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.