Higher Education Management Research Articles

Innovation, professionalisation and evaluation: implications for quality management in higher education

ABSTRACT At first sight, discussing the relevance of innovation, professionalisation and evaluation for higher education quality management seems to be redundant. Universities can legitimately be expected to be innovation-friendly, to pursue professionalism in their approaches to teaching and to be appreciative towards an evidence-supported management practice that relies on sound evaluation research methods. At second sight however, things prove to be blurry. For instance, evaluation practice in the field of higher education, with its focus on predefined quality indicators can in the worst case impede teaching innovation that requires more openness and error-tolerance. The paper thus discusses innovation, professionalisation and evaluation as interrelated concepts that can in the best case contribute to an adaptive and agile quality management environment which is context sensitive and creates trust in the employed mechanisms and those who are in charge to perform them.

Talent management practices and work-related outcomes for South African academic staff

This study explored the perception of relationships between talent management practices and work meaningfulness, happiness, and turnover intention among South African academic staff. The participants (n = 160) were from a large South African higher education institution (HEI). For a measure of talent management practices, the participants completed the Human Capital Index. Work-related outcome measures included the General Happiness Scale (GHS), the Meaning of Life Questionnaire (MLQ), and the Employee Retention Scale (ERS). Regression analysis results showed employee perceptions of talent management practices of talent acquisition and development, talent retention, management commitment, performance management, workforce planning, and staffing to predict their happiness and sense of work meaningfulness. Moreover, employee perceptions of talent management practices of acquisition, development, performance management, staffing, retention practices, and workforce planning predicted lower turnover intentions. Higher education management should invest in employee-centric talent retention practices for sustained academic workforce development and retention.

ФОРМУВАННЯ СИСТЕМИ УПРАВЛІННЯ КАР’ЄРОЮ ПРАЦІВНИКІВ У ЗАКЛАДАХ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ

The problems of career management in higher education institutions are topical and require the study of the nature of the career, the types of career, its factors and the basic principles of the system of career management in higher education institutions. Personnel career management in higher education is one of the most complex human resources technologies. The purpose of the study is to determine the theoretical and methodological foundations of the formation of a personnel career management system in higher education institutions. The article explains the concept of "career" and defines the author's interpretation of it, according to which it is advisable to consider the career of personnel as a step-by-step progression of employees in the hierarchy, what happens according to the growth of their practical experience and professional, business and personal qualities. It is through this approach that it is possible to reveal the meaning of the career as an object of management in higher education. Given the existence of a number of career types, the article systematizes approaches to classification features and career types. Factors influencing the career development of the employees of educational institutions are also analyzed and a systematic approach to their classification is determined. Thus, these factors are proposed to be divided into external and internal factors. The article focuses on the issues of the formation of a career management system for the employees in higher education institutions. In particular, a scientific and methodological approach to personnel career management was proposed, providing for the definition of the system of career management of personnel in higher education institutions as a set of planning, organization, evaluation, monitoring and motivation of the employee’s career development. The prospect of further scientific research in this direction lies in the development of an effective mechanism for managing the career of staff in higher education institutions.

The mode transformation of modern information technology in higher education management

With the development of "Internet + Education", higher education management has entered a new stage of intelligent and intelligent development. By giving full play to the advantages of modern information technology, actively restructuring the process of university education management, innovating the mode of university education management and the thinking of governance, the quality of university education management will be substantially improved, better realize the consistent integration of wisdom education and all-round education. This paper analyzes the background and advantages of the application of modern information technology in higher education management, and puts forward some suggestions on the reform of the mode.

Effect of positive psychological capital on service quality management in higher education

The objective of this paper is to extend the boundaries of positive psychological capital to the area of service quality management in higher education. This research addresses the relationship of each of the positive psychological capital (PsyCap) resources of hope, self-efficacy, resilience and optimism and PsyCap as a higher order construct with service quality management. This study proposed a model in which positive psychological capital (PsyCap) affects the perceptions of service quality in the higher educational sector. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypothesised relationships on a sample of 1,082 students in an Arab regional university - Egypt branch. The findings support a positive relationship between: a) each of the resources of PsyCap, and with each of the dimensions of service quality management; b) PsyCap, as a higher-order multidimensional construct, with each dimension of service quality management and with service quality management.

“Uncovered in the glass cages”. Rethinking neoliberal governance in the times of COVID-19: Critical performativity for performance management in higher education

This conceptual article draws on social harm theory and critical management studies to critically examine the neoliberal governance of academics’ performance management in higher education, particularly in the emerging “normal” of COVID-19. The article argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has created a crisis that lays bare the deleterious global ramifications of the dominant political-economic ideology of neoliberalism in every aspect of societal life, more so in education. Moreover, the justifiably lauded shift to the digital space of teaching and learning is increasing the already problematic panoptic surveillance and is invading the hiding spaces within the glass cages. The neoliberal approach to PM is inflicting social harms, unintentionally and intentionally. With the COVID-19 pandemic offering us the “rega” moment of opportunity to rethink and pragmatically insert critical alternatives to the neoliberal governance of universities’ performance management practices, this article proposes a critical performativity approach to work towards incremental micro-emancipations. Keywords: social harm, neoliberal governance, critical performativity, managerialsm, micro-emancipation, performance management

ЄВРОІНТЕГРАЦІЯ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ: VR-ТЕХНОЛОГІЯ ЯК ПРОГРЕСИВНА СКЛАДОВА СУЧАСНОГО ВИКЛАДАННЯ МЕНЕДЖМЕНТУ ЗОВНІШНЬОЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ

The article shows the key role of the use of VR (virtual reality) technology in the process of modern university training of foreign economic activity managers as specialists of international level with the aim of European integration of higher education in management and an effective guarantee of Ukraine’s economy recovery in the post-war period. The causeand-effect relationship of students’ inability to undergo production practice in destroyed enterprises was analyzed and the quality of acquiring practical competencies in university business incubators with the use of 3D-simulators was proven. The author’s vision of the creation of a virtual enterprise as a student startup in the 4th studying year is offered, with the coverage of both results and conclusions in the thesis (qualification work). The author considered the following concepts: virtual reality «breaks» stereotypes in education, making it playful, interesting and exciting, and the educational community fully understands that integration to the European level will no longer allow training specialists in any field using old methods/techniques according to former methods/technologies; the main advantages of VR-technology are the maximum closeness to real life and absolute safety when going through threatening and risky situations; great attention is paid to the consolidation of higher education with business, subject to the compliance with the requirements of the green economy; the crucial role of investment projects and financial support not only from the state/government. Increased innovativeness and creativity, built exclusively on digital technologies with knowledge of several foreign languages. The main problem today, in the author’s opinion, is the unpreparedness of secondary education to provide educational services according to a certain formula with the constituent regulated parts of AR (augmented reality) and R (reality). Because only on this base/foundation a smooth transition to the formula with VR and R in higher education is quite logical. Therefore, it will no longer be possible to integrate VR evolutionarily into the educational process, and it is also dangerous mentally/psychologically to «immerse» school-age children in VR while studying. The positive revolutionary nature of the approaches of transformation, modernization and integration of higher education in management to the European scientific and educational, and information and technological environment is emphasized.

Material and Supplied Management in Higher Education of Ethiopia

The paper is a scrupulous review of existing literature and research finding on material supply management in higher education. Relevant documents were thoroughly revisited and amalgamated into a manageable way to comprehensively bequeath empirical knowledge and an authentic picture of how material management looks like in higher education. Finally, the paper concluded that despite insufficient funding and ineffective system quality there are also high corruption and managerial negligence from the side of the institutions. Moreover, poor procurement planning, material inflow and out-follow laxity and lack of potential supplier identification were also seen as the major procurement defect.

Knowledge management in higher education: evidence from an interdisciplinary postgraduate program

Knowledge management in higher education: evidence from an interdisciplinary postgraduate program

Talking about the Management of Higher Education Under the Concept of Innovative Education

Talking about the Management of Higher Education Under the Concept of Innovative Education

A receding horizon approach for curriculum management in higher education

We propose a dynamic approach for curriculum management in university programs, i.e., for deciding which teaching and learning activities should be performed and in which order, as classes are being executed, to better aid the students reach the intended learning objectives. The approach ladders on a continuous-time dynamical model of the learning status of the individual students on the individual skills to be taught during the program. Such a model includes constructivist viewpoints on learning and zone of proximal development effects. Updating the program structure is then cast as an opportune model predictive control task, together with a moving horizon estimator that constantly infers the knowledge status of the class from the assessments performed in class. The proposed closed-loop approach is shown in simulation to significantly outperform the classical open-loop one, i.e., fixing the program structure in advance.

SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT FOR ONLINE PLATFORMS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the practices and challenges in sustainable strategic management in higher education on online platforms. Theoretical framework: Higher education through online platforms has become one of the crucial challenges of the twenty-first century with digital transformation in a digital era and the Covid-19 pandemic. For better implementation of online platforms for online higher education, universities created Sustainable Strategic Management (SSM) practices and adopted strategic planning accordingly. Design: The qualitative research is designed per the research objectives and questions. Thematic analysis is used to analyse collected data through interviews. Findings: The study finds that SSM practices are blended with SDGs to offer the best higher education for students. Furthermore, strategic management of these platforms is challenging even though they are collaborative and assertive tools for higher education. Understanding the needs and expectations of the stakeholders and implementing strategies for the effective operation of the online platform is the need of the hour. Research, Practical and Social implications: After analysing practices and challenges, the researcher recommends strategies and compilation with sustainability concepts for effective SSMs for online platforms in higher education. Originality/value: This study highlights that to derive SSM, higher education institutes must blend SDGs with strategic planning. Further, it reiterates that all steps for quality higher education through online platforms will contribute to sustainable economic growth in the country.

Moodle-Based Online Learning Management in Higher Education

Moodle-Based Online Learning Management in Higher Education

Knowledge management in higher education: evidence from an interdisciplinary postgraduate program

Knowledge management in higher education: evidence from an interdisciplinary postgraduate program

ОСВІТНІ ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЇ У СФЕРІ ОХОРОНИ ЗДОРОВ’Я УКРАЇНИ

The article examines the changes in the education system in the training of specialists in the field of health care for 2018-2021 in terms of reforming the education system, health care, public administration. The global trends in the development of higher education are generalized: increasing the mobility of students, teaching staff, educational institutions; development and intensification of international research; development of market mechanisms in the management of higher education, etc. Groups of social skills for which employers are creating a stable or growing demand are analyzed. The interconnection of public administration mechanisms has made it possible to study the strategic objectives and conditions for their implementation over the past four years in the field of training specialists in various specialties in the field of health care. The aim of the article is to analyze educational transformations in the field of health care to determine further mechanisms of public administration in solving strategic tasks. The methodological basis of the research was a new legal framework that regulates the process of reforming education and health care in Ukraine at the strategic level: Strategy for Sustainable Development of Ukraine until 2030, Strategy for Health Development of Ukraine until 2030 (draft), Strategy for Medical Development Education (2019), Strategy for the Development of Higher Education in Ukraine (2020). Educational transformations in the development of educational programs for specialties «Dentistry», «Medicine», «Nursing», «Pharmacy, Industrial Pharmacy», «Pediatrics» based on the competence approach, and the importance of new competencies in the international labor market. There is also a shortage of medical staff in various regions of Ukraine, despite the steady demand for admission to health specialties. The conclusions provide ways to develop public mechanisms for the transformation of educational activities in the field of health care in Ukraine.

Academic Management in Higher Education: The Challenge of Change

Academic Management in Higher Education: The Challenge of Change

Reconceptualizing faculty workload as a measure of human resource motivation and performance in higher education

This paper explores faculty workload as a measuring indicator that doubles as a motivator input and an output gauge of performance in higher education management. A desk-based methodology was applied. It was found that a number of studies support the use of faculty workload as a motivator and a measure of performance in higher education. It also noted that the use of faculty workload as a motivator; and measure of performance is faced with controversies typically emanating from the inability to determine the role of the variable in studies involving the use of it.

Dominant factors for the marketing of private higher education

Higher education institutions, like any business institution, should satisfy their clients (students) for them to survive in the higher education service business market. As a service business, higher education institutions also need to follow marketing principles in their attempt to attract potential students. We investigated the effect of marketing mix dimension on internal and external marketing in universities. The research used primary data from a questionnaire survey of 526 students in West Java Province, Indonesia, and then drew conclusions by a structural equation model (SEM) analysis. The research findings revealed that place, product, price and promotion have a positive effect on external marketing. Whereas physical evidence, people and processes have positive, significant effects on internal marketing. There was also positive, significant correlation between external marketing and internal marketing. The research findings were hopefully beneficial for higher education management, to be made as guidance in implementing their marketing strategy. Higher education leaders may apply the external marketing policy to attract potential student interest and the internal marketing policy to improve the quality of their service and internal marketing. The study delivered a broader picture of the application of marketing mix model on universities. In addition, the discussion presented the implication of the offered theory and practice, the research limitation, and the direction of future researchers.

Akademik Liderlik Ölçeği’nin Geliştirilmesi: Geçerlik ve Güvenirlik Çalışması

Leadership is considered as an ancient and multidimensional concept. Due to its contribution to the development of academic staff, the creation of a common culture in line with the interests and needs of stakeholders and the vision of the institution, and the distribution of workload, performance evaluation and management of resource use, academic leadership is associated with the concepts of professional development, higher education culture, and higher education management. The 50-item draft scale prepared by reviewing the related literature was given to 57 faculty members in the piloting stage, 490 faculty members in the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) stage, and 200 faculty members in the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) stage. The sample of the study was chosen by using the maximum variation sampling method. The three sub-dimensions (professional development, higher education culture and higher education administration) obtained as a result of the EFA applied to reveal the construct validity of the scale were also confirmed by the CFA. The reliability of the scale was found by calculating the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and each of its three sub-dimensions was found to be highly reliable. The results show that the Academic Leadership Scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool that can be used to reveal the academic leadership perceptions of faculty members.

Decolonizing land management in institutions of higher education

ABSTRACT Many institutions of higher education (IHE) were founded on and continue to benefit from the violent dispossession of Indigenous Land. IHE and Land managed by IHE frame scientific knowledge as universal, marginalizing Indigenous, non-Eurocentric perspectives and knowledge. Including local and Indigenous knowledge systems in IHE Land management has implications for fostering resilient socio-ecological systems as well as for decolonizing IHE Land management. However, scholarship on what kinds of knowledge systems are included in Land managed by IHE is lacking. Subsequently, interventions to decolonize IHE Land management are also absent. Through qualitative methods, this study examines knowledges included in IHE Land management plans. Findings show scientific knowledge dominates the plans, followed by local knowledge and professional knowledge, with almost no Indigenous knowledge. The absence of Indigenous knowledge in IHE Land management supports calls for changes to IHE knowledge production and rematriating Indigenous Land to Indigenous communities. The study concludes with implications for decolonizing IHE Land management in higher education and beyond.