Context Of Higher Education Reform Research Articles

Transversal Skills in the Academic Curriculum of Management School Students in Algeria

Abstract In a context of higher education reform, non-technical skills have gained a particular status as they are now placed at the core of educational programmes. This article aims to understand the involvement of higher education institutions (HEIs) and students in acquiring and developing non-technical skills. Accordingly, we conducted a quantitative survey among students at a management school. The results of this study suggest that students play an active role in their own skill development by engaging in scientific clubs, associations, and teamwork. However, this may not be sufficient to ensure better learning of cross-cutting skills, and higher education institutions must intervene by creating an environment conducive to this growth.

THE ROLE OF A SCIENTIFIC CIRCLE IN STUDENTS’ PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

In the current context of higher education reform, there is a redistribution of academic hours, with reduced number of lectures and practical classes and increased workload for students to prepare themselves. In the training of doctors, the practical component of training remains perhaps the most important. The types of educational activities of students according to the curriculum are lectures, practical classes and students’ independent work. The latter occupies an important place in the course of teaching the discipline. In order to encourage students to gain practical experience with the patient, perform scientific work, etc., students should be encouraged to participate in the work of scientific circles at the departments. During the preparation of the meetings of the circle and its conducting, the teacher becomes more familiar with the most active and purposeful students, who seek not only to deepen their knowledge during extracurricular time, but are involved in the implementation of scientific work, participate in the Olympiad, prepare scientific papers for participation in higher education all-Ukrainian competitions of scientific works. The Student Science Circle is a full-fledged, non-classroom method of student’s training. The participation of students in the work of scientific circles promotes research activities, the formation of creative abilities, the increase of general self-esteem and self-realization of students. An important condition for the formation of quality education is the development of a creative component of a specialist with the support of their cognitive activity and independence, which supports professional growth of a future doctor.

ЄВРОПЕЙСЬКІ ПІДХОДИ І ПРАКТИКИ ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ ЯКОСТІ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ

The article analyzes the national context of higher education reforms in Southern Europe, based on broad source analysis. The author has found out that the countries of Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Greece) are distinguished by the national peculiarities of institutional transformations in the field of higher education, demonstrate the experience of successful implementation of the EHEA educational policy, taking into account the national priorities and historical traditions of higher education. A qualitative approach was applied when judging the level of involvement in quality assurance (QA) agencies in Eastern Europe. To implement the national Laws on Higher Education, harmonized with «Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA», agencies & HEIs in Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece emphasize quality assurance procedures focused on learning, teaching, and research output. The article highlights organizational, content and procedural activities of higher education QA agencies. The competencies of national agencies have been characterized in the article. Study findings identified the trends in the implementation of the European concept of QA in higher education: the institutionalization of national systems, articulation of consistency with EU documents, national legislation; the scientific and educational collaboration in different fields of activity; internationalization and visualization of the agencies’ activities in the international educational space. It is concluded that general trends determine the directions of dynamic organizational and procedural changes in national higher education systems. Particular attention in the article is paid to the internal QA systems in HEIs under the guidance and with methodological support national agencies provided. The general and specific procedures of external and internal quality assurance in the countries of Southern Europe have been described. From the material presented in this paper, the following theme may require further attention: examining quality frameworks and quality assurance standards in Eastern Europe.

Ciência acadêmica, intelectuais e o trabalho dos professores universitários no Brasil: convergência e hegemonia

O artigo busca compreender as funções sociais, econômicas e políticas da ciência acadêmica dos Estados Unidos em consolidada transição para recolocar a universidade como parte do sistema produção. Este entendimento possibilita compreender as mudanças estruturais em curso no Brasil e suas consequências para a vida do intelectual pesquisador da universidade estatal e para a natureza de seu trabalho cada vez mais comercializável.

Ciencia académica, intelectuales y el trabajo del profesor universitario en Brasil: convergencia y hegemonía

This article explores the social, economic and political context of higher education reforms in the United States in order to understand contemporary changes in Brazilian higher education. The paper argues that while the Brazilian higher education system has made important achievements in the last decade, the academic profession cannot escape market pressures and neoliberal dynamics. This is particularly evident in areas related to research, funding, and the commercial value given to scientific discovery.

Design and Use of Management Accounting and Control Systems in the Jordanian Universities' Faculties

Drawing on upper echelon theory and focusing on the context of higher education reforms in Jordan within new public management in university faculties/colleges, this study investigates the diagnostic versus interactive uses of management control systems by Deans/Pro-Vice Chancellors of Faculties/Colleges (hereafter called Faculty PVCs). It seeks to identify how the professional and experiential characteristics of these senior academic executives and the structure of their Faculty, impact on their managerial and collegial orientation as reflected in their approach to using management controls. A mail survey of Faculty PVCs is conducted amongst a census of all Faculties/Colleges of all universities in Jordan. Supplementing this survey are semi-structured interviews with the PVC of the business and science Faculty at a large Jordanian university. Results reveal that PVCs who have had a longer career in higher education tend to use MCSs more interactively (or collegially). There is also evidence that as PVCs hold their current position for longer periods; they tend to move from an early diagnostic use of MCSs to a subsequent interactive use. Further, the higher the complexity of a Faculty the more PVC will adopt an interactive approach to MCS use. Other PVC and Faculty characteristics did not reveal patterns of significant influence on the interactive or diagnostic use of MCSs. A key revelation from interviews is that PVCs will give over-riding importance to meeting centrally-set diagnostically-focused KPI, but still take a collegial approach within their Faculty to the broader use of MCSs. The findings lend limited support to upper echelons theory, but provide grounding for further research into the impact that a managerial versus a collegial approach by PVCs/Deans may have on their Faculty’s growth in innovative capacities, teaching qualities or financial strength.

The context of higher education reform in the United States

Higher education in the United States has received much scrutiny in the recent past from the federal and state governments, the press and the general public. In response to this scrutiny, a number of blue ribbon panels have been formed to examine how effectively higher education is serving American society. In this article, I analyse the proceedings and impact of the most recent prominent panel, the Secretary of Education’s Commission on the Future of Higher Education, commonly known as the Spellings Commission. I also briefly examine how the new administration of President Barack Obama is likely to affect colleges and universities in light of the global economic crisis. Le contexte de la réforme de l’enseignement supérieur aux États-Unis Ces dernières années, le gouvernement fédéral, les États, la presse et l’opinion publique ont placé l’enseignement supérieur aux États-Unis au centre d’une attention toute particulière. En conséquence de cela, de nombreux groupes d’experts se sont formés pour étudier dans quelle mesure le système d’enseignement supérieur sert efficacement la société américaine. Cet article examinera les procédures et l’impact de la commission du ministre de l’Éducation sur le futur de l’enseignement supérieur, plus généralement dénommée la commission Spellings, qui constitue le plus important groupe d’experts récemment constitué. Nous étudierons ensuite brièvement dans quelle mesure la nouvelle administration du Président Barack Obama est susceptible d’affecter les universités dans un contexte marqué par la crise économique mondiale.

Global Trends, National Policies and Institutional Responses: Restructuring Higher Education in Malaysia

A significant global trend during the 1990s is the restructuring of higher education systems. The essence of this restructuring process is a redefinition of the relationship between institutions of higher learning, the state, and the market, and a drastic reduction of institutional autonomy. This article is an analysis of the restructuring process in the forms of privatisation of higher education and corporatisation of public universities in Malaysia. This analysis highlights the context of higher education reforms in the era of globalization, major trends in higher education reforms and Malaysia’s responses to these global trends. By focusing on the institutional level, this article examines the expansion and diversification of private higher education as well as the change in the governance and culture of public universities brought about by privatisation and corporatisation.