Governance and Academic Performance of Public Universities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t4397Abstract
In higher education institutions, sound governance fosters cooperation among the various stakeholders involved while ensuring that institutions meet established requirements, specifications, and quality benchmarks. This research examined how governance influences the academic performance of public universities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Specifically, the study sought to assess how accountability shapes the academic performance of public universities in Kinshasa, DRC, and to determine how responsiveness affects the academic performance of these same institutions. The research was grounded in agency theory and stewardship theory. A positivist research philosophy guided the study, which followed a descriptive research design. The population under investigation consisted of 448 individuals drawn from boards of directors, university councils, management committees, faculty councils, and departmental councils. Applying the Yamane formula, the researcher arrived at a sample of 211 respondents, selected through a stratified random sampling approach. Data were collected by means of a structured questionnaire and processed using SPSS version 27. Results revealed a statistically significant positive association between accountability and the academic performance of Kinshasa's public universities. A further finding pointed to a positive relationship between responsiveness and academic performance. Based on these results, the study proposes that university management ensure strict adherence to existing policies so that procedures established by various entities are consistently followed, thereby strengthening academic performance. It is further recommended that management regularly review and update the curriculum so that course offerings remain aligned with evolving labour-market needs, ultimately improving academic outcomes.
Keywords: Governance, Accountability, Responsiveness, Academic Performance
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