Corporate Governance Roles and Work Environment in Private Higher Education Institutions in Uganda

This study examined the relationship between corporate governance roles and work environment in selected private higher education institutions (HEIs) in Uganda. Using the University and Other Tertiary Institutions Act (UOTIA), 2001 as the regulatory foundation, corporate governance was introduced to address institutional challenges and improve management structures. While the Act led to the creation of the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and university councils with clear governance responsibilities, little attention has been given to how these structures influence employee satisfaction and workplace conditions. A cross-sectional survey design with a mixed-methods, exploratory approach was employed. The study focused on four private universities: Kampala International University (KIU), Ndejje University (NDU), Victoria University (VU), and Nkumba University (NU) with university staff (academic and administrative) as the unit of analysis. Out of a population of 610, a sample size of 242 was selected using Slovin’s formula at a 95% confidence level and 0.05 precision. Simple random sampling was used for survey participants, while purposive sampling selected 12 key informants for interviews. Quantitative data were collected via structured questionnaires, and qualitative data through interviews. Data were analyzed using SPSS v25.0, with linear regression and Pearson correlation applied to examine the relationship between corporate governance roles (independent variable) and work environment (dependent variable). The results indicate a moderate positive relationship between corporate governance roles and work environment (r = .651, p < 0.01). Policies formulated by university councils were perceived to promote stable environments, with 55.7% strongly agreeing. Supervisory roles and university philosophies also positively influenced motivation and performance. However, welfare policies were perceived less favorably, with 36.8% disagreeing they create a positive attitude. The model summary showed R² = 0.424, indicating that 42.4% of the variation in work environment is explained by corporate governance practices. The null hypothesis that there is no significant relationship between corporate governance roles and work environment was rejected (β = .651, p < 0.01), supporting the conclusion that corporate governance roles play a critical role in shaping employee experiences in private universities.