Abstract:
This philosophical study draws on Gadamer’s hermeneutics, which is primarily concerned with the understanding and interpretation of texts. From this perspective I conduct a conceptual and documentary analysis of institutional culture with the aim of gaining deeper understanding of how institutional culture is constructed and articulated in institutional policy documents. The unit of analysis is the University of Namibia (UNAM), the leading higher education institution in Namibia. The available data indicates that institutional culture in the Namibian context has been under-studied.
I constructed four meanings (strategy, typology, history and tradition, and scholarship) that served as a theoretical framework for an analysis of the institutional policy documents of UNAM. This study found that the meanings of institutional culture are articulated in relevant policy documents and that the university’s institutional culture is influenced by the national policy, Namibia Vision 2030. UNAM seeks to develop its students and the community to lead institutions in the country towards a knowledge-based economy, economic growth and improved quality of life. By implication, UNAM is not an outstanding institution but envisages to become one by the year 2030. Further, UNAM sees itself as weak in terms of knowledge creation and publication, and desires this area to be a best practice in the next five year. UNAM can be classified as a developmental institution and draws from the national developmental strategy in Namibia Vision 2030. To respond to this national vision, UNAM seeks to align its institutional culture according to national priorities.
