do you have of this?
We have been advertising for medical professionals (for a new medical school in Botswana) and for a vice-chancellor for a new, second university. We have received more than 180 applications for the medical professional positions and 54 applications for that of vice-chancellor.
When trying to compile a short list for the vice-chancellor position we found that 12 had previously been employed as vice-chancellors or the equivalent. These applications were mainly from outside South Africa (eight of the 54 were identified as South African), with many of them coming from Europe and the United States.
How qualified are such people?
Qualifications, skills and prior experience have generally been excellent and we believe there will be no need to compromise on that score when appointments are made, except in certain circumstances — only one radiologist has applied and there have been very few in the areas of psychiatry, physiology, pharmacy and pathology.
It has occasionally occurred that a low-ranking academic at an overseas university ends up in a senior position at a South African university, only to leave under a cloud due to lack of performance. How does one avoid a situation like this?
You need to be careful in drawing conclusions from such scenarios. One conclusion is that misfits or failures elsewhere in the world can easily find positions in Africa or South Africa, where, owing to skills shortages, people with skills below those required to perform are more easily accepted.
This is grossly unfair to employers and recruiters in this region. Because we are competing in a global environment, there is tremendous pressure to level the playing fields in terms of job criteria, opportunities and remuneration packages.
Employers are more discerning about who they employ because the impact of employing the wrong person can be catastrophic. There are always subjective factors entering a recruitment decision, but these can be reduced or supported by objective assessments of the candidate’s ability. It is absolutely imperative, especially for senior positions, not to compromise on the minimum essential criteria needed to effectively perform a specific job.
Your recruitment process needs to be transparent, with the criteria for the position being applied equally to all candidates. Essential criteria demand a binary [yes or no] answer — there is no middle road. Anyone who appoints someone who does not meet the minimum essential criteria for a job is asking for trouble.
Beyond that, and the standard qualifications and experience requirements, is the need to assess behavioural competencies objectively. Aspects such as leadership, motivation, energy and attitude will not be evident from the CV.
How does one match a senior position to an overseas appointment?
It doesn’t matter whether a candidate for a senior position comes from the same country or from overseas. Recruitment is not an exact science and matching qualifications, skills and experience to the need is only part of the process. You have to look at behavioural competencies and make sure you understand what is and what is not going to work in a particular environment. Culture is a “suitcase” word and embodies many different attributes such as attitude and value systems.
Looking at past behaviour gives you the best pointers as to how an individual will behave in the future, and assessing such aspects in applicants becomes more important the more senior the position because the “culture” of the top man (or woman) will affect the entire organisation. We have developed tools that assist in such assessments, and we improve the credibility of those assessments by seeking confirmation from independent sources.
Do overseas academics get some preparation for the working conditions/country they’re working in?
It is impossible to adequately prepare someone before they come to Africa, although living and working in Johannesburg or Cape Town is not so very different from any other cosmopolitan environment in the world, apart from the politics and racial sensitivities. Other parts of Africa pose different challenges where politics may interfere more in everyday working conditions.
Are African universities competitive when it comes to salaries?
Some are. But when it comes to senior appointments, you have to take cognisance of global market forces and fit in. At the senior levels it is dangerous to compromise with a candidate who is less qualified (in every aspect) but more affordable. Generally speaking, when universities are conducting recruitment campaigns on a global basis, they are wasting their money if they are not prepared to offer remuneration packages that are globally competitive.
Many academics are able to supplement their university income with consulting activities with NGOs and industry. This is encouraged as it benefits the university to have good relationships with such organisations as these invariably include funding for specific projects, scholarship funding and equipment donations. Generally academics are not only motivated by money.
Should one be concerned about the brain drain in Africa when overseas academics are willing to work here?
Absolutely. The brain drain can never be compensated for by overseas academics coming to the continent. This is perceived as a “developing” rather than a “developed” environment and it needs all the skills and other resources it can get to maintain the “developing” momentum that has been established.
If more “brains” leave the area than enter it, the development momentum is going to slow and can even start reversing.
Dr Jon Harris is delivery assurance director of Executive Partners