Showing papers in "Tertiary Education and Management in 2004"
TL;DR: The impact of globalisation on higher education is discussed in this paper, where the authors highlight how globalisation is affecting higher education in developing countries, the nations that will experience the bulk of higher education expansion in the coming decades.
Abstract: Much has been said about the impact of globalisation on higher education. Some have argued that globalisation, the Internet and the scientific community will level the playing field in the new age of knowledge interdependence. Others claim that globalisation means both worldwide inequality and the McDonaldisation of the university. It is argued that all of the contemporary pressures on higher education, from the pressures of massification to the growth of the private sector, are the results of globalisation. There is a grain of truth in all of these hypotheses ‐ and a good deal of misinterpretation as well. The purpose of this essay is to “unpack” the realities of globalisation and internationalisation in higher education and to highlight some of the ways in which globalisation affects the university. Of special interest here is how globalisation is affecting higher education in developing countries ‐ the nations that will experience the bulk of higher education expansion in the coming decades.
597 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored the contribution of Bourdieu's theory for understanding student retention within the context of UK highereducation, and drew on transcripts of studentexperience of early departure from full-timeundergraduate study to evaluate this alternative ''lens'' for interpreting retention.
Abstract: The UK higher education system isincreasingly pre-occupied by matters relatingto student retention and progression tocompletion (Longden 2002c). There is an activedebate on the possible causes with primaryinfluences on the student experience whichdrives the student towards the decision toleave higher education. These influences arearticulated through a political and empiricallanguage but are poorly developed within atheoretical framework capable of providing anintegrated understanding of the process. PierreBourdieu's theory using cultural capital andsocial reproduction provide a useful andimportant alternative conceptual framework tothe interactionist model developed by Tinto(1993). Bourdieu's theory has had someapplication in the US (Berger 2000). This papertentative explores the contribution thatBourdieu's theory has for understanding studentretention within the context of UK highereducation. It draws on transcripts of studentexperience of early departure from full timeundergraduate study to evaluate thisalternative `lens' for interpretingretention.
115 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored the "leaking pipeline" in women's participation rates from Bachelor to postgraduate research programs and examined projects at two Australian universities to identify and implement strategies to improve women participation in research higher degrees.
Abstract: This paper explores the “leaking pipeline” in women's participation rates from Bachelor to postgraduate research programmes. In examining projects at two Australian universities to identify and implement strategies to improve women's participation in research higher degrees, it focuses on three points of “leakage”
85 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the labour market rewards for a number of required human capital competences are analyzed using a sample of young European higher education graduates, using factor analysis to classify competences by jobs into eight orthogonal groups, namely participative, methodological, specialised, organisational, applying rules, physical, generic and socio-emotional.
Abstract: The labour market rewards for a number of required human capital competences are analysed using a sample of young European higher education graduates. Factor analysis is applied to classify competences by jobs into eight orthogonal groups, namely participative, methodological, specialised, organisational, applying rules, physical, generic and socio‐emotional competences. Estimates for the total rewards for competences are obtained through conventional wage regression, whereas estimates of the total rewards are derived in terms of job satisfaction through ordered logit regression. Explanatory variables include personal characteristics, job attributes, occupational titles, fields of study, type of higher education institution and country dummies. Results on wage rewards show that jobs with higher requirements of participative and methodological competences are best paid; conversely, jobs with higher requirements of organisational, applying‐rules and physical competences are worse paid. Results on t...
50 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, learners from a first year psychology class were surveyed using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), and academic performance was measured using the percentage score learners earned at the end of their first semester.
Abstract: Both internationally and within South Africa the failure rates at universities are presently high and throughput and graduation rates are low. It is thus imperative that the cognitive and non‐cognitive predictors related to identifying learners who will succeed academically are explored. This paper focuses on two potentially important non‐cognitive predictors, namely motivational orientation and the use of learning strategies. Learners are described according to these constructs, and the relationship of these constructs to academic performance is also explored. In addition, the patterns of performance of the learners are explored. Using a convenience sampling technique, learners from a first year psychology class were surveyed using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). Academic performance was measured using the percentage score learners earned at the end of their first semester. The statistical analysis was descriptive and correlational in nature. Important trends and rela...
39 citations
TL;DR: This article conducted a study of 522 graduates at a private college in the northeastern United States and found that students who feel a sense of community are more satisfied with their overall college experience and those who are satisfied with social life are more likely to recommend the college to prospective students.
Abstract: Based on a recently completed alumni study of 522 graduates at a private college in the northeastern Unites States, this paper presents a model for designing alumni research to assess higher education's effectiveness in preparing graduates for work and life. Results revealed substantial variation in alumni evaluation of their education. While alumni reported a high level of satisfaction with the academic programme and career preparation, their feedback suggests they seek more from their college experience. Results reveal that students who feel a sense of community are more satisfied with their overall college experience and those who are satisfied with their social life are more likely to recommend the college to prospective students.
37 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the specifictensions between global pressures and national issues with respect to Chinese higher education in which political, economic and traditional dimensions are focused are explored. But, they do not consider the relationship between global influences and internal issues.
Abstract: While most national systems ofhigher education are confronting seeminglyconvergent global pressures, specific nationalor local issues still mark the distinctfeatures of each system. Hence, highereducation, in places, has been enmeshed in thetensions between national issues and globalpressures. In China, both the global influencesand internal issues have become the majordriving forces for current higher educationreforms. This paper explores the specifictensions between global pressures and nationalissues with respect to Chinese higher educationin which political, economic and traditionaldimensions are focused.
30 citations
TL;DR: The current interest in governmental assessment and accountability practices appears to result from: (1) an emerging view of higher education as an "industry" (2) concerns about efficient resource allocation; (3) a lack of trust and confidence between governmental and institutional officials; (4) a desire to reduce uncertainty in government/higher education relationships; (5) lack of confidence in institutional governance.
Abstract: The current interest in governmental assessment and accountability practices appears to result from: (1) an emerging view of higher education as an “industry” (2) concerns about efficient resource allocation; (3) a lack of trust and confidence between governmental and institutional officials; (4) a desire to reduce uncertainty in government/higher education relationships; (5) lack of confidence in institutional governance. Based on these concerns, governments increasingly are engaging in data‐based quality assessment processes. These processes appear to assume that: (1) faculty and administrators know how to improve quality but fail to do so; (2) government officials can assure the public interest in quality; (3) measures of quality can be identified and agreed upon; (4) improving quality requires strong bureaucratic coordination and control; (5) information systems can provide the evidence government officials need to address quality concerns. An examination of literature on organisation decisio...
21 citations
TL;DR: This paper applied a learningorganisation framework to understand academic departments' efforts to improve teaching quality, and found a positive association between learning organisationbehaviours and the improvement of teaching, using survey data collected from department chairs.
Abstract: This study applied a learningorganisation framework to understand academicdepartments' efforts to improve teachingquality. The theoretical framework wasgenerated from literature on learningorganisations, organisations devoted tocontinuous improvement through continuouslearning. Research questions addressedrelationships among departments' vision,leadership, knowledge management,communication, learning culture, and teachingimprovement. Using survey data collected fromdepartment chairs, this study found a positiveassociation between learning organisationbehaviours and the improvement of teaching.
17 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a survey of MBA students' preparedness for launching new business initiatives or other entrepreneurial activities is presented, which explores the readiness of the MBA students, estimated on dimensions comprising knowledge, attitude, skills, experience, opportunity and networks.
Abstract: This is a survey of MBA students’ preparedness for launching new business initiatives or other entrepreneurial activities. It explores the readiness of the MBA students, estimated on dimensions comprising knowledge, attitude, skills, experience, opportunity and networks. The variation of the postgraduate students’ perceptions along these six dimensions and certain demographic factors, including gender, stage of the MBA programme, students’ permanent residence, their funding source, enrolment status, employment status, marital status and years of work experience, was considered. Multiple regressions then established the relationship between entrepreneurial preparedness and the six dimensions. Finally, some broad implications for the MBA curriculum are considered.
16 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors propose that enhancing the quality of collective decision making, and building more complex teams as a way to preserve collegiality in academic governance, can help the institutions to survive and succeed in a hostile context.
Abstract: Argentine Universities like similar institutions all around the world are facing a complex and challenging environment that demands a more sophisticated leadership and the development of complex managerial skills. In this paper we propose that enhancing the quality of collective decision making, and building more complex teams as a way to preserve collegiality in academic governance, can help the institutions to survive and succeed in a hostile context. We analyse the case of a private university, and we present some conclusions of the process of self‐assessment initiated by the governance teams at both institutional and academic unit levels.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss some current problems and challenges of the Finnish AMKs (polytechnic institutions), and whether financial autonomy could contribute to finding solutions for some of these problems.
Abstract: This paper discusses some current problems and challenges of the Finnish AMKs (polytechnic institutions), and whether financial autonomy could contribute to finding solutions for some of these problems. It provides an overview of the current status of financial autonomy of polytechnics in 6 European countries, and finally attempts to find links from financial autonomy to the AMKs' role as regional ‘boosters’. The AMKs are still faced with some administrative and cultural traditions related more or less to secondary level vocational institutions. The new Polytechnic Act (2003), 351/2003, guarantees self-governance for the AMKs as regards with their internal issues. At the same time, the Act stipulates that budget power and strategic steering belongs to their public or private maintainers. This raises the question of to what extent institutions actually are autonomous. The essence of autonomy rests on independent decision-making processes. The study shows that the Finnish maintenance system reflects strongly on the area of financial autonomy compared with the similar institutions in other European countries. Financial autonomy may be a factor that strengthens a higher education institution in becoming an organisationally uniform, responsive and flexible entity.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: A transactional agent model where a reliable and efficient application for manipulating objects in multiple computers is realized in the mobile agent model is discussed, and how to efficiently deliver the abort message to the moving routing subagent is evaluated.
Abstract: In this paper, we discuss how to realize fault-tolerant applications on distributed objects. Servers supporting objects can be fault-tolerant by taking advantage of replication and checkpointing technologies. However, there is no discussion on how application programs being performed on clients are tolerant of clients faults. For example, servers might block in the two-phase commitment protocol due to the client fault. We newly discuss how to make application programs fault-tolerant by taking advantage of mobile agent technologies where a program can move from a computer to another computer in networks. An application program to be performed on a faulty computer can be performed on another operational computer by moving the program in the mobile agent model. In this paper, we discuss a transactional agent model where a reliable and efficient application for manipulating objects in multiple computers is realized in the mobile agent model. In the transactional agent model, only a small part of the application program named routing subagent moves around computers. A routing subagent autonomously finds a computer which to visit next. We discuss a hierarchical navigation map which computer should be visited price to another computer in a transactional agent. A routing subagent makes a decision on which computer visit for the hierarchical navigation map. Programs manipulating objects in a computer are loaded to the computer on arrival of the routing subagent in order to reduce the communication overhead. This part of the transactional agent is a manipulating subagent. The manipulation subagent still exists on the computer even after the routing subagent leaves the computer in order to hold objects until the commitment. We assume every computer may stop by fault while networks are reliable. There are kinds of faulty computers for a transactional agent; current, destination, and sibling computers where a transactional agent now exists, will move, and has visited, respectively. The types of faults are detected by neighbouring manipulation subagents by communicating with each other. If some of the manipulation subagents are faulty, the routing subagent has to be aborted. However, the routing subagent is still moving. We discuss how to efficiently deliver the abort message to the moving routing subagent. We evaluate the transactional agent model in terms of how long it takes to abort the routing subagent if some computer is faulty.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the readiness among higher education institutions to take an active share in the national system and the potential of a national quality assurance and accreditation system to fulfil a double aim of controlling and enhancing quality.
Abstract: Experiences from the step‐wise implementation of the Norwegian national system for quality assurance and accreditation provide the empirical base for discussing (1) the readiness among higher education institutions to take an active share in the national system and (2) the potential of a national quality assurance and accreditation system to fulfil a double aim of controlling and enhancing quality. The findings indicate that a key element for a successful implementation of the new system is the institutions’ own understanding of the rationale behind the system. Internal evaluations, annual reports and quantitative institutional basic data must be considered and also used by the institutional leaders and the academic staff members as “tools” for meaningful internal quality work and not just looked upon as strange elements requested from “above”. The institutions’ quality work must be considered a crucial “instrument” for strategic management of the entire institution.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors consider the past development of the research university in the United States and argue that one way to guide future change is to embrace a new cultural model, which is characterized by flexible systems and open culture.
Abstract: The paper considers the past development of the research universityin the United States and argues that one way to guide future changeis to embrace a new cultural model. Using Emory University as acase study, along with the more general perspectives offered through aclose study of eleven other private US universities and data assimilatedfrom members of the Association of American Universities (AAU), we proposethat the development of universities resembles the evolution of somecities from village, to metropolis, to global city. The global citymodel, characterised by flexible systems and an open culture, couldbenefit many universities. In describing the next phases of change,our essay discusses these characteristics as they have emerged insome of today's evolving universities.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the effect performancefunding has had on funding and quality enhancement at three research universities as implemented over the past six years, and discuss the accountability requirements and the relationship they have hadon funding levels.
Abstract: This paper discusses the effect performancefunding has had on funding and qualityenhancement at three research universities asimplemented over the past six years. Thepresentation details the accountabilityrequirements and the relationship they have hadon funding levels. It describes thecost-benefit ratio of maintaining andresponding to the required indicators, and howcollaborative efforts among the institutionshave brought about positive reform in thestate. This discussion will cover budgetprocesses and trends across the United Statesrelative to funding for performance andquality. Suggestions for implementation andimprovement of existing systems are alsodiscussed.
TL;DR: The authors describes how a teaching award program may impact on planning and review processes within university departments and highlights how the alignment ofteaching award criteria with external qualityaudit requirements can lead to cross-institutional benefits for enhancing the quality of teaching.
Abstract: Teaching quality emerged as asignificant issue in higher education duringthe 90s. This led to the implementation ofnumerous quality control, assurance andenhancement schemes as institutions attemptedto stay abreast of demands from variousstakeholders in a rapidly changing educationalenvironment. More recently, with theestablishment of the Australian UniversityQuality Agency (AUQA) in 2000, there is nowfurther impetus to review quality schemes inAustralian universities. This paper describeshow a teaching award programme may impact onplanning and review processes within universitydepartments and highlights how the alignment ofteaching award criteria with external qualityaudit requirements can lead tocross-institutional benefits for enhancing thequality of teaching.
TL;DR: This paper developed an index of "global preparedness" for pre-9/11 US bachelor's degree recipients based on secondary school and college transcript records, and student responses to survey questions in a longitudinal study.
Abstract: The paper develops an index of “global preparedness” for pre-9/11 US bachelor's degree recipients based on secondary school and college transcript records, and student responses to survey questions in a longitudinal study that covers the period 1988–2000. Only 10%met the most generous of threshold criteria for inclusion. By occupation at the age of 26/27, the highest proportions meeting those threshold criteria were found among (1) editors, writers and reporters, and (2) engineers and architects. By industry, the highest proportions of globally prepared college graduates were found in (1) communications and (2) finance. These indicators are system accountability measures. For all nations, such indicators help policy makers decide where to target incentives to expand the pool of students who can work across borders.
TL;DR: In this article, the role of international benchmarking is discussed and a number of methodological problems encountered during these activities are discussed in the light of Lund University's three-year experience of the ESMUbenchmarking exercises.
Abstract: During the last few years,a national quality assessment systemfor evaluation of the core activitiesof universities has been establishedin Sweden. Beyond participating inthese national efforts, LundUniversity has also participated inthe European benchmarking programmemanaged by ESMU (European Centre forStrategic Management ofUniversities). This reportconcentrates upon two issues.Firstly, the role of internationalbenchmarking is discussed incomparison with the establishedSwedish national quality assessmentsystem. Secondly, a number ofmethodological problems encounteredduring these activities are discussedin the light of Lund University'sthree-year experience of the ESMUbenchmarking exercises.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe the main findings relating to this second aspect and present an analysis of the review process itself, including the evaluation process itself and the evaluation team itself.
Abstract: From early 1992 until the end of 2000, over 1,000 academic programmes in public universities in Mexico were externally evaluated by Peer Review Teams. The evaluating organisation decided, in 2001, to invite an independent group to study this exercise in order to assess the state of Mexican Higher Education. As a consequence of such revision, an analysis of the review process itself was also possible. This paper describes the main findings relating to this second aspect.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors propose a method to solve the problem of "uniformity" and "uncertainty" in the context of health care, and propose a solution.
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