Future Of Higher Education Research Articles

Humanization and sovereignization as a strategy for reforming and development of Russian education. Part 1. Russia's sovereign path in education

Introduction. Russia defends its humanitarian sovereignty when upbringing, education, culture, politics, films are built on our traditions and values, which are not outside, but inside a person, in his mind, since these are mental components, worldview components.Purpose setting. The education system should work for the formation and development of the country's human capital. Without solving this problem, the country will not have a sovereign education, which means there will be no future. It is necessary to change the paradigm of higher education, we need a new Russian national model. A professional school should be not just a «forge of personnel», but a center for the spiritual transformation of a specialist's personality, a source of spirituality for his thoughts, words and deeds. It is necessary to educate a real citizen, a patriot who knows the history and culture of his country well.Methodology and methods of the study. Based on the key points of the sovereignization of Russian education, which naturally abandoned the Bologna system of education. Methodology for understanding the current situation in education, analytical report «The Future of Higher Education in Russia: an Expert View. Foresight-study-2030».Results. Russian education until recently, with the implemented Bologna system, developed exclusively as an extractive social institution. For more than twenty years, this most important sphere of social life, the importance of which in maintaining and developing the sovereignty of the country cannot be overestimated, was literally «broken over the knee» to please the West. The main changes in the system of higher education caused by this participation are outlined. Joining the Bologna process has received an ambiguous and even contradictory assessment in the professional community.Conclusions. Now a situation has developed in society that makes the problem of finding a new semantic component of the fundamentalization of education, the essence of which is the realization that the future fate of human civilization will be determined not only by the intellectual and educational, but also by the spiritual and moral potential of society and people, i. e. by humanization and sovereignization. This is the value of Russia.

Budgeting for fraud mediation and university governance: A university board outlook

The objective of this study is to analyse the impact of budget implementation and university governance on fraud prevention in Indonesia. Using the purposive sampling method, this study covered 50 private universities with 150 university officials as a sample. The findings demonstrate that effective university governance and budget execution have a substantial and favourable impact on fraud prevention. Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge several limitations regarding the variables in this study, such as the small sample size and the absence of control over other variables that may influence university governance. The significance of this study stems from its examination of crucial areas, particularly the higher education service sector, which is well recognized for its substantial influence on the future of higher education.

Future of Higher Education through Technology Prediction and Forecasting

Future of Higher Education through Technology Prediction and Forecasting

Future research recommendations for transforming higher education with generative AI

Higher education is crucial for producing ethical citizens and professionals globally. The introduction of generative AI (GenAI), such as ChatGPT, has posed opportunities and challenges to the traditional model of education. However, the current conversations primarily focus on policy development and assessment, with limited research on the future of higher education. GenAI's impact on learning outcomes, pedagogy, and assessment is crucial for reforming and advancing the workforce. This qualitative study aims to investigate student perspectives on GenAI's impact on higher education. The study uses an initial conceptual framework driven by a systematic literature review to investigate the opportunities and challenges of AI in education. This framework serves as an initial data collection and analysis framework. A sample of 51 students from three research-intensive universities was selected for this study. Thematic analysis identified three themes and 10 subthemes. The findings suggest that future higher education should be transformed to train students to be future-ready for employment in a society powered by GenAI. They suggest new learning outcomes—skills in learning and teaching with GenAI, AI literacy—and emphasize the significance of interdisciplinarity and maker learning, with assessment focusing on in-class and hands-on activities. They recommend six future research directions – competence for future workforce and its self-assessment measures, AI literacy or competency measures, new literacies and their relationships, interdisciplinary teaching, Innovative pedagogies and their evaluation, new assessment and its acceptance.

Identifying the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence in higher education: a qualitative study

PurposeThis research was developed to identify artificial intelligence (AI) opportunities and challenges in higher education.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative research was developed using the six-step thematic analysis method (Braun and Clark, 2006). Participants in this study were AI PhD students from Tehran University in 2022–2023. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants; a total of 15 AI PhD students, who were experts in this field, were selected and interviews were conducted.FindingsThe authors considered the opportunities that AI creates for higher education in eight secondary subthemes (for faculty members, for students, in the teaching and learning process, for assessment, the development of educational structures, the development of research structures, the development of management structures and the development of academic culture). Correspondingly, The authors identified and categorized the challenges that AI creates for higher education.Research limitations/implicationsConcerning the intended research, several limitations are significant. First, the statistical population was limited, and only people with characteristics such as being PhD students, studying at Tehran University and being experts in AI could be considered the statistical population. Second, caution should be exercised when generalizing the results due to the limited statistical population (PhD students from Tehran University). Third, the problem of accessing some students due to their participation in research grants, academic immigration, etc.Originality/valueThe innovation of the current research is that the authors identified the opportunities and challenges that AI creates for higher education at different levels. The findings of this study also contribute to the enrichment of existing knowledge in the field regarding the effects of AI on the future of higher education, as researchers need more understanding of AI developments in the future of higher education.

Part 5: Higher Education Futures

Abstract In this section, five authors reflect on Sue Wright's academic trajectory, her work in creating disciplinary and interdisciplinary networks and her engagement – as both an activist and scholar – in institutional change-making. They also reflect on her research on university reform, neoliberalisation and higher education futures.

La Educación Superior: ¿Una apuesta por el Futuro de Nuestras Naciones?

It is reasonable that different nations aspire to a future and that it be built in favor of their citizens. This idea generated interest to start this work. The research began with an analysis of the problems of education in Peru; The figures that were found are calamitous. In addition to this result, it was verified how enrollment in public universities has been decreasing dramatically and steadily, from the year 2000 to 2020. These two facts consolidated the concern about the proposal: higher education: A bet on the future of our nations? Throughout the research, several related topics were discussed and gradually it was visualized that –by having a strong, consolidated, and advanced higher education –one can have more confidence in achieving the future of nations. This expression is based on the level of higher education, in terms of R&D&I, which strengthens the challenges in terms of innovation; thereby achieving a substantial improvement in the technological and pedagogical capacity of the people benefited by this educational level. According to the results of the research, the following expression can be reached: one cannot think about the future of higher education without thinking about the future of our countries. If we want a fairer country, with equity, with more possibilities, we have to guarantee quality and inclusive higher education.

Norwegian higher education futures

AbstractThe paper deals with the future of Norwegian higher education as part of a Nordic project on higher education futures. To identify future scenarios for Norwegian higher education (HE), the paper uses the theoretical lens of historical institutionalism to focus on scenario building. Like in the other Nordic countries, Norwegian HE and research are characterized by easily accessible and free public HE provision, high participation rates, and a high level of investment in HE and research. However, the question is this: If we look back at the development of Norwegian HE the last decades, to what extent can we expect present developments to persist and to what extent can we expect more or less sharp breaks and deviations from past and present developments? Departing from an institutionalist position, two historically grounded visions and related scenarios are identified: an academic excellence scenario and a national service scenario. The scenarios reflect tensions between different visions of the shape, emphasis, and orientation of HE and research. The empirical focus is on the developments of HE along five dimensions: growth, systemic integration, academic drift, labor market relevance, and governance. First, the conceptual approach is presented, outlining the use of scenarios and an institutionalist approach to thinking about the future of HE. Secondly, the paper outlines the five trends regarding past and ongoing developments. Third, some ideas about future developments are outlined, before the conclusion is drawn.

The Future of Higher Education: Implementation of Virtual and Augmented Reality in the Educational Process

The introduction of VR and AR into the higher education is a particularly interesting phenomenon for the education of the future. Thus, the aim of the study was to determine the impact of using VR and AR as a possible strategy to enhance teaching in higher education institutions and as a replacement for outdated teaching methods. Virtual and augmented realities are tools that enable dynamic training in a virtual environment by facilitating the management of its components. Virtual immersion in the process of the information comprehension allows students exploring complex environments and situations by manipulating the elements that make up the environment. The purpose of this study is to analyse the introduction of VR and AR in the learning process as a favourable area of the development of higher education. The analysis of the relevance and effectiveness of virtual artefacts in higher education was obtained using the following methods: a literature review was used in the research to systematically gather, analyse, and synthesize existing published literature on the topic. The next stage was the observation, data analysis and interpretation. The results of the work were obtained through a double analysis. First, the state of the art of the related literature was investigated, and second, the impact on students was assessed, offering an innovative alternative to traditional teaching methods at the pedagogical faculties where the observation was conducted. Search engines revealed 2300 articles on the use of VR and AR in higher education. As a result of the selection and verification process, only 50 state-of-the-art sources from 2018-2023 were selected (taking into account the scientific novelty of the topic). An observation of students obtained data to evaluate the implementation of resources in higher education by key elements: motivation, design, and collaboration. The question of whether the use of educational artefacts in VR and AR is applicable in the perspective of higher education and the values that should guide their strategy is revealed. Conclusions present the scientific and students’ opinion in terms of the implementation of VR and AR in higher education. This research questions are revealed, the advantages and disadvantages, concepts and paradigms in this area are identified. The position on the significance of VR and AR as a pedagogical instrument is presented.

Doctoral pathways to imagined futures in higher education: two Hong Kong cases

ABSTRACT Drawing upon the mutually constitutive notions of possible selves and agency, this study illuminates how maintaining a future orientation in doctoral education acts to supply candidates with a pivotal sense of direction and drive their experimentation with disparate pathways to realise their academic career aspirations. In-depth analysis of two longitudinal cases reveals that participants’ trajectorial differences were closely linked to their exercise of agency towards different ends and to different extents under the biographical, institutional, local/national, and global conditions and contingencies they engaged with. However, neither was immune to the risk of suffering an unpredictable employment outcome following candidature. While this plight has much to do with the fierce competition inherent to the neoliberal academic job market, findings also underlined its association with the prominent absence of supervisory and programme support along their doctorate. The study concludes with proffering practical implications beneficial to nurturing and supporting candidates’ (diverse) career-possible selves.

Access and politics of higher education for refugees: Comparative contexts from Uganda and Ethiopia

An intricate mesh of factors hampers students from refugee backgrounds from accessing and having success in higher education (HE). The paper examines HE within a broader framework of refugee education and the future politics of its provision. Much research is done on refugee children and youth in schooling contexts, but less is known about students from refugee backgrounds in HE. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), an estimated 65 million people are currently displaced, of whom over 21 million meet refugee status criteria. Nevertheless, only five percent of this group has access to HE. Thus, access to HE and the success of students from refugee backgrounds are central to the discussion on the future of HE. The paper provides a comparative overview of difficulties regarding access to HE for refugee students in Uganda and Ethiopia, highlighting policy and settlement issues in their legislative and political contexts. It also interrogates students’ coping mechanisms, exploring their experiences through interviews. The study uses secondary data, document analysis, and interviews with a total of 30 students from refugee backgrounds, fifteen from Makerere University in Uganda and fifteen from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia.

Future of higher education, trends and innovation

Future of higher education, trends and innovation

Technological Unemployment, Skill Mismatch and the Future of Higher Education in Post-Pandemic Nigeria

Technological advancement is one of the main drivers of economic growth and development. It propels increased productivity, boosts per capita income, affects consumption patterns, and significantly alters the nature of work in both developed and developing countries. The issue of unemployment has traversed different historical epochs, with several scholars proffering solutions to the problem based on their conceptualisations of the problem's causes. In recent times, technological unemployment (TU) has assumed critical proportions of scholars looking at the issue from different perspectives, thereby offering divergent insights into its impact on job creation and destruction in the present and the prognosis of what may happen in the future. The post-pandemic period has brought about a phenomenal increase in the utilisation of e-learning and other technological devices for effective and efficient modes of teaching and learning. The effects of technology on employment have become apparent due to its attendant consequences: rising inequality, rising unemployment, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, and increasing digital automation of manufacturing processes - the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). This chapter critically examines the changing patterns of education delivery before, during and after the pandemic, the 'work-less society' in the context of TU; the nexus between TU and skill mismatch, as well as TU and the future of higher education in post-pandemic Nigeria.

Shared governance in the public university

Abstract Public universities in the United States confront drastic changes as labour relations continue to evolve towards neoliberal managerial practices. Increasingly, faculty feel excluded from decision-making processes influencing their lives. This article provides a case study of Public Midwestern University (PMU, a pseudonym), where a faculty union went from protest to participation with administration to formulate a new model for shared governance. While PMU produced such a model, interviews with participants depict a larger economic context that cultivates mistrust and a great sense of uncertainty. The article discusses conflicting attitudes around unionisation, managerial practices and the future of higher education.

Exploring the use of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity: A Critical Discourse Analysis of HESA Introductory Syllabi

In this Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) introductory syllabi, we sought to understand the language used in higher education introductory syllabi as they reflected higher education social justice discourses. Specifically, we explored the use of equity, diversity, and inclusion in HESA syllabi to understand how nominalized words were used to communicate social justice discourses in higher education. Since HESA programs are designed to prepare higher education practitioners, exploring the language used in instructional documents provides a perspective of the current and past state of higher education and, possibly, provides insight into the future of higher education as it is guided by HESA professionals. As such, understanding the nature of these courses is critical to provide perspective on higher education at present – as language is indicative and predictive of discursive patterns and beliefs – to identify discourses that legitimize dominating knowledge, policies, practices, and procedures.

A Reflection on Post-Graduate Supervision Practice: Towards a Deeper Understanding of Effective Student Engagement

There can be no debate about the central role of postgraduate studies in the enterprise of the research university. Reflecting on the past and the future of higher education, it is clear that the economic foundations of nations are built on their ability to create new knowledge through research and, in turn, transform the same into innovations and resultant societal impact. In this regard, postgraduate supervision is integral to the foundation of national knowledge creation. The PhD degree is regarded as the capstone entry point for researchers to formally enter the scientific enterprise and the world of academia. However, research shows that many academics undertake the role of postgraduate supervision without any formal training or orientation to the task at hand. This paper reviews the literature in relation to the challenges in higher education with respect to postgraduate supervision. Using a personal reflective lens, the paper highlights the relevance of understanding the locus of disciplinary identity during supervision; the need to embrace plurality in terms of modes of supervision; the importance of knowing the boundaries of power, and how to evade the creation of supervisor dominant relationships; and lastly, that simple pragmatic tools can aid and address what is often perceived by the student to be a terrain of extreme complexity.

DEVELOPING CHINESE STUDENTS’ COMMUNICATION SKILLS THROUGH SYNCHRONOUS DISTANCE INTERPRETING COURSE

Future of higher education is closely connected with degree programs in distance mode as it guarantees security and convenience for overseas students. With Chinese-Russian relations becoming closer, more Chinese students are majoring in translation and interpreting studies at Russian universities while staying in China, so universities should provide well-organized online interpreting classes to build professional interpreting competences.
 Purpose. This paper aims to assess possibility of developing basic communication competence of future interpreters from China through all-digital synchronous interpreting course in Russian educational environment.
 Methodology. The research was carried out among Master’s degree Chinese students and their trainers at Lomonosov Moscow State University, overall number of participants was 58. The set of tools included role playing performance evaluation, open discussion, assessment scales, questionnaires and interviews.
 Results. The study showed that communication skills of future Chinese interpreters can be sufficiently developed in synchronous all-digital interpreting course if good educational environment is provided. The results of the cross-semester examination as well as the questionnaire data confirm that interpreting classes in distance synchronous mode at Moscow State University promote developing of communication competence of Chinese major degree students. For this purpose, pedagogical technologies of the course should include online interactive tasks, role play activities, small-size group rooms, chats via video platforms as well as use of various digital translation technologies. The results of the survey also showed that open online discussions with Russian students have a positive impact on the development of Chinese students’ communication skills. The study also reveals that synchronous distance learning is preferable for Chinese students in turbulent periods of world history (epidemics, wars) as it guarantees sustainability and continuality of educational process.
 Practical implications. The results of the study can be applied in optimizing the organization process in professional higher education both in Russia and abroad. Under certain circumstances synchronous distance training can be the only choice for international higher education programs.

Canadian Faculty Members’ Hopes and Anxieties About the Near-Future of Higher Education

Higher education worldwide is facing several challenges spanning from economic, social, technological, demographic, environmental, to political tensions. Calls to rethink, reimagine, and reform higher education to respond to such challenges are ongoing, and need to be informed by a wide variety of stakeholders. To inform such efforts, we interviewed thirty-seven faculty members at Canadian colleges and universities to develop a greater understanding of their hopes and anxieties about the future of higher education as they considered what higher education may look like five years into the future. Results centred on four themes: (1) anxieties and hopes are shaped by supports and resources from various sources, (2) faculty members face anxiety over matters that negatively impact them but are beyond their control, (3) faculty members hope that “good” comes from the COVID-19 pandemic, and (4) faculty members hope for a well-rounded education that will enable students to succeed both within and beyond their careers. Implications for these findings suggest a need to direct research efforts and practices toward more hopeful futures for higher education, especially in the context of online and blended learning.

Evaluation of the ‘Articulate’ widening participation intervention aimed at improving soft skills and HE aspirations of students from traditionally under‐represented backgrounds

AbstractThe ‘Articulate’ programme is a high‐intensity five‐day widening participation programme designed to help students develop their communication skills and confidence through a range of activities led by an Articulacy tutor and culminates in students taking an examination for the English Speaking Board (ESB) Level 1 Award in speech on the final day. Additionally, students also develop their understanding of and aspirations towards higher education (HE) through sustained interaction with student ambassadors, who support all sessions throughout the week. Based on the conceptual framework of the theory of change, the intervention primarily addresses the barrier of soft skills, including increasing students' self‐belief, while also addressing some of the barriers of socio‐economic factors to HE participation namely knowledge, understanding and likelihood of applying to HE in future, through increased exposure to HE role models. In this paper we report our findings from the evaluation where we are studying the effectiveness of the programme. Through survey questionnaires data was collected from over 698 students in year 9 and year 10, studying at 42 schools across Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset who took part in the ‘Articulate’ programme, which was run in collaboration with Next Steps South West (NSSW). Results show the majority of participating students went on to perform well in the ESB exam; furthermore, participants were more likely to have positive attitudes towards HE and considered applying to HE in future. The findings will be of particular interest to practitioners and activity providers. Context and implicationsRationale for this studyThis paper summarises the mid‐term evaluation of an outreach programme designed for under‐represented groups to build their soft (communication) skills and develop their understanding of higher education (HE)—in terms of applying to university, support available and the possibilities HE can offer.Why the new findings matterIt is possible to achieve medium‐term goals only after a sequence of short‐term goals are completed and built together to form a long‐term pursuit. Evaluating these goals is particularly useful for those delivering them and for the funder. Long‐term plans are what we are working towards, but the value of moderate to mid‐term goals is that they let us check our progress and evaluate whether we are still heading towards our long‐term pursuit and whether our plan, design or choices need to change to reach desired outcomes.ImplicationsWe expect the paper will be of particular interest to funders, regulators, practitioners and activity providers delivering similar programmes and will encourage them to evaluate the programmes they run for effectiveness and accountability. Based on the work done by some research team members, the Office for Students has recently published a report encouraging higher education institutions, outreach and activity providers to consider the standards of evidence and programme evaluation. Our work is one example of a mid‐term review for an ongoing programme with long‐term goals. Such reports are relatively rare, and we expect this evidence‐based practice will set a good example for colleagues involved in similar work.

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Higher Education: An Empirical Study

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a topic of growing interest and investigation in various fields, including higher education. This research article explores the impact of AI on higher education by examining its effects on teaching and learning, assessment, ethics, required skills, and future careers. The aim of this study is to analyse the influence of AI on higher education, investigate its impact on the teaching and learning process, examine its effect on assessment and grading, and predict its influence on graduates' future careers. To accomplish this, the study employs a qualitative approach based on a survey of the higher education audience. The results of this study demonstrate the crucial role of AI in the future of higher education. The findings highlight the effectiveness and efficiency of AI in equipping graduates with new skills for their future careers. They also emphasise the importance of considering the ethical implications of AI. The study reveals that higher education institutions need to integrate AI more extensively in their programs to prepare graduates for the future workforce. AI has the potential to revolutionize education by personalizing teaching methods to suit individual student needs, providing prompt feedback, and automating administrative tasks. It can also assist in grading and assessment, freeing educators to focus on developing curriculum and providing quality instruction. The study findings suggest that AI has a positive impact on the learning experience by facilitating the acquisition of new knowledge and skills. This research provides insights into the potential of AI to transform higher education and contribute to the development of new skills for graduates. It has important implications for educators, policy-makers, and other stakeholders in the higher education sector. The study findings suggest that AI should be more extensively integrated into higher education curricula, and that institutions need to consider the ethical implications of AI in the development and implementation of their programs. By doing so, they can better prepare graduates for the demands of the future workforce.