Staff In Higher Education Research Articles

Microaggressions among staff in higher education: Examining differences by social identities, and the association with job satisfaction

Microaggressions are everyday slights or insults directed toward members of marginalized groups; microaggressions are harmful, even if unintentional, and they occur in various contexts including the workplace. However, there is limited research on microaggressions among staff in higher education. The first aim of this study was to obtain systematic reports of experiences of microaggressions and other forms of discrimination among staff at a large public university. The second aim was to test for differences in these experiences as a function of staff members’ race/ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability status. A third aim was to examine whether microaggression and discrimination predicted job satisfaction. Web-based survey data were collected from a diverse sample of 680 university staff members. The survey included adapted versions of two scales on microaggressions and standard measures of everyday and workplace discrimination. Results indicated that experiences of microaggressions and discrimination were common among staff, and differed by race/ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability status, with those of marginalized identities reporting significantly more negative experiences. Finally, more frequent experiences of microaggressions and workplace discrimination predicted lower job satisfaction. These findings indicate a need for education on microaggressions pertaining to campus climate improvement in institutions of higher education.

European students and staff in higher education in the UK: Statistics, challenges and opportunities

The United Kingdom (UK) Higher Education (HE) community is remarkably international, with a remarkable contribution from citizens of the European Union (EU). Recent statistics indicate that 3.3 % of students (95,505) and 15.6 % of academic staff (37,585) in the UK HE are EU nationals. This article critically analyses current statistics on EU national students and staff in the UK HE system, revealing a diminished appeal for EU nationals. However, internationalisation in the UK HE continues to increase, driven by non-EU internationals. EU nationals face new challenges, such as VISA requirements for work and increased tuition fees for study, acting as barriers to accessing the UK HE system. In contrast, internationalisation opportunities like the Turing Scheme have emerged. Additionally, the data analysis seems to reveal the existence of challenges for EU staff in reaching senior positions compared to UK nationals are highlighted, despite opportunities for improved research impact through international collaborations and access to EU grants contributing to the research income.

The Unbearable Lightness of Financed Research

This paper aims at drawing the attention of national and international academic communities on an ethical issue which seems to have become systematic: the propensity of forging the scientific research process and its results, in various lines of activity. The manipulation of knowledge and the falsification of knowledge are directly connected to the current conditions and procedures of scholarships granting, of financing research projects, of publishing the results of the research and of promoting research and higher education staff. In order to highlight the manner in which these processes are linked and mutually amplified, we shall make use of the investigations results that the Italian researcher Enrico Bucci presents in his book The Bastard Scientists. Scientific Research Frauds (2015)

On the Causes and Countermeasures of Professional Burnout among Administrative Staff in Normal Universities

With the increasing demand for higher education in society, administrative staff at normal universities are confronted with mounting challenges. In the context of developing new-quality productivity, college administrative personnel must not only adapt to the swift progress of technological innovation but also satisfy the new demands for efficiency and quality in the education sector. However, professional burnout, a widespread phenomenon, poses a serious threat to the mental well-being and job engagement of administrative staff in higher education, potentially leading to diminished work efficiency and a lack of creativity in management practices. This can impede the ongoing development and competitive edge of normal universities. A thorough investigation into the causes of professional burnout among administrative staff, along with the analysis and proposal of effective preventive measures, is crucial for advancing the role of universities in serving the development of new-quality productivity. By mitigating professional burnout, safeguarding the mental health of administrative staff, igniting work passion, enhancing work efficiency, and fostering innovation in management, the overall excellence of universities can be enhanced, thereby contributing positively to societal advancement and growth.

Symposium 2: Networked Learning for Life-Long Learning in Swedish Health Care

A healthy work environment in health care requires that staff feel in control and are provided with self-development opportunities, information and adequate resources, all of which lead to job satisfaction. Lifelong learning for health care staff has received increasing attention as a step towards an attractive workplace and safer care. However, people in working life demand conditions that enable them to participate in educational activities. The aim of this paper is to describe experiences of creating and distributing short, flexible and networked courses in higher education, for health care personnel’s lifelong learning. Following research questions are included: what challenges have been identified by higher education staff when creating flexible courses for lifelong learning based on networked learning? and what, in the course design, was essential for the students networked learning? The project was built on the assumption that knowledge is empowering for staff and patients, and that organizational learning and behaviour is central for quality. The sociocultural theory of learning, which claims that all humans are willing and able to learn, and that people learn when they realize that the knowledge is relevant and important to them, has inspired. One pilot course was developed, and this paper focuses on the preliminary findings for the course “Peer learning”. E-mail, memos and notes were used as data and examined with thematic analysis. The findings showed four themes that answered the aim: identifying courses in collaboration; recruiting and maintaining the participants; learning activities in the course design and improving the course. It was important to have flexibility along with some structure in the course. The three components in networked learning contributed to learning and motivation during the course: relationship between educators, gatekeepers and students, the technology in the digital classroom, and a collaborative engagement. It seems successful working together and networking between the two organizations (university and health care) for a common purpose. The conclusion focuses further on the importance of building a robust network as well as bringing new ideas and needs for lifelong learning from the health care to the university. Further data collection is needed to get additional and deeper insights of health care managers along with workforce experiences and wishes for lifelong learning.

Localization of sustainable development goals among non-teaching staff in higher education: the status quo dynamics at great Zimbabwe university

Localization of sustainable development goals among non-teaching staff in higher education: the status quo dynamics at great Zimbabwe university

Transformational Leadership, Perceived Organizational Support Sharing, Organizational Commitment and Employee Performance: the Role of Religiosity

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine how transformational leadership, knowledge sharing, and perceived organizational support affect organizational commitment and how their effects on performance are influenced by religiosity at Nahdlatul Ulama University in East Java. This kind of study is known as explanatory research. Method: Purposive sampling is the kind of sample strategy that should be applied. 345 samples were successfully obtained for this study. A Likert scale questionnaire was employed as the data gathering method in this investigation. The Partial Least Square (PLS) method was used to analyze the data, and SmartPLS version 3 PLS software was used. Research Findingsand Discussions: The following factors have been found to have a positive and significant impact on organizational commitment: 1) Transformational Leadership; 2) Perceived Organizational Support; 3) Knowledge Sharing; 4) Organizational Commitment has a positive and significant impact on performance; and 5) Religiosity strengthens the relationship between organizational commitment and employee performance. Research Implications: Research implicates poor lecturer performance with low-quality tertiary institutions. Studies must expand focus to include knowledge sharing, organizational support, and leadership to enhance relationships and improve organizational commitment and performance. Originality/Value: The poor performance of lecturers as members of the teaching staff in higher education is inextricably linked to the low quality of tertiary institutions. Numerous studies that have been done only look at a few variables and ignore the importance of knowledge sharing, perceived organizational support, and transformational leadership in maximizing the potential for relationships that are mediated by organizational commitment and moderated by religiosity to improve company performance.

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.

“Underpaid” and “Undervalued”: The Experiences of Women Administrative Assistants in US Higher Education

Administrative assistants within the higher education system are a vital part of universities, including supporting students, faculty, and administrators. Although administrative assistants are essential to a college or university, they often lack recognition and salary support for their contributions. This applied qualitative study seeks to uncover some of the most unseen staff in higher education. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the experiences of women administrative assistants within higher education in the United States. The data of this study reveal three findings: (1) administrative assistants encounter challenges in losing their capacity to speak up; (2) receive low pay despite the increasing responsibilities placed upon them; and (3) maneuver complicated demands from faculty members. To improve how administrative assistants are supported and recognized, recommendations are provided for higher education institution leadership.

Pelatihan Pemanfaatan Artificial Intelligence dan Canva bagi Dosen Fakultas Kesehatan Masyarakat Universitas Tadulako

AI training is very important for teaching staff in higher education to equip themselves with the knowledge and skills to utilize AI to improve the quality of learning, provide accurate feedback, and promote effective student engagement. This training aimed to improve the knowledge and skills of public health lecturers at Tadulako University in the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) and Canva. The training was conducted using lectures, practices, and discussions. The training participants were 16 lecturers at the Faculty of Public Health, Tadulako University. The training materials covered AI Bard, Gamma APP AI, CANVA, Chat GPT, and Jenni AI. After the training, all participants were able to create accounts on each of the applications and were able to practice them. Participants were also able to apply AI and Canva for teaching, research, and other needs. The training was able to improve the knowledge and skills of public health lecturers at Tadulako University in the utilization of AI and Canva. AI and Canva can be useful tools to support teaching, research, and other activities. Using AI wisely can improve the accuracy and usefulness of the information provided by AI in educational media. This can help both teachers and students learn more effectively and efficiently.

Examining the Influence of Occupational Stress on Teaching Staff in Higher Education: A Case Study in Pune City

Work stress among teaching staff in higher education can have significant impacts on their well-being, job satisfaction, and overall effectiveness as educators. Pune city, known for its educational institutions and academic excellence, would likely see similar effects as in other places (Siu 2002; Winefield et al. 2003). The objective of these study was to determine the impact of work load of teaching staff in higher education institutions in Pune city. This study tries to shows the potential relationship among various factors like physical and mental health, job satisfaction, reduced performance, student learning, higher turnover rates, work life balance, quality of research and publications, institutional reputation, long term career impact and organisational outcomes (HSC 2002). Closed and open ended questions were administered for this study with respect to Pune city. Results shows that to mitigate the impact of work stress on teaching staff in higher education, institutions can consider implementing supportive measures such as providing resources for mental health support, offering training in stress management and time management, encouraging a healthy work-life balance, and addressing systemic issues related to workload distribution and administrative support (Siu 2002; Windfield et al 2001).

‘It was building a plane as we were flying it!’ Adapting teaching through a crisis: lessons from educational leadership staff in Higher Education

ABSTRACT The coronavirus pandemic resulted in universities rapidly changing how courses are delivered. Many traditionally on-campus courses have been adapted to be taught online, or in a hybrid manner with a mix of online and on-campus classes. This rapid shift in pedagogy and delivery mode has disrupted long-standing patterns of teaching and learning in higher education and has also presented a unique challenge for university staff with leadership roles. This project uses a UK university as a case study to understand how staff with educational leadership roles have handled the challenge of supporting their staff to adapt their teaching, making key decisions about how to implement aspects of hybrid teaching, and how lessons from their experiences of the pandemic period can guide future decision-making and support from senior management.

“Unmeasured” and never-ending working hours in UK higher education: time for workers, unions and employers to reinterpret the law?

ABSTRACT Higher Education staff in the United Kingdom (UK) work long hours to complete their duties. In a 2021 survey, staff reported a weekly average of 51 hours: a fact well understood to undermine health and educational quality. Yet, UK law sets a maximum working week of 48 hours, and failure to uphold this maximum is a criminal offence for employers. Seeking to understand this contradiction, the article reveals that staff are denied otherwise universal legal Health and Safety protection by the development and reinforcement of legal interpretation that assumes they have sufficient ‘autonomy’ to avoid overwork. As this is a position mutually constructed and accepted by both employers and unions, all efforts to reduce hours, including Industrial Action, have worked from this premise. However, critical analysis of university Terms and Conditions, against relevant jurisprudential developments, adds significant original value by questioning the validity of the status quo legal interpretation. Specifically, a landmark legal ruling against the UK by the European Court of Justice, and the resulting 2006 amendment to the UK Working Time Regulations, strongly suggests most University Terms and Conditions are legally noncompliant. As such, HE stakeholders should pressure powerbrokers involved in this omnipresent dispute to revisit the law: specifically with a view to re-establishing any fundamental rights of which they are currently illegitimately deprived. Where this was successful, empirically informed weekly workload modelling – rather than irrelevant, abstract annual calculations – would become a legally enforceable necessity for the benefit of staff and students alike.

Artificial intelligence techniques as an indicator of knowledge management and information Monitoring in higher education in Algeria: a field study at the University of Tamanghasset

The roles of higher education institutions are based on managing and monitoring access to knowledge and its sharing among individuals with the aim of development and innovation to serve scientific, cultural and economic development, to perform the roles, higher education institutions respond to the requirements of modern technical growth in their fields of activity by overcoming the difficulties that hinder relations between those involved in their activities, and perhaps artificial intelligence techniques is one of the modern technologies that contribute to the tasks of managing access to knowledge and monitoring its sharing among individuals. The field study aims to highlight the level of knowledge management and information monitoring among educational staff in higher education in Algeria by measuring their use of artificial intelligence techniques in teaching and scientific research activities, a descriptive analytical approach was used on a sample consisting of 70 professors distributed among five colleges at the University of Tamanghasset (College of Humanities and Social Sciences 18 professors, College of Legal and Political Sciences 13 professors, College of Economics and Management Sciences 14 professors, College of Science and Technology 13 professors, College of Arts and Languages 12 professors). The study concluded that knowledge management and information monitoring in higher education is a vital activity within the scientific and technological environment in the University of Tamanghasset that contributes to enriching the practices and uses of artificial intelligence techniques with a moderate positive correlation, the study recommended the necessity of conducting field studies and questionnaires to identify more comprehensive level that includes the administrative side and the student side with including the institution's research centers and laboratories and organizations surrounding university in the process, in addition conducting analytical studies to data and statistics related to the use of artificial intelligence techniques and their negative impact on various educational and research aspects, while working to strengthen information systems based on artificial intelligence.

Perceptions of Open Educational Resources by Teaching Staff in Higher Education in Ireland

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of Emergency Remote Learning on the perceptions of Open Educational Resources. This was achieved by comparing the perspectives of academic teaching staff in this research with those documented in pre-COVID-19 studies. A total of 105 participants from 16 institutions in Ireland were surveyed using a combination of quantitative and qualitative questions. The findings indicate that the shift to Emergency Remote Learning has not significantly diminished the perceived barriers to Open Educational Resources. Instead, it has brought forward fresh concerns about the implications of Open Education on conventional teaching methods. Although a national policy would grant individual institutions the autonomy to devise courses in line with their mission and strategy, the outcomes of this study highlight the need for practical assistance, training, and guidance at an institutional level.

STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING PERFORMANCE AND MOTIVATION AMONG ACADEMIC STAFF IN HIGHER EDUCATION

This study delves into the key factors influencing performance effectiveness and motivation among academic staff in higher education. A comprehensive analysis was carried out with a primary focus on the role of effective management strategies including, fostering innovation and creativity, recognizing efforts, awarding impressive titles, ensuring regular salary payments and compensations, providing opportunities for professional development, availing instructional resources, and improving institutional facilities. The research employed a quantitative methodology, with data collected through surveys from a significant number of academic staff members. The findings underline the high relevance of these strategies in enhancing staff performance and motivation. Major insights revealed that a combination of professional recognition, financial incentives, growth opportunities, quality resources, and well-equipped working environments play a crucial role in academic staff's effectiveness. This study's outcomes propose invaluable guidelines for university managers and policymakers, aiming at creating conducive environments that foster academic excellence. The research also advocates for further in-depth studies examining these factors in different higher education contexts to enrich the understanding and implementation of effective motivational strategies.

Challenges and Coping Strategies: A Study of Occupational Stress Among Pune's University Instructors

Work stress among teaching staff in higher education can have significant impacts on their well-being, job satisfaction, and overall effectiveness as educators. Pune city, known for its educational institutions and academic excellence, would likely see similar effects as in other places (Siu 2002; Winefield et al. 2003). The objective of these study was to determine the impact of work load of teaching staff in higher education institutions in Pune city. This study tries to shows the potential relationship among various factors like physical and mental health, job satisfaction, reduced performance, student learning, higher turnover rates, work life balance, quality of research and publications, institutional reputation, long term career impact and organisational outcomes (HSC 2002). Closed and open ended questions were administered for this study with respect to Pune city. Results shows that to mitigate the impact of work stress on teaching staff in higher education, institutions can consider implementing supportive measures such as providing resources for mental health support, offering training in stress management and time management, encouraging a healthy work-life balance, and addressing systemic issues related to workload distribution and administrative support (Siu 2002; Windfield et al 2001).

DOES THE ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT DEVELOP TEAMWORK EFFICIENCY AMONG STUDENTS?

Teamwork skills are considered essential for all areas of a person’s life, so universities take them into account when designing their curricula. These skills are especially important if we are talking about humanities fields. However, little is known about how students’ factors can affect the process of developing teamwork skills. Consequently, our study proposes to fill this gap and to analyze the mastery of teamwork skills by higher education students, measured by the efficiency of working in a team, in relation to teamwork styles, but also with the number of courses whose content allows the development of these skills. One Hundred Ninety-Five female students participated in this study, with an average age of M = 31.5, a standard deviation of SD = 9.2. The participants filled out a questionnaire that measured the efficiency of teamwork and the styles of teamwork based on specialized literature. Also, the questionnaires were first applied in a pilot study in which 50 female students participated and the Cronbach’s internal consistency index was 0.8 for the first questionnaire and 0.77 for the second. The results showed that there are statistically significant correlations between teamwork efficiency, teamwork styles, and the number of courses in which the development of these skills is encouraged, p < 0.01. Moreover, we also noticed that the number of courses in which the development of these skills is encouraged has a mediating effect on the relationship between working styles in a team and the efficiency of working in a team, p < 0.01. These results can support teaching staff in higher education to adopt the most suitable educational methods for the development of teamwork skills, essential skills, especially for students in the humanities domains.

Teamwork efficiency of students: does the university environment contribute to the development of this competence?

Social skills are as important as basic technical skills in the academic system. Thus, the competence of working in a team helps the student to integrate not only into the student group but also in the insertion on the labor market. However, not much is known about the effectiveness of teamwork among students. In this study, we aimed to investigate the differences between students in terms of their demographic characteristics (age category, education level) depending on the perceived efficiency of their work within a team. Also, the current study aims to investigate the relationship between the efficiency of teamwork, the number of courses in which the development of these skills is encouraged and the general average of the last semester of teaching activity. The results showed statistically significant differences between the demographic characteristics of students and the level of effectiveness in teamwork, but also statistically significant relationships between academic performance and efficiency in teamwork of students. These results can be used in training programs for teaching staff in higher education to be able to develop students' social skills.