Factors Differentiating Research Involvement among Faculty Members: A Perspective from Cambodia

Abstract

Despite very low research involvement and productivity of its faculty, research activities are not totally absent at Cambodian higher education institutions. This study seeks to diagnose influential factors that differentiate between Cambodian faculty who get involved in research activities and those who do not, with special emphases placed on involvement in research activities that are decently context-specific. Self-reported survey questionnaires were administered to faculty at ten selected Cambodian universities; the total sample (with usable returned questionnaire sets) amounted to 444 faculty members. Drawing on logistic regression analysis, the study detected that faculty obtaining their terminal degrees abroad, being full-timers, spending more time on research, and having high research self-efficacy were more likely to engage in research activities. As for institutional characteristics, large faculty size and available research funding sources were also correlated with research involvement. This study situates the findings in the research context of Cambodian higher education and discusses the practical meanings that the statistically significant variables imply.