Abstract
The growing demand for promoting the role of higher education institutions in sustainability has contributed to creating new partnerships with other actors. In the field of education, the formation of cooperative education (co-op) partnerships was adopted as a strategy for work-integrated learning in cooperation with industry. This study investigated the effectiveness of co-op partnerships and the factors that influence them in the context of tertiary agriculture education in Saudi Arabia. A random sample of 130 co-op students was selected within the Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences delivered by the College of Food and Agriculture Sciences at King Saud University. The satisfaction level of students was explored in terms of four main areas, namely, the quality of the program design, organizational climate, personal and professional qualities, and program learning outcomes. The majority of students (70%) were highly satisfied with the quality of the program design, while they had a moderate level of satisfaction regarding the organizational climate of the co-op program (74.6%). Furthermore, 85.4% of students were highly satisfied regarding the learning outcomes they gained. The results also revealed that there were significant positive relationships between the level of satisfaction of students regarding program learning outcomes and their quality assessments of the program design, personal and professional qualities, and organizational climate. The measurement scale used in this study may assist in assessing the sustainability of co-op partnerships. Moreover, understanding the satisfaction level of students can help to identify areas that should be improved and, in turn, contribute to improving the governance and sustainability of co-op partnerships for all stakeholders.
Highlights
In the era of the knowledge-based economy and information society, the global demand for enhancing the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in sustainable development has been growing [1]
We explored the effectiveness of co-op partnerships that were established between the College of Food and Agriculture Sciences (CFAS), King Saud University (KSU), and other actors in Saudi Arabia
As this topic has rarely been covered in the literature regarding the context of Saudi Arabia, this study contributed to the existing body of knowledge in the field of the sustainability of co-op partnerships by highlighting the extent of the effect of three dimensions, namely, the quality of the program design, organizational climate, and personal and professional qualities on the satisfaction of co-op students regarding the learning outcomes gained
Summary
In the era of the knowledge-based economy and information society, the global demand for enhancing the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in sustainable development has been growing [1]. Sustainability 2021, 13, 12684 and assessing and sharing the results of HEI sustainability programs and actions to ensure transparency and increase progress toward sustainability [9,10] This transformation toward sustainability requires deep integrative relationships between HEIs and other actors as a means to ensure the sustainable management of human, economic, and ecological capital [11]. The significant increase in partnerships between HEIs and firms has been promoted through the emergence of globalization, competition, and HEI budget restrictions [13]. Such cooperation involves the effective and efficient sharing of resources to achieve the mutual goals of technological innovation, promoting the exchange of knowledge, acting as an engine for economic growth, and enhancing global competitiveness [14,15].
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