Implications of research funding and institutional autonomy policies on faculty research performance in Tanzania’s higher education institutions

Guided by the Institutional Theory, this paper examines the implications of institutional autonomy and funding structures on the faculty research performance in Tanzania’s higher education institutions (HEIs). The study used semi- structured interviews to collect data from 29 higher education leaders and faculty members from Tanzania’s four leading public universities and regulatory agency officials. The findings of the study indicate that Tanzania’s HEIs research environment suffers from symbolic autonomy (i.e. autonomy that exists only on paper), planning difficulties, lack of clear policy guidelines, insufficient funding sources, weak participation of private sectors and industries, and the gap between policy formulation, declarations, and executions. As such, the study calls for reducing government interference in higher education by enhancing institutional and financial autonomy, increasing and diversifying research funding, aligning policy aspirations with execution, enhancing a formal and legal collaboration with the private sector and joint frequent monitoring and evaluation of policy outcomes with stakeholders.