Academic and research networks management: challenges for higher education institutions in Mexico

Adriana Valencia Valencia,María Del Carmen Trejo Cázares

doi:10.1186/s41239-016-0013-2

Abstract

Social and economic development of countries or regions requires advances in science, technology and education. To accomplish this goal, governments have taken the decision of connecting, through the Internet, to share information to promote and enhance knowledge, and build up collaboration and synergic links among universities, organisations and institutions in order to manage knowledge efficiently. With these assumptions, this work describes the development of academic and research networks management in higher education institutions in Mexico to promote research, innovation and education. Concerning the research methodology, Delphi was used to gather opinions from key people; however the technique was adapted to fulfil the research design. At the beginning, there was a phase to interview experts on networks management (two Mexicans and two from other countries). On the basis of the answers, two survey instruments to investigate network management in higher education were prepared, considering variables such as leadership, planning, information and knowledge. The interviews and 51 survey questionnaires (from 14 coordinators of network communities and 37 of their members) provided information that was analysed on a Likert Scale. The survey forms were sent by e-mail using the software denominated “onlineencuesta” to collate results and produce graphic interpretations (Online Encuestas 2014). The results show that coordinators of academic and research networks manage their processes with effective leadership; however, long-term planning to improve projects within the networks is neglected. The same happens with the use of technology and information to innovate in network services. From the results of the study, new lines of research could be found: new knowledge agents trends in networking, comparative studies among national and international networks, among others.

Highlights

Networks are forms of social interaction, a space of living together, and of connectivity
The interest of the present paper aims at showing the relevance of the use of academic and research networks, as participants in knowledge management mediated by information and communication technologies (Bansler, 2004)
It has a non-experimental design, because information about the existing situation inside the academic and research networks of a higher education institution in Mexico was gathered; because CUDI is a more consolidated network, it was used as the sample

Summary

Introduction

Networks are forms of social interaction, a space of living together, and of connectivity. Vision: “Become the world leader in the use, innovation and research of applications and services of the National Network for Education and Research in Mexico, through collaboration among its members and with the support of information and communication technologies.” (CUDI, 2014). This study was designed in five stages, which are fully detailed later It has a non-experimental design, because information about the existing situation inside the academic and research networks of a higher education institution in Mexico was gathered; because CUDI is a more consolidated network, it was used as the sample. Because CUDI is the association in charge of the management of the most networks in Mexico, it was taken as a reference point to make the survey designed in stage 3; that is why it is important to be more specific about the roles of representative members of higher education institutions who belong to CUDI, as well as the responsibilities of community coordinators. The most frequent services used in the network are videoconference (60 %) followed by international collaboration projects (25 %) and real time applications such as IPv4, IPv6 and Multicast (5 %), while 10 % do not know about such services

Conclusions

Findings

Limitations