Academic Staff In Higher Education Research Articles

OER based capacity building to overcome staff equity and access issues in higher education

Open educational resources (OER) have already impacted educational systems around the world. In higher education more specifically, it has benefited learners, and has influenced institutional strategic plans and policies. Additionally, the benefits of OER also extend to staff in higher education, such as academic staff. For this group, OER can provide opportunities for collaboration, promote curriculum innovation and student led content development, as well as contribute to university teachers’ much needed continuing professional development. In this paper, we examine the potential of OER to build capacity of academic staff in higher education, in particular to overcome some equity and access issues that they may face. It also examines some existing activities and strategies for professional development in higher educational institutions and provides some recommendations for academics, academic developers, institutions, and the sector in general.

Experiences of Academic Staff Towards Promotion and Professional Development in Selected Public Universities in Tanzania: A Situational Analysis

There has been a constant debate regarding fairness during the promotion process and academic growth among the academic staff in higher education around the world. In the context of Tanzania, higher education depends on the academic qualifications, ranks, experience and level of job satisfaction among their academic staff for quality teaching, research and consultancy works. This mixed study focused on the experiences and attitudes of 85 staff on promotion and motivation from a selected public university in Tanzania. Quantitative data were collected from 74 academic staff, 1 professor, 4 senior lecturers, 30 lecturers, 25 assistant lecturers and 14 tutorial assistants. Moreover, 3 staff from the human resources directorate and 8 heads of academic departments were interviewed. The results demonstrated that the majority of the academic staff (82%) were satisfied with the sponsorship process in local and overseas trainings (N = 61) and the duration of three years for new promotions (N = 65 and 88%). On the other hand, the majority of the academic staff were dissatisfied with being involved in decision-making for in-service training opportunities (N = 65, 88%). Similarly, academic staff were dissatisfied with the promotion criteria and promotion process (N = 60, 81%) and (N = 45, 60%) respectively. The qualitative data revealed the dissatisfaction of academic staff on awareness of the current institutional promotion criteria and standards that may open loopholes for rude administrations. It was concluded that promotion in various universities has been associated with some micro politics and hullabaloos. Since academic staff qualifications are global, criteria for promotions should remain homogeneous, fair and equal to all staff.

Self-esteem and job satisfaction among the academic staff in higher education

Education in the 21st century is focused on knowledge based on collaboration, interaction, and creativity. We need knowledge, skills, competencies, and characteristics of individuals who will create knowledge with the assistance of university academics. So the objective of our paper was to determine the relationship between self-esteem and job satisfaction among 150 full-time academic employees, employed at three state universities in the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of North Macedonia. We used the following measuring instruments: job satisfaction survey (JSS) and Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSE). Results show that 86 (57.33%) subjects have high self-esteem, 38 (25.33%) have a medium level of self-esteem and 26 (17.34%) have low self-esteem. We found that the low self-esteem of the subjects does not depend on job satisfaction, while there is a significant correlation between the medium level of self-esteem and job satisfaction and the high level of self-esteem and job satisfaction. In addition, the self-esteem of the academic staff depends on the total job satisfaction, coworkers, and nature of work, communication, salary. The obtained results show that job satisfaction and job success are moderators of self-esteem in academic staff (Marcionneti & Castelli, 2022).

Compare and contrast mentoring and coaching for leadership development in higher education

Less experienced academic staff in higher education tend to seek more professional mentoring and coaching. However, finding seniors who are willing and able to provide them with ongoing support is not straightforward. While both mentoring and coaching can provide assistance to faculty members, they serve different roles and purposes in leadership development. Therefore, it is necessary for higher education institutions to recognise the needs of academic staff and to guide them in choosing appropriate method. This essay aims to clarify the similarities and differences between mentoring and coaching and to understand the contexts in which they can each play a greater role. The present essay discussed the possible impact of mentoring and coaching on staff leadership development. And it is concluded that despite the fact that mentoring and coaching are similar in effect, they are different to a more substantial extent.

Professionalism as a personal priority of a higher school teacher and a condition for high-quality training of a graduate

The professionalism of a higher school teacher and the quality of their work largely determine the quality of training of future graduates who are ready for professional advancement in the context of the development of new high-tech technologies and the increasing demands of partners in the real sector of the economy. In this regard, the research aims to find ways and mechanisms to improve the professionalism of the teacher, their training, and retraining in contemporary educational practice. The article presents the research results obtained at the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology of Penza State Technical University (Penz STU) on the concerned problems. The novelty of the research lies in the effective ideas, approaches, and principles of constructive problem-solving in educational practice proposed based on the analysis of normative, historical, pedagogical, and scientific literature of foreign (Germany, Great Britain, and the USA) and domestic practices. It is shown that the studied and characterized models of improving the professionalism and training of academic staff in higher education, identified leading principles underlying the implementation of these models, and the relationships among the goals, results, and conditions of training and retraining of academic staff in the realities of today can be in demand and successfully implemented. As promising areas for improving the professionalism of a higher school teacher to effectively address issues of high-quality training of graduates, the authors offer to provide pedagogical support as the most productive technology to support a novice teacher during their professional adjustment, conducting monitoring of the effectiveness of teachers’ activities to improve the quality of their professionalism, and encouraging effective and efficient work, as well as providing social partnership and integration of all types of educational resources.

Management-led interventions for workplace stress and mental health of academic staff in higher education: a systematic review

PurposeThis paper aims to focus on management-led intervention strategies aimed at achieving stable mental well-being among academic staff in higher education institutions (HEIs) by reviewing and synthesising existing literature on varying intervention strategies to managing workplace stress and improving mental health.Design/methodology/approachTwenty-two peer-reviewed articles were identified through databases (PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, Business source complete, Academic search complete) and the application of the PRISMA guideline. A quality check was carried out on the selected articles, and a data extraction table was developed to aid the discussion.FindingsAlthough the awareness of mental health is a global issue, there was minimal research evidence in managing stress and mental health among academic staff in HEIs through increased university management involvement. Most HEIs were more focused on corporatisation and student satisfaction while unconsciously neglecting its impact on the well-being of academic staff even though universities’ management portray staff welfare as priority.Research limitations/implicationsThere is limited information measuring the outcome of various management-led mental well-being strategies in HEIs. Further research applying more robust study design rather beyond self-reported questionnaires and similar study designs is needed in this area.Practical implicationsEstablishing routine mental health assessment, effective communication, continuous promotion of existing and available support is imminent to improve the mental well-being of academic staff by HEIs management.Originality/valueThis is the first systematic review that describes and synthesises the various mental health triggers, including workplace stressors, that affect academic staff in higher education institutions (HEIs) and summarises various possible management intervention strategies.

Визначення відносної ефективності навчальної роботи викладача в галузі охорони здоров’я

Annual assessment of academic staff and regular publication of the results of such evaluations on the official websites of higher education institutions, on information boards and in any other way is a regulatory requirement laid down in subparagraph 3 of paragraph 2 of Article 16 of the Law of Ukraine «On Higher Education». Existing methods of academic staff assessment found in literature do not allow to make judgments about the quality of educational work, or are based on student surveys and therefore incorporate a number of errors introduced by the subjective nature of assessment. The purpose of this work is to develop an objective way to assess the educational work of academic staff in the field of health care. We propose a system for such assessment, which consists of a subsystem of external independent assessment of students’ knowledge, for example in the format of unified state qualifying exams (USQE: «Step-1», «Step-2», «Step-B» etc.), and a subsystem of internal administrative analysis. The internal administrative analysis subsystem combines the results of students who were taught by a particular teacher in a particular discipline, in the relevant USQE subtest using a special formula and adjusts them to the potential of each student, the complexity of the subtest and the total complexity of USQE in that academic year. The proposed system is implemented in the medical faculty of Uzhhorod National University, and the result of the academic staff assessment was discussed at the academic council of the faculty and at the meetings of departments. The application of the developed system provides an objective assessment of the educational work in the field of health care, and the results of its application are a motivating factor in educational activities and can be taken into account during the renegotiation of contracts for academic staff in higher education.

Job Satisfaction and Problems among Academic Staff in Higher Education

The role of a scientist in society is undoubtedly extremely important. This thesis was particularly confirmed by the global events of the beginning of the third decade of the 21st century, when the spread of the COVID-19 virus revealed the helplessness of humanity in the face of a pandemic. Only intensive scientific work, having an interdisciplinary character, gives hope to stop the development of the spread of the virus. It turned out that it is scientists who are necessary to reduce mortality and morbidity, as well as the negative effects of a pandemic on the economy and public health. In this regard, it is worth discussing whether the scientific work of scientists is satisfying for them? Nowadays, the scientist is demanded for immediate effects of scientific research, implementation of inventions tailored to the emerging needs, and quick solutions to the problems of a dynamically changing society. However, along with the growing social expectations towards researchers, is their work increasingly appreciated? The aim of this article is getting to assess the level of satisfaction with scientific work among researchers and to identify the factors that influence its level. The article presents the results of research conducted on a random sample of 763 academics from Poland. The conducted scientific studies have established that: (1) The level of satisfaction of researchers concerning their own scientific work depends on employment conditions, as well as the social significance of the research carried out, (2) the level of satisfaction from work is closely correlated with the scientific opportunities of researchers (that is, the possibility of academic and didactic work, contact with students and co-workers) and negatively correlated with the necessity to carry out administrative work, and (3) the majority of Polish researchers are proud of their scientific achievements and treat their profession as a passion or vocation.

Health status and physical activity among academic and non academic staffs in higher education

Being physically active is reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases. A cross sectional mixed method study was conducted to analyze health status and explore supporting and inhibiting factors of physical activity among academic and non academic staff in higher education. A total of 83 respondents were met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The majority of UAD staffs are physically active and overweight. No significant health problems are found. Individual, social and environmental factors are identified as factors that can support and inhibit physical activity. Policies at the Faculty and University level are needed as well as cross-sectoral collaboration with related parties to support physical activities in UAD.

Academicians in Turkey: An Evaluation of Current Status of Academic Staff in Higher Education

The history of Turkish higher education dates back to Turkish nations of 1000 years ago. The beginning of higher education institutions are accepted as madrasahs that continue its existence during the Ottoman period. After the foundation of the Turkish republic, rapid changes and developments have been observed in the higher education like in all fields. Since this period of time, Turkish higher education institutions have been grouped in two categories, which are universities producing information-knowledge and vocational schools training people oriented with employment. Considering the both types of these institutions, the aim of Turkish higher education system is to sustain manpower considering the needs of the nation and the public; provide education and training facilities based on the secondary education; maintain the quality and quantity of scientific researches under the control of universities. In this context, the purpose of this study is to present the certain dimensions of Turkish higher education system, which are academicianship, current facts related to academicianship, the stages in academic career, achievements in academy and the status of women academicians in Turkey. Related documents have been analyzed and the current status of Turkish higher education system has been discussed by concluding the results.

Job Satisfaction of Academic Staff in the Higher Education: Evidence from Private Universities in UAE

Job satisfaction in a work place is a feeling of contentment that a n employee derive from his role and responsibilities in the workplace and is dependent upon a number of factors, pertaining to personal, organizational and environmental factors. Considering the job profile and the demand for quality education among universities, the job satisfaction of academic staff in higher education is also affected. This paper aims to examine the job satisfaction of academic staff in higher education as well as private universities in UAE.This study adopts a quantitative research methodology using survey according to 5-point Likert scale instrument. The survey has been divided into ten internal and external factors to determine job satisfaction of academic staff. The data obtained from the survey has been analysed by using statistical and regression analysis.The study concludes that the academic staff of the private universities in UAE has been significantly satisfied with their jobs. It also found that only few factors have positively influenced job satisfaction, especially, supervisor support, promotion and support from colleagues. On the other hand, the study found that recognition and rewards for work done had a negative impact on job satisfaction of academic staff.This study has important implications for higher education management in the development of job satisfaction of academic staff in the UAE. The authors determined that the selected factors, with few exceptions, behaved accordingly to what was expected.

Nnovation in conducting writing retreats for academic staff in higher education

How do researchers and administrators in higher education plan and carry out writing retreats for academic staff? This paper presents a distinctive approach to developing creative writing retreats for academic staff in higher education. We distill lessons from our June 2016 writing retreat, which drew participants from the University of Venda and the University of Limpopo. Responding to the South African Journal of Higher Education’s invitation to “re-imagine” writing retreats, we specify the shortcomings of linear writing retreats and discuss how to enhance collaboration, participation, and leadership capacity in planning and carrying out writing retreats. We also focus on an oft-neglected yet crucial feature of retreats, follow-up. As we show, our approach offers general insights for creative designing and implementing writing retreats.

Editorial: Problematising writing retreats for academic staff in higher education

Recent student protests have underlined the persistent underfunding of higher education in South Africa with state contributions to university education declining from 49% in 2000 to 40% in 2012. At the same time the post apartheid era has seen student numbers in higher education double. Yet what is seldom mentioned in the media coverage given to the #FeesMustFall protests is the impact that all this has had on university staff. Staff have had to do more with less. Larger classes, more marking and growing pressure to offer quality teaching has led to a more demanding working environment with less time for research. Yet the pressure to publish has not gone away. ,Academic staff are still expected to do the scholarly work and to publish it, in fact their jobs may depend on this. The literature indicates that writing retreats offer university teachers space and time away from work and an opportunity to obtain support and feedback in the process of writing for publication ((Morss and Murray 2001, Moore 2003, Grant 2006, Murray and Newton 2009 ) However these retreats at peaceful and remote venues are an expensive privilege and those of us who organise and facilitate them need to be sure that they add real value. We do need to be monitoring output from our retreats but this is not enough. Publication counts provide only one rather unreliable lens on the effectiveness of writing because writing development is notoriously trick to measure (Witte and Faigley 1983, White 1990, McLeod 1992) and, as Grant (2006) indicates, measurable outcomes from writing retreats are difficult to achieve. For instance, how do we really know when a research article is finally published, what the impact of the writing retreat was. Therefore in addition to measuring outcomes we need more qualitative research and evaluation which will enable a rethinking of our pedagogies and a sharing of ideas . The literature on writing retreats has tended to concentrate on the importance of retreating to write and on the different models for writing retreats (Murray 2010) It has seldom, however, focused critically on the complexities of teaching and learning to write. ). This special issue sponsored by a Department of Higher Education National Collaborative Teaching Development Grant has encouraged contributors to rethink and re-imagine the pedagogies for writers retreats with more in depth and theoretically framed understandings of how particular writing pedagogies work and why they are effective. The special edition offers an exciting diversity of approaches to learning and teaching on writing retreats across a wide spectrum. Some articles in this volume focus on philosophies for more fruitful writing experiences such as mindfulness, free writing and slow pedagogy, others consider writing retreats as communities of practice, open spaces and a third space. Then at the other end of the spectrum there are articles on knowledge building and genre based research.

Staff Academic Job Behavior in Malaysian Public University

The purpose of this study is to exam the behavior of Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB) among academic staff. The respondents of this study consist of 1704 people academic staff in public university selected by simple random. A set of questionnaires was used based on Organizational Behavior Scale containing 22 items with five dimensions that is Altruism, Conscientiousness, Sportsmanship, Courtesy and Civic virtue were used as the main research instrument. Overall, this study shows that the dimensions of Civic virtue is higher relative from other dimensions. The findings of this study also found that only dimensions of Conscientiousness differ between male with female staff. The implications of this study clearly showed the academic staff in higher education exceeded its duties from official duties specified

Opportunities and Challenges of Academic Staff in Higher Education in Africa

This paper analyses the opportunities and challenges of academic staff in higher education in Africa. The paper argues that recruitment, appointment and promotion of academic staff should depend highly on their productivity (positive production per individual human resource). The staff profile and qualifications should be posted on the University website in order to promote publicity and networking among scholars. The paper observes several challenges that face the African Universities today – funding (enhancement of financial base and sustainability), infrastructural demands, inadequate staff remuneration, high student enrollment with low staff-student ratio, and governance/management deficits. In spite of these challenges, it is possible to identify and implement strategic interventions to admit quality students/optimum level of student intake, appoint and retain quality academic staff if we are to build a well-functioning University for both institutional and society development in Africa.

Call for papers: SAJHE special issue 'Re-imagining writing retreats for academic staff in higher education'

Call for papers: SAJHE special issue 'Re-imagining writing retreats for academic staff in higher education'

Call for papers: SAJHE special issue 'Re-imagining writing retreats for academic staff in higher education'

Call for papers: SAJHE special issue 'Re-imagining writing retreats for academic staff in higher education'

Changing mechanisms of governmentality? Academic development in New Zealand and student evaluations of teaching

Academic (or educational) development is a relatively recent project in universities. In Aotearoa New Zealand there were two waves of foundation for academic development, separated by almost 20 years, during which time much in national and international higher education had changed. This article draws on empirical and archival data to propose that shifts between the two waves give insight into the changing mechanisms of governmentality at work for academic staff in higher education. In a particular case, the emergence and consolidation of a culture of student evaluation of teaching is used to illustrate how academic development has been implicated in those shifts. In the earlier period, from a marginal location, a more pastoral mode of power relations between the academic developer as an institutional change agent and the academic staff they worked with is evident, with an emphasis on voluntary participation from the latter. By contrast, in the later period, academic development has moved closer to the institutional centre and is participating in more disciplinary forms of power relations in its efforts to shape academic conduct towards certain ends. In this shift, a technology that was initially created and implemented by academic development for one purpose was ultimately taken up by the institution for quite another: it became part of the audit machine. While our data come from a particular case of practice within local national context, the cautionary tale offered here has salience for other academic development practices and other countries where academic development has had a similar story.

Values Informing Professional Practice in Academic Professional Development

While a significant body of work on the practice of academic development exists, research on academic developers (those charged with supporting the education of academic staff in higher education) as professionals is limited, and few have explored the profession from the perspective of academic developers themselves [22]. Specifically, this reflective report begins to address the question of how best to prepare and support current and future academic developers for their ambiguous and complex roles and their need to function within the changing environment of higher education institutions. Since embarking on a role in an Irish Higher Education Institution in 1999 as an Academic Developer, it has been crucial to consider my values as an educator, and how they inform the multifaceted role. A personal and professional value system certainly requires considerable thought as it is necessary to understand what it is that the academic developer wishes to evaluate in their work, why and for what purpose.

Exploring the Impact of the Increased Tuition Fees on Academic Staffs’ Experiences in Post-92 Universities: A Small-Scale Qualitative Study

The introduction of the new tuition fee regime in the UK academic session 2012–2013 has resulted in concerns in the Higher Education (HE) community that students’ expectations may become unmanageable. Previous research has explored the expectations and experiences of undergraduate psychology students; the current study extended this by considering whether the increased tuition fees have changed the experiences of academic staff in HE. To achieve this, five semi-structured interviews with psychology staff in two post-92 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) were undertaken. Results suggested staff perceptions have undergone minimal change in their day-to-day experiences. However, perceptions of the wider HE issues, such as meeting targets and fulfilling requirements of the role, appear to be enhanced following the contextual changes of HE. Finally, the results reported here suggest generally good staff satisfaction, regardless of these changing times within the sector. Future research and the need for more widespread, large scale studies are discussed.