A framework for digital archiving at selected public universities in Kenya.
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Date
2022
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Abstract
Archival records are knowledge assets that preserve the overall historical scholarship,
memory and identity of organisations and institutions of higher learning. The rapid
transformations witnessed on the digital landscape today have led to the increased
generation of digital records, prompting the growing interest by universities to adopt
sustainable digital archiving implementations to ensure the continued access of
archives. This research investigated digital archives management practices in selected
public universities in Kenya. The objective of the study was to develop a digital
archiving framework for the archival repositories at the institutions. To achieve this
objective, the study sought to answer five research questions which were: what is the
state of digital archiving readiness of public universities in Kenya? How are digital
archives identified and administered in Kenyan public universities? Which legal and
regulatory frameworks govern digital archives management in Kenyan public
universities? Which risk factors are digital archives exposed to in these universities?
What possible solutions can be adopted to mitigate the identified risks and support
sustainable digital archiving implementations in Kenyan public universities? The
study subscribed to the pragmatic school of thought which formed the basis for
adopting a mixed methods approach that prompted the use of qualitative and
quantitative methodologies, with a qualitative priority. The study was underpinned by
the records continuum (RC) model, Open Archival Information System (OAIS)
Reference model and the Archives and Records Management Association (ARMA)
Records Management Maturity model which were triangulated to coin a conceptual
framework for the study. The study adopted a multiple-case (embedded) design using
cross-sectional survey. Six universities were purposively selected from 23 fully
accredited public universities in Kenya namely: the University of Nairobi, Jomo
Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Moi, Kenyatta, Maseno and
Egerton Universities. Purposive sampling was used to select a sample of 205
respondents comprising of deputy vice-chancellors, finance officers, legal officers,
ICT directors, archivists, records managers, records officers, ICT staff and
administrative staff. Questionnaires were administered to 169 respondents; 36
participants were targeted for interviews, and document review was used to confirm
the data. Quantitative data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social
Sciences (SPSS) and presented using inferential and descriptive statistics. Qualitative
data was analysed thematically using NVivo and presented using charts, graphs and
tables as applicable. The key findings suggested that public universities in Kenya
have not attained the desired optimal state of readiness for digital archiving. This was
evidenced by the absence of functional archival repositories in five of the universities,
insufficient harnessing of the available ICTs for d-archiving, inadequate skilled and
competent staff, low prioritization for the education and training of recordkeeping
staff and absence of dedicated budgets for records and archives management
functions in the institutions. Furthermore, there were no formal processes guiding the
lifecycle management of digital records and the generated metadata. The situation was
exacerbated by weak and/or non-existent legal and regulatory frameworks for
recordkeeping at national and institutional levels. Subsequently, digital records were
exposed to risks at various stages of their lifecycle which included records technology
risks, legal and regulatory risks, administrative risks and records control risks. The
risks further occasioned a cocktail of challenges that called for urgent interventions.
The overall conclusion of the study was that even though the institutions have instigated various approaches and strategies to mitigate the identified risks, a lot needed to be done to improve the state of digital archives management in the
universities. Taking into consideration the study findings, this research recommends a
framework for digital archiving that brings into perspective a collaborative approach,
whose core focus is to enhance d-archiving practices in archival repositories of
collaborating institutions.
Description
Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietemaritzburg.