Higher Education Partnerships Research Articles

Sociological Model of Social Partnership in Higher Education Institutions Management

Social partnership as a scientific category is characterized by multidimensionality, breadth of understanding, and interpretation. In the modern education system, social partnership is presented as one of the aspects of state-societal governance of educational institutions' activities. The development of socially oriented education has brought the issue of social partnership to the forefront, identifying new components of this process. In the context of society's well-being, social interaction becomes an effective mechanism for addressing social problems, especially those that arise in the educational sphere. This article aims to elucidate the main contemporary trends of social cooperation in higher education institutions (HEIs) and identify the specifics of various sociological models of social partnership in higher education. Methodology. During the research, the authors used abstraction, idealization, logical and linguistic, comparative, analytical, and bibliographic methods to study the scientific literature on social partnerships in higher education. Results. The research results have identified the vital theoretical aspects related to social partnership in HEIs and have explored the characteristics of different models of social interaction in higher education institutions.

The integration of the Sustainable Development Goals into curricula, research and partnerships in higher education

The integration of the Sustainable Development Goals into curricula, research and partnerships in higher education

Sustainability of mining companies - analysis of social data as a scientific activity of Students

The main objective of the article is analyzing non-financial data of mining companies. The research part consists of an analysis of secondary data from the “social” domain, collected by the students from Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology Wrocław University of Science and Technology and organized according to the adopted criterion. The source of data were public reports of 8 mining entities. Social data were presented in relation to the selected information regarding corporate governance. The elaborated summary was used to present the tendency in the way of reporting non-financial data for the selected research group. At the same time, the aim of the work carried out is to reveal the potential of the group of students while combining the didactic process with scientific development during the process of creating the manuscript. The experimental approach to teaching by cooperating and the attempt to implement the perception of students as partners in higher education is a unique voluntary project at the Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining, and Geology.

Challenges of the public-private sector partnership in higher education (KFU cases): SEModelling approach

This paper aims to assess the current and prospective applications of the university and private sector partnerships in higher education in Saudi Arabia. This paper highlights the difficulties and challenges facing Saudi universities to establish sustainable partnerships with the private sector as well as the public sector. It also explores many aspects of the partnerships in an approach to boost and enhance the role of universities within the community, with a special reference to a well-known Saudi university; i.e., King Faisal University. The study highlights how the implementation of community partnerships is affected by historical, cultural, and social obstacles and a misunderstanding of the importance of one party to the other. Data was collected through an online structured questionnaire. 100 academic leaders at King Faisal University participated in this survey. We use Structural Equation Modelling Approach to analyse the data. The results of this study found a statistically significant relationship between the current practices of community partnership and the challenges facing these practices. In addition, the study finds a statistically significant relationship between the mechanisms for developing community partnerships and the current practices of the partnership.

TRANSNATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS IN THE COVID-19 ERA; STUDENTS’ RATING OF AN ONLINE AND MODULAR LEARNING PROGRAMME

Transnational educational partnerships among tertiary institutions have been around for a long time all over the world. There will always be cases where some institutions or countries have a better capacity and operational advantage over others. It is because of this rationale that educational institutions from two or more countries through collaborative partnerships and or relationships, rally or agree to counter contemporary challenges in their countries and they have been very successful in this for a long time. The COVID-19 pandemic created a disruption of education systems, affecting over 1.6 billion learners globally and hence the numerous surges of transnational educational partnerships. The study investigated the rating of a programme that is running under a transnational higher education partnership between two institutions in two different countries. An exploratory study of a qualitative design was adopted for this research and by use of a closed and open-ended questionnaire, data was collected. The questionnaire was designed to benchmark the three instructional strategies of the Community of Inquiry framework model, and these are cognitive presence, social presence, and teaching presence. Results reveal positive students’ ratings of the programme on all instructional strategies social, teaching, and cognitive presence with a few outliers. The study portrays an effective switch from a face-to-face lecture learning session programme, to online-modular learning without so many obstacles to affect the teaching-learning process. Future research could pick interest in more detailed experiences of students on such programmes, and this is in addition to the detailed responses for other stakeholders like instructors, administrators, and possibly parents.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0404/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Higher education as ‘strategic power’? An assessment of China-Africa higher education partnerships and collaborations

China is internationalizing its higher education sector – setting up several bilateral and multilateral partnerships between public and private institutions across the globe. However, as the “West” is disentangling itself from partnerships with Chinese institutions of higher education and the Confucius Institutes (CIs), African countries seem to be turning to Beijing. As a result, China overtook France to become the most preferred destination for African students. But, is higher education Beijing’s new strategy to enhance its global status? What is the effect of the shift toward Chinese higher education on Africa’s migration trends, and what is the agency of actors in Africa? Focusing on these questions, and premised on the concepts of student mobility, South–South Cooperation (SSC), and people-to-people exchange to explain the novelty and exceptionality of the partnerships, this paper explores the typology, nature, and processes involved in these partnerships and collaborations.

Narrative encounters of pedagogic partnership, and the development of collegial capital in higher education

PurposeThe study explores the relational encounters of five higher education tutors and programme leaders, working in collaboration across contrasting institutions: one, a modern, civic university in the Global North, and the other, a parastatal institution in the Global South. The purpose of the study is to deepen the understanding of evolving collegiality within a transnational partnership, stimulated by the COVID-19 pandemic related shift to online teaching and learning.Design/methodology/approachThe inquiry is informed conceptually by the concept of narrative encounter as a site of learning, with inductive, meta-analysis undertaken across our individual reflective narratives.FindingsThe narratives reveal three emergent themes: shared purpose, shared responsibility – through focus, routinised dialogue and concreteness; collective and individual risk-taking – through negotiated decision-making; and trust in self and in peers – through reciprocity, caring, duality and building on stable practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe data from which this paper is developed and its related central thesis of collegial capital are limited and partial. However, when agility within higher education partnerships is at a premium, this paper is a useful touchstone for further reflection.Originality/valueThe paper seeks to further the concept of collegiality and collegial capital, a dialogical affordance which enabled the partnership to build on previous collaborative successes.

Deterritorialising student voice and partnership in higher education

Deterritorialising student voice and partnership in higher education

Challenges on the European Union-China cooperation in higher education from ‘people-to-people dialogue’ perspective: The case of health-related joint projects

The European Union (EU) and People’s Republic of China have a tradition of cooperation in Higher Education (HE) that has been increasingly developed since the Chinese reform of economic opening. From 2012 onwards, when the EU-China High-Level People-to-people Dialogue was established as the third pillar of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between both parties, this cooperation in HE was enhanced, particularly in terms of people mobility (students, teachers and researchers). Along with this, globalization and the need for global governance responses in terms of global issues like climate changes, water and food security, pandemics and other health issues lead us to reflect about the role of academic and scientific cooperation - in the domain of HE and research cooperation-in the lens of this People-to-People approach. By means of a literature review grounded on different sources of documents (scientific articles; policy briefs; joint statements and educational programs) and their content analysis, the aim of this paper is to trace a brief state-of-the-art of the EU-China relations in the field of HE and research to analyze if there are effective EU-China partnerships in HE as a whole, and in health scientific joint research projects in particular, by mapping health-related projects involving the EU’s and PRC’s academic and research institutions, as well as their goals.

Relationship, leadership, action: Evaluating the framework of a sustainable campus-community partnership

ABSTRACT Campus-community partnerships are a beneficial service learning staple for students, communities, and nonprofit partners. Although many such partnerships are established, it is less likely that the connection weathers student turnover, leadership changes, and misalignments in process or purpose. The Nonprofit Excellence and Transformation (NExT) Program at the Siena College Center for Academic Community Engagement pairs interdisciplinary teams with local nonprofit partners to work on organization-specific projects. The Wildwood Programs project, conducted by a NExT team from 2019–2021, is an ideal template for a long-term, student-led partnership. Themes from community development literature were identified and compared to student experiences to establish reasons for the partnership’s success and sustainability. Best practices found through this study aligned with the three main pillars of the NExT Program: Relationship, Leadership, and Action. This categorical framework can be adapted by scholars, students, and practitioners to improve longevity and quality of future campus-community partnerships in higher education.

“Brain circulation”: The New Multinational Higher Education Partnership in East Asia — CAMPUS Asia, a Japan-China-Korea Student Exchange Project

“Brain circulation”: The New Multinational Higher Education Partnership in East Asia — CAMPUS Asia, a Japan-China-Korea Student Exchange Project

International Partnerships in Higher Education

International Partnerships in Higher Education

Goals, Models, and Practices of International Partnerships in Higher Education: Toward Global Peace and Harmony

Abstract This paper is focused on a variety of approaches and paths to increase and advance international education partnerships. It studies methods in general considering their theoretical frameworks as well as their aspirations, goals, and outcomes. It also presents exemplary models currently used in Eastern and Western higher education that are largely applicable to most universities. The paper also notes areas of impact that international education partnerships can have on teaching， learning, and research because of national educational differences, multi-cultural perspectives, and global interconnectedness. In addition, it highlights two exemplary models of international education partnerships at Beijing Normal University. Throughout, the paper references essays included in this special issue as well as elsewhere. The underlying theme in this essay and the special issue is that universities contribute to the integrity of education as well as global peace by increasing, updating, and assessing international education partnerships that facilitate meaningful global interactions and shared learning among faculty, students, and universities.

Public-private partnership in higher education: analysis of the positive effect of exchanges of experience on the behavior of students in business creation

Public-private partnership in higher education: analysis of the positive effect of exchanges of experience on the behavior of students in business creation

Honrando Voces Diversas: A Framework for Equity-Minded Teaching Partnerships

ABSTRACT Higher education perpetuates assimilationist ideas at odds with how an increasingly diverse student population makes meaning of their learning experiences. There is a heightened exigence to engage in inclusive and equity-minded teaching practices at Hispanic Serving Institutions where structural inequalities still prevail due to whiteness and monolingual racism. To challenge systemic inequities, we must see our students as essential partners in the development and revision of teaching and learning practices. In this reflective piece, we draw our lived partnership experiences to offer a framework for embracing college students’ full linguistic and cultural repertoires to build reciprocal, equity-minded, and linguistically responsive student and teacher partnerships in higher education.

Trading Spaces, Pedagogies, and Technologies: Developing a University Active Learning Center via Public-Private Partnership

ABSTRACT Faculty in higher education are challenged to change their instructional approaches in outmoded, stagnant learning spaces to meet the needs of 21st century learners. Traditional learning spaces on most college campuses consist of locked, rowed seating and desks designed to maximize room capacity and accommodate large numbers of students. The physical constraints of these spaces often limit the use of more innovative teaching methods that allow students to assume greater ownership of their learning. For more active, student-centered learning to occur, greater mobility in the physical learning space may be necessary to allow for improved connection, collaboration, interest, and engagement. In this paper, we share experiences in forging a public-private partnership to transform a 46-seat computer lab into a 32-seat active learning center (ALC) in which mobility is a signature feature. Upon using the ALC for the first time, options for space and furniture configuration allowed instructors to create, and re-create, work groups to facilitate student collaboration while digital technology and active learning tools allowed students to share information easily and often. Most students rated their experiences in the ALC favorably, though not all participants embraced the active learning approach and instructional space with immediacy. Original research would help to understand students’ experiences and isolate the effects of space on student learning and engagement. Our successes and challenges in building and using the ALC may be used to meaningfully inform other public-private partnerships in higher education to transform teaching and learning through active instructional design approaches.

DESIGNING AN INTERNATIONAL BACHELOR DEGREE SYLLABUS - CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN INDUSTRY 4.0

The project "Adaptation of strategies for corporate social responsibility to address the implications of the Industry 4.0" is currently in the second year of its implementation. It is executed within the ERASMUS+ Program, key activity "Strategic Partnerships in Higher Education" and is coordinated by a team of the "D. A. Tsenov” Academy of Economics (Svishtov, Bulgaria) in partnership with the National Federation of Employers of Disabled People (Sofia, Bulgaria), the Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities (Münster, Germany), the Catholic University of Murcia (Murcia, Spain) and the University of Nis (Nis, Serbia). The project is focused on current challenges of corporate social responsibility as an expression of the impact of organizational activities on society and the environment. Currently, corporate social responsibility is an extremely important factor influencing the development of companies, the formation of their profits and maintaining the image of product brands. Along with their main activity, socially responsible enterprises also perform activities of social significance, such as offering donations, supporting charitable actions, social events, etc. Such companies also award grants and scholarships, provide support to disaster-affected areas and support other aid causes. As an ex post result from the project http://csr-project.eu/ the partners have developed a curricula for a bachelor degree subject entitled “Corporate social responsibility in Industry 4.0” for students in the field of economics, administration and management”. As an in medias result the academic lecturers and researchers are on the final stage of writing the content of the academic textbook containing 8 chapters grouped in two parts – theoretical and empirical. The first theoretical part “Theoretical developments of CSR in Industry 4.0” includes the following four chapters: 1) Evolution of corporate social responsibility; 2) Financial and managerial dimensions of CSR; 3) Emerging social challenges with Industry 4.0; 4) Strategic approach to corporate social responsibility. The second part entitled “Case studies of CSR in Industry 4.0” includes other four chapters: 5) National evidences for implementation of the concept of CSR; 6) CSR and Industry 4.0 - evidences from Spain; 7) CSR and Industry 4.0 - evidences from Germany; 8) CSR and Industry 4.0 - evidences from Bulgaria. As a main conclusion from the paper, we argue that the project "Adaptation of strategies for corporate social responsibility to address the implications of the Industry 4.0" with reference number: 2020-1-BG01-KA203-079025 is an excellent opportunity to create added value through international partnership under the Erasmus + program. The achievements as of the last month of the second stage of the project implementation give grounds to expect its successful completion and achievement of all set goals and objectives. Besides the initial project topic, the Covid-19 environment has opened before all main economic agents – the companies, the households and the government – a new opportunity to prove the concept of CSR is a vital and important attitude to be more health protecting and ecologically responsible.

Strategy and sustainability discourses in higher education partnership building between China and UK

ABSTRACT Accompanied by an emergent ‘strategy’ and ‘sustainability’ discourse, international higher education (HE) partnership building has become increasingly orchestrated by non-academic (i.e. operational, and managerial) agents, thereby shifting away from universities’ ‘academic heartland’. The purpose of this article is to scrutinise the frequently used, yet often ill-defined, ‘strategic’ and ‘sustainable’ nature of international partnership building and the way it transforms power dynamics and sense of agency both across and within universities. Drawing on qualitative research with university staff at two partnering higher education institutions (HEIs) in UK and China, this article explores different interpretations of what strategic and sustainable partnership building means and sheds light on the conflicts that emerge between academic and non-academic stakeholders in this process. In doing so, it highlights the all-pervasive influence of managerialism in HE and the potential effects it can have on the success or failure of international partnerships.

Transnational higher education partnerships in China: exploring the impact of Chinese students’ intercultural communicative competence on their motivation to study abroad

ABSTRACT This study explores how transnational higher education partnerships in China influence Chinese students’ intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and their motivation to study abroad. There is a growing trend for Chinese students to experience cultural diversity. However, not much research has been conducted to understand how transnational higher education (TNHE) partnerships play a role in preparing students for motivation and cultural skills. The current research is a qualitative case study of the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, a university exemplifying TNHE partnerships in China. Byram’s model of ICC, published in 2009, was adopted as the basis for deductive thematic analysis. Research findings show that Chinese students purposively choose to study at a TNHE university for its English teaching and learning environment. This research found that TNHE partnerships in China positively affect students’ ICC development, and that ICC plays an important role in their intention to study abroad.

Neo-tributary geopolitics in transnational higher education (TNHE): a regional analysis of Sino-foreign higher education partnerships

ABSTRACT This research explores how geopolitics and ‘Neo-tributary’ relations influence the distribution of TNHE partnerships in China. Specifically, this research situates China’s TNHE cooperation in policy reforms and designs since 2010, and explores how geopolitics influences the regional practice of re-organisation of the joint programmes between 2018 and 2020. The findings show that, on one hand, China’s central government prioritises the TNHE partnerships in China’s local regions: East China, Central China and West China; and on the other hand, alongside the traditional partner countries, such as the UK and the US, the emerging BRI region enjoys more new Sino-foreign HE partnerships than other foreign partners. This research develops the discussion based on the categories of trade and diplomacy linkages; cultural assimilation; and image building (Pan, Su-Yan, and Joe Tin-Yau Lo. 2017. “Re-Conceptualizing China's Rise as a Global Power: A Neo-Tributary Perspective.” The Pacific Review 30 (1): 1–25.), and concludes with some of the implications of these trends on the ‘new’ geopolitics of knowledge in a Neo-tributary system.