Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Institutions of higher learning have always had relationships with their surrounding communities. The current study focuses on the research relationship that the University of Venda has with its surrounding community. The literature shows that although the nature of the relationship takes different forms, each university has a certain kind of a relationship with the surrounding community. In this study, I used the qualitative approach and I conducted one focus group and four individual interviews. I explored the research needs of the communities surrounding the University of Venda and the ways in which they think the university could address those needs. The findings of this study revealed that the communities are not at all happy with the services that are rendered by the university. They show that instead of benefiting from its existence within their communities, they are even more disadvantaged by its presence. The respondents also identified certain schools and departments at the University of Venda that they felt could be of assistance to the surrounding communities if they redirected their research projects into applied research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hoër onderwysinstellings het nog altyd Onbepaalde verhouding met hulle omliggende gemeenskappe gehad. Die huidige studie fokus op die navorsingsverhouding wat die Universiteit van Venda het met sy omliggende gemeenskap. Die literatuur wys daarop dat alhoewel die aard van die verhouding verskillende vorme kan aanneem, elke universiteit ° n sekere vorm van verhouding het met die omliggende gemeenskap. In hierdie studie is die kwalitatiewe benadering gebruik. Ek het navorsing onderneem na die navorsingsbehoeftes van die gemeenskappe in die nabyheid van die Universiteit van Venda en ook na die maniere waarop respondente dink die universiteitsgemeenskap hierdie behoeftes kan aanspreek. Die bevindinge van die studie toon dat die gemeenskappe nie gelukkig is met die dienste wat deur die universiteit verskaf word nie. Daar word onder meer getoon dat in plaas van voordeel trek uit die bestaan van die universiteit binne hulle gemeenskappe, hulle eintlik meer nadelig beinvloed word. Die respondente het ook sekere skole en departemente aan die Universiteit van Venda geidentifiseer wat tot hulp kan wees vir die omliggende gemeenskappe indien hulle navorsingsprojekte omskep word in toegepaste navorsing.