National Higher Education Policy Research Articles

Steering by stealth? Influence of Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Programmes in European higher education policy

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on the interplay of European and national higher education policy in implementing a joint degree Erasmus Mundus programme on institutional level. We utilise the stakeholder approach to highlight and contrast the differing internationalisation rationales. Specifically, we analyse how the impact of external stakeholders (European Commission, national governments) and their policies are affecting higher education institutions at institutional and programme levels. As a particular case, we utilise the Finnish higher education system and the implementation of a joint degree Erasmus Mundus Masters programme ‘Master in Research and Innovation in Higher Education’ (MARIHE). We conclude that in Finland Erasmus Mundus programmes have not triggered significant legislative changes at national level supporting the goals attached to the Erasmus Mundus instrument. However, Erasmus Mundus provides important stimulus to institutions and their programmes to find unique ways to collaborate within the boundaries of existing legislative frameworks. The paper also shows that a detailed analysis of the Erasmus Mundus programme can be used as a concrete illustrative example of the multifaceted picture of the EU higher education policy.

The role of Kaizen and human resource quality on the quality assurance system in medical students

The quality of the education system is the foremost factor for the success of the students as well as the academia at large, and therefore, needs the focus of regulators and researchers alike. The current article investigates into the role of human resource (HR) quality and Kaizen on the quality assurance system in the context of the high school environment in Indonesia. The current research also analyzes the moderating role of national higher education policies among the associations of HR quality, Kaizen and the quality assurance system in the high school environment in Indonesia. The primary sources of data collection have been adopted by the researchers using survey questionnaires. The medical students are the respondents targeted by the researchers selected based on purposive sampling. The researchers have adopted primary data analysis tools such as Smart-PLS to test the hypotheses and check the validity and reliability of the items and constructs. The findings indicated that HR quality and Kaizen have a positive association with quality assurance systems within the high school environment in Indonesia. The outcomes also revealed that national higher education policies significantly moderate among the association of HR quality, Kaizen and quality assurance system in the high school environment in Indonesia. These outcomes provide valuable insights for policymaking regarding assessment and improvement of the quality assurance system in the education sector in the country.
 Keywords: Human resource quality, Kaizen, quality assurance system, national higher education policies, medical student

SOUL: An Institutional Transformation Framework for Indian Higher Education

The Indian Higher Education sector has made remarkable progress in the last few years in terms of capacity expansion and improving the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) significantly. Out of the three stated objectives of the national higher education policy, equity and access have been achieved to a large extent, while excellence remains confined to a few pockets. Quality concerns reiterated by reports from government agencies, studies by industry bodies and manifested in rapidly declining student enrolments persist. Therefore, there is an urgent need for institutions to transform themselves to create value for their stakeholders. It will help successfully navigate the challenges facing the higher education sector. We present SOUL (Strategy, Operations, Urgency, Leadership), a comprehensive institutional transformation framework customized for Indian academia, enabling leadership teams to introduce validated interventions and global best practices at their institutions in a phased manner. SOUL is novel, relevant and timely, especially in the Indian context considering that disruption and crisis create opportunities for institutional transformation.

Designing an Integrated Undergraduate Disaster STEM Curriculum: A Cultural Shift in Higher Education Curriculum Development in Bangladesh

The Department of Disaster and Human Security Management (DHSM) at Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP) started its journey in 2015. This is one of the few programs at this university that began at the very beginning. At the onset, this study examined some of the existing undergraduate programs in Disaster Science and Management offered by various higher educational institutions around Bangladesh. Among these programs, a handful are well-organized and utilize an integrated curriculum responsive to the needs of the 21st century. Transforming the traditional undergraduate programs and curricula of Social Disaster Management into an integrated STEM program from policy to practice is a considerable challenge, and students have many expectations for this cutting-edge discipline. This study found that very few Bangladeshi academicians and professionals can develop dynamic suggestions regarding this matter and have the knowledge to design an effective program and curriculum for the future students of this discipline. As a result, certain challenges devising integrated STEM-based programs may jeopardize the development and implementation of disaster management programs at the university level. Hence, adequate qualified members, budget, laboratory, and equipment must implement a multidisciplinary STEM program. Moreover, an innovative STEM program requires additional support from diverse professional organizations to support projects and research. Very often, national higher education policy and regulatory institutions create obstacles. At the same, attempts are made to launch such innovative and integrated programs. This study recommends that a new integration be partially implemented, turning into a milestone of Bangladesh’s 21st-century higher education reformation process.

The Health Enhancement Impact Of Self Assimilation In Academic Achievement Amongst International Students In Malaysian Public Universities

Malaysia is one of the countries that has become a choice of destination for international students to further their studies. Elements such as recognized international higher learning institution system, the intensive effort of student exchange programme, a calibre teaching team, contemporary and quality courses, an international consolidation with some other best learning institutions in the world together with the connection of regional cooperation are among the collected criteria to portray the ability of Malaysia in attracting more international students. Therefore, the objective of this research is to emphasise the factors that differentiate the first-year experience on self-assimilation as well as academic achievement among international students. The qualitative sampling method involved forty international students who participated voluntarily and data collection was conducted through an in-depth interview technique. The result has generated an understanding on international students’ self-reflection through the nature of their excitement, needs and hopes. Among the factors that were identified were (i) education system in Malaysian Public Universities is seen as a prestigious study destination, (ii) education system Malaysian Public Universities are more comprehensive and versatile, (iii) the learning programmes in Malaysian Universities learning are flexible and dynamic, (iv) the development of the programmes are contemporary and market driven (v) the added value on the benefits using English as a learning and teaching medium in Malaysian Public Universities. Therefore, in examining the quality level of education, it is vital to consider the learning satisfaction among international students in order to have a continuum on the health enhancement impact towards self-assimilation in their academic achievement. The findings are valuable and are useful in showing the significant relevance to the international human resource management Malaysian Public Universities which are dependent on international students at high proportions and applicable in formulating various national higher education policies.

The Demographic Shifts in West African Countries: Implications for Access to Higher Education in Nigeria

Africa as a continent is so far the fastest growing in the entire world where the projections indicted that the population of the continent would increase by 50% in the next two decades. Presently, the population of the region stands at 1.2 billion and the West African states consist of 15% of the total number while Nigeria accounts for nearly 200 million people with 44% of the people under 15 years old. Consequently, the purpose of this research paper is to see how the demographic change has implications for access to the Nigerian higher education system with a specific focus on university education. In order to understand this phenomenon, this research engaged in secondary data analysis as a technique to obtain information in achieving the study’s objectives. Subsequently, even though the total number of secondary school graduates or output was not accessible for this study, the analysed data from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) indicated that 1,687,551 and 1,557,017 students sat for university matriculation examinations in Nigeria for 2016 and 2017 academic sessions respectively, in which 97% of the candidates were seeking admission to universities specifically. Similarly, the data indicated that over 65% of the candidates have met the required points to be admitted into universities. On the other hand, data from the National Universities Commission (NUC) showed that there are a total of 91 public universities in Nigeria including both the federal and state universities with a capacity of less than 500,000, showing that more than 50% of the qualified students will be left unadmitted. Consequently, this study strongly recommends adequate demographic shift consideration while planning the national higher education policies in relation to access to university education and higher educational institutions in general.

Government Key Projects (GKP) as a Tool for the Development of Learning and Teaching in Finnish Universities

Finnish Prime Minister Juha SipilA¤â€™s Government Program for 2016–2019 was organized into five strategic priorities (Employment and competitiveness, Knowledge and education, Wellbeing and healthcare, Bioeconomy and clean technologies, and Digitalization and deregulation) which were implemented in the form of so-called G overnment Key projects (GKP) . In this paper, we will discuss the strategic priority Knowledge and education and how it was materialized in the form of the Government Key Project. We approach the strategic priority from three different angles: the national higher education policy and state steering of higher education, the university education leadership, and the implementation of one concrete project. We will first explore the background and goals of the Government’s decision, the application process of Government´s Key Projects, and the role of the Vice-rectors’ forum in the coordination of the application process. The second part of the paper will concentrate on the implementation of the project Building up the pedagogical and digital teaching and guidance competence of higher education institution staff ; the organization of the project, its leadership, allocation of resources, work of the Steering Group, progress of the sub-projects and steering, and follow-up of the planned actions. Finally, we will evaluate the results of the project, on the one hand, in the framework of the goals of the strategic funding for the key projects, and, on the other, in the framework of the theory of project leading/management. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.18.13.8

National higher education policy and the development of generic skills

ABSTRACTThis article explores the contribution of higher education to the development of numeracy and literacy competencies. To control for other post-schooling determinants of generic skills, the analysis is confined to adults aged 20–24 years who have completed or who are enrolled in tertiary studies. The quality of incoming students is controlled for by estimating the average PISA score attributable to this cohort using a truncated distribution approach. Average tertiary competencies are obtained for 31 countries from the OECD’s Programme for the Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). The empirical findings are that the PISA scores account for most (70 per cent) of the international variation in PIAAC scores. Government expenditure on higher education is found to exert a small positive effect on PIAAC scores, at least for numeracy. The level of national research activity, as measured by research publications, has a small negative effect on PIAAC scores

Paradoxical Attraction? Why an Increasing Number of International Students Choose Norway

Between 2000 and 2015, Norway has experienced a large increase in the number of international students compared with many other countries. At first glance, this may seem paradoxical considering that Norway is a country with few well-known universities, a high cost of living, and a geographical location on the northern fringe of Europe. This article sheds light on why more students find their way to Norway. Global trends of increased student mobility as well as EU policies influence the flow of students to Norway. Nevertheless, national higher education policies and in this development. Courses in English and more active partnerships with higher education institutions abroad have been established to attract international students. Furthermore, tuition fees are not charged in state-owned universities and colleges, and this has become a comparative advantage in an era when institutions in other countries are introducing or increasing tuition fees for national as well as international students. Asking the international students themselves about their motivation for studying in Norway, we find that the rationale is pragmatic rather than related to perceived quality. Their choices still appear rational; they get free higher education in a safe country, and increase their career opportunities.

Editors’ Reflections on the Tenth Anniversary of LATISS

Welcome to the tenth anniversary issue of Learning and Teaching: The International Journal of Higher Education in the Social Sciences (LATISS). This anniversary presents an opportunity for celebration and for reflection on the progress made by the journal. Our aim for the journal, as set out on the website, has remained unchanged:Learning and Teaching (LATISS) is a peer-reviewed journal that uses the social sciences to reflect critically on learning and teaching in the changing context of higher education. The journal invites students and staff to explore their education practices in the light of changes in their institutions, national higher education policies, the strategies of international agencies and developments associated with the so-called international knowledge economy.

THE EUROPEAN CONCEPTION OF THE UNIVERSITY KNOWLEDGE WITHIN THE BOLOGNA-INITIATED COMPETENCE-BASED CURRICULUM MODERNISATION: REPERCUSSIONS AT THE NATIONAL POLICY LEVEL IN ESTONIA AND LITHUANIA

The European 'knowledge economy' policies and higher education policies and reforms associated with the Bolognian process, as largely driven by efficiency concerns, have continually stressed the failures of European universities to meet efficiency targets. This has provided the justification for a radical European-wide modernisation of the higher education curriculum which has uniformly introduced a competence (outcomes)-based curriculum rationale to all European universities as a strategic device to enhance the efificiency and relevance of the university curriculum. Within the competence-based curriculum rationale, c ompetence has been designated as a major component within the university curriculum, whereas knowledge, traditionally being the main educational category of the university curriculum and a fundamental pillar of the university research, has been increasingy given a scarce mention in the European policy documents dispite the common European policy discourse on the 'knowledge economy' and 'knowledge society' and a new prominence of knowledge that these notions imply. Accordingly, t he European assumptions about the nature of the university curriculum knowledge have had significant implications for the way university knowledge and the role of university have been defined at the national policy level in the light of the curriculum change. Thus, it becomes important to examine the explicit and implicit epistemological stances behind the Bologna-initated competence-based curriculum modernisation and their repercussions throughout the national higher education policies. The aim of this paper is to examine the way the European assumptions about the nature of the university curriculum knowledge as implied within the Bologna initiated competence-based curriculum modernisation reverberate throughout the national higher education policies in Estonia and Lithuania. The objectives of this study are to examine the ongoing Bologna-initiated university curriculum modernisation as based on the competence framework and its assumptions about the nature of the university curriculum knowledge and to map the way the European policy assumptions about nature of the university curriculum knowledge as implied within the curriculum modernisation reverberate at the national policy level in Estonia and Lithuania. The research methods served are qualitative research methods, namely, an overview of research literature and a content analysis of the official strategic European policy documents and Estonian and Lithuanian national policy documents. The main results of the study are the following: situating the phenomenon of the competence-based curriculum modernisation within a broader socio-economic and political context and, in doing this, providing the basis for a better understanding of the driving forces generating this curriculum change; discerning the main patterns of the Bologna-initiated higher education curriculum modernisation and its underlying assumptions about the nature of the university curriculum knowledge and the role of universities both at the European and national levels; providing insights about the way the higher education curriculum modernisation has been taken-up at the national policy level in Lithuania and Estonia; revealing the lack and the need for educational arguments as informed by curriculum theory to complement and challenge the currently predominant economic rationale underpinning the higher education curriculum modernisation in Europe. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.eis.0.10.14534

Global higher education trends and national policies: access, privatization, and internationalization in Argentina

ABSTRACTThe literature on education and globalization states that patterns of higher education systems tend toward international convergence, and that trends such as massification, privatization and internationalization are observable in nations with different degrees of development around the world. Neo-institutionalism and world systems theory differ on whether focus should be given to international convergence or domestic adaptation. Studies addressing historical and contextual dimensions of policy diffusion are relevant as they will further specify the nature of the extranational effects on national policies. The case of Argentina’s national higher education policy is particularly relevant to this literature due to political and academic traditions that have inhibited the diffusion of many global trends into the country. This study offers a comparative historical analysis of the issues that have been prioritized in Argentina’s higher education policy over three decades (1983–2015), the strategies employed by higher education actors, and the socioeconomic and political factors that led to unique manifestations there of global trends, such as massification, privatization, and internationalization. The paper shows how Argentina’s system became massified without privatization, why privatization failed to reach the levels of other Latin American countries, and how an internationalization strategy via regionalization was a means to lockdown domestic reforms.

Professional and academic discourse – Swedish student teachers’ final degree project in Early Childhood Education and Care

In this article, we explore the scope and orientation of students’ final degree projects in the Swedish field of Early Childhood Education and Care in relation to discourses on academic writing and national higher education policies, including the national curriculum and guidelines for professional work in the early childhood sector. Titles and abstracts of 75 final degree projects were analysed with a focus on their scope, aims and research questions. The conceptual framework encompasses theories and concepts on academic literacies, knowledge structures and the linguistic tools of rhetorical ‘moves’. This study shows that the typical final degree project was based on empirical data and situated in a professional context, with the aim to explore and understand professional issues in relation to national policies and practical professional experience. We conclude that the final degree project's orientation in the field is deeply nourished by professional discourse, underpinned by national policies on early childhood education.

Breaking Higher Education’s Iron Triangle through Distance Education: The Case of IGNOU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

<p>This article addresses the issue of access to quality postgraduate distance education. It was<br />developed within an argument that access to conventional face-to-face postgraduate studies is<br />still a challenge in developing countries. It argues that distance education can be used as an<br />alternative means of meeting the increasing demand for higher education in the country<br />concerned. This study used a case study of Masters of Arts in Rural Development (MARD)<br />program that is offered by Indira Ghandi National Open University in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.<br />Semi-structured interviews and document analysis were used to gather the relevant data. The<br />study established that distance education has a huge potential as an alternative and<br />cost-effective means of providing quality higher education in Ethiopia. The study suggests that<br />careful planning and integration of distance education into the national higher education policy<br />will enable effective and efficient provision of quality distance postgraduate education in<br />developing countries like Ethiopia.</p>

Same challenges, different processes: perceptions on governance changes in Portuguese and Finnish higher education

This article compares recent governance reforms in Finnish and Portuguese higher education (HE) systems and institutions (HEIs). Although Portugal and Finland differ significantly, both the countries have recently undertaken similar HE legislative reforms. This article analyses the contexts and implementation processes of these legal frameworks: Law 62/2007 (RJIES) and Yliopistolaki 558/2009 (New Universities Act), aim at changing institutional governance structures, management and decision-making practices. Findings rely on legal documents and on the voices of practitioners. It is argued that new public management ideology and practice, also disseminated by international organizations' agendas (e.g. the Organisation for the Economic Cooperation and Development – OECD, and the European Commission), offer an explanation for similarities in national HE policies. In turn, historical and cultural specifics as well as structural characteristics of political-administrative systems may explain differences in policy design, implementation processes and national outcomes.

Opportunities and Challenges for Engineering Education in India

The Engineering Education system in India has several distinctive features --- such as huge size; considerable diversity of many types; several strengths and weaknesses; several policy pronouncements; several pending Bills; a small number of institutions of quality in a sea of mediocrity; the emergence of the private sector as a major player ; etc. There are several national policy initiatives for laying down the roadmap for the future, such as the National Policy on Education 1986, revised in 1992; the Science Policy Resolution, The Technology Policy Statement, The Science and Technology Policy, The Science , Technology and Innovation Policy; The Twelfth Plan Document ;National Knowledge Commission Recommendations; Yash Pal Committee Recommendations; National Higher Education Policy (RUSA) etc. With a change in government at the centre, it is hoped that several pending bills such as , establishment of National Council for Higher Education (NCHER); National Accreditation Regulatory Authority (NARA); Entry of Foreign Universities; etc will be cleared, and also the promises made in the poll manifesto would be acted upon. These are the emerging Opportunities for Change - for the better.

Knowledge aid as instrument of regulation: World Bank's non-lending higher education support for Ethiopia

In the context of low-income countries, the role of donors in public policymaking is of great importance. Donors use a combination of lending and non-lending instruments as pathways of influence to shape policy directions in aid-recipient countries. This paper reports some findings from a doctoral study on the role of the World Bank in the recent higher education (HE) policy reform process in Ethiopia. It focuses on the nature and impact of non-lending assistance by the Bank to the Ethiopian HE subsystem. Based on an interpretive policy analysis of sector reviews and advisory activities of the Bank, and selected national HE policy documents, the following findings are highlighted. First, as a ‘knowledge institution’, the World Bank produces, systematises and disseminates knowledge through policy advice, policy reports, analytical sector reviews, and thematic conferences and workshops. Second, knowledge aid from the Bank not only has a profound discursive effect on shaping Ethiopian HE policy reform priorities in accordance with its neoliberal educational agenda but also undermines the knowledge production capacity of the nation. The paper also argues that, for an effective education policy support, the Bank needs to shift its modality of engagement from knowledge aid to research capacity building.

A Third Master? Examining the Road to Alumni Philanthropic Giving at an Irish Catholic College

Drawing on the concept of two masters (Donahoo & Lee, 2008), this paper examines the emergence of a potential third master: philanthropic alumni donors. A case study of a Catholic higher education institution in Ireland, with the pseudonym “College Nua,” provides the platform for this research. This institution is in a unique position: the college is at the initial stages of formalizing the institutional structures for alumni relations and philanthropic giving. The empirical findings demonstrate the influence of the first two “masters” at the college, defined as the (a) priorities derived from the State policy balanced with the (b) intentions of the religious orders that remain affiliated to and involved in the stewardship of the college. By examining the existing informal practices with alumni at College Nua, this institution intends to create an administrative infrastructure to manage philanthropy. College Nua is establishing a philanthropic function that follows what the EU Commission (2008) describes as an alumni model of philanthropy, which demonstrates the power alumni donors may possess in steering the Catholic college's future strategy. Overall, the college leadership involved in the empirical study responded positively to the possible impact of alumni donors toward the institution. The informal relationships developed with alumni are encouraging to College Nua that the addition of philanthropic donors as a possible “third master” will enable the college to control its institutional destiny while addressing the demands of the first two masters: meeting national higher education policy and securing the Catholic tradition at the institution.

TARPTAUTIŠKUMO POLITIKOS IŠŠŪKIAI LIETUVOS AUKŠTAJAM MOKSLUI: KONKURENCIJA VS BENDRADARBIAVIMAS

Docentė socialinių mokslų (edukologijos) daktarė Vilniaus universiteto Edukologijos katedra Universiteto g. 9/1, LT-01513 Vilnius El. paštas: tatjana.bulajeva@fsf.vu.ltStraipsnyje analizuojama aukštojo mokslo ir studijų tarptautiškumo (internacionalizavimo) poli­tika ir jos kaitos problematika bei tendencijos, išryškinusios naujų tarptautinio švietimo formų at­siradimą pasaulyje. Aptariami aukštojo mokslo ir studijų tarptautiškumo (internacionalizavimo) politikos tarptautiniai, globalizacijos ir ES Bolonijos proceso politikos nulemti kaitos aspektai ir prieštaringos raidos tendencijos. Dėl jų įtakos keičiasi nacionalinė aukštojo mokslo ir studijų poli­tika. Atlikta Lietuvos aukštojo mokslo ir studijų tarptautiškumo politikos analizė leidžia apibūdinti pagrindinius iššūkius, su kuriais susiduria nacionalinė švietimo politika Lietuvoje studijų tarptauti­nimo srityje, ir kokių politinių žingsnių ir priemonių imamasi siekiant įveikti iškilusius sunkumus.

Are national higher education policies adequate for the next decade?

The period since the election in May 2010 has seen a number of very far-reaching reforms enacted in the higher education system in the UK, and especially England. These have been driven in large measure by the economic situation, but also by the aim to introduce a more market-based approach into the sector. At the same time, the higher education system faces a number of long-term challenges, particularly in terms of how it can best contribute to much-needed regional and national economic growth. This article first summarises the reforms which have been put in place and some of the factors driving them; next goes on to set out the long-term challenges which the sector will need to address; and finally assesses whether the policy platform established through the government's reforms is likely to help or hinder the achievement of the sector's (and the country's) strategic aims.