Portuguese Public Universities Research Articles

Science communication for a sustainable academia: a comparative analysis of public and private universities Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain

Introduction: This research outlines a comprehensive study aimed at exploring the role of science communication in high education institutions, its impact and future sustainability in European universities across Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain. Methodology: By conducting a comparative review, we aim to provide valuable insights that can inform policy decisions and practices in the field of education sciences sharing knowledge in a more efficient manner. Through an examination of existing corporate data of public and private centers (N = 166) by conducting an exhaustive quantitative and correlational analysis of its official digital communications. Results: it is spotted that Spanish universities include more direct messages towards science communications, while Netherlands make much less general load but focuses more on sustainability topics. Findings suggests that in the stakeholder management, quantitative attempts in digital media are stronger from public institutions but may not be as decisive as the quality efforts, given that although Spain leads a higher gross value of online corporate communications, Dutch and Portuguese public universities are relatively much better valued in the global worldwide academic classification. Conclusions: This first study reveals an innovative unique new approach in cross-analyzing sustainable scientist knowledge, European universities, and international rating impacts based on the ARWU ranking.

The internationalisation of doctoral education and the strategies to achieve it: the perspectives of Portuguese universities and doctoral students

PurposeInternationalisation is one of the significant manifestations of the ongoing transformation of doctoral education. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the perspectives of Portuguese universities and doctoral students regarding the importance of internationalisation and the strategies to achieve it in doctoral education.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 118 doctoral programme websites from 27 universities (15 public, 12 private) served as the data source of university perspectives of internationalisation. Doctoral students’ perspectives on the same topic were collected through 31 interviews, 27 conducted in seven focus groups and four individually, with first-year doctoral students from three Portuguese public universities. Content analysis was performed on the two sets of data.FindingsAccording to university and doctoral students’ perspectives, internationalisation assumes an important role in Portuguese doctoral education and is being integrated through specific strategies. Strategies for attracting and recruiting international students appear to take a back seat compared to strategies which offer students international experience through immersion in international environments in their home institutions. While expressing the potential impediments, undesirable side effects and conditions that internationalisation must meet, students seem to take a critical stance towards it and towards the institutional strategies designed to promote it.Originality/valueThis paper addresses a topic which does not appear to receive much attention in doctoral education research and, to this extent, advances knowledge on the internationalisation of doctoral education.

Academic housework in pandemic times: COVID-19 effects on the gendered distribution of academic work in Portugal

A large body of scientific literature has highlighted the gendered division of academic work, particularly the undervalued and invisible tasks that make up the less prestigious dimension of the academic professions. Informed by the concept of ‘academic housework’, this paper explores the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the gendered distribution of academic work, drawing from the results of a survey of 1750 lecturers and researchers from Portuguese public universities. Our results, based on a series of linear and categorical regressions, point to the reinforcement of gender inequalities in the division of academic labour during the pandemic. This is reflected in worsening imbalances in the allocation of time to unpaid, invisible ‘institutional housekeeping’ and to emotional, institutional care work, including mentoring and supporting students. The fact that women, regardless of their family or professional situation, bore the greater share of the effort associated with the increased material and emotional demands of teaching and academic service during this period is reflected in an increasing imbalance in the allocation of time to research, which involves fundamental activities for career advancement. Our findings underline the need to rethink the current neoliberal model of academic meritocracy and to begin to recognise and value the gendered and invisible work of academics.

Acesso às residências universitárias: como participa o Serviço Social?

The study analyses the conditions of access and allocation of student residence support made pos-sible by the interviews conducted by social workers at public universities, namely at four Portu-guese public universities. It also sought to identify the residents' representation of the conditions of access to and allocation of social action support in Portuguese higher education and to analyze the role of social workers in ensuring this access and the allocation of a place in the student residence. The study is qualitative and qualitative by nature. Evidence gathered from institutional reports and the current national legislation is presented, as well as from an inquiry applied to the residents. The results assemble the aims defined to students’ housing with the student’s representation of the ac-cess conditions and support attribution, demonstrating that the Students’ Services produce effects on said representations. Besides, the results point out the effects of the interview, especially on the Services that do more frequently this procedure. So Social Work justifies its action using an instru-ment that historically underlies the social diagnosis, promoting access to housing and social and pedagogical orientation

Transparency and Accountability in Portuguese Public Universities

Universities are one of the most important institutions in our society. They are knowledge-creating organizations that contribute to the social and economic development of society through new concepts, ideas, applications, and inventions. They play a key role in social criticism, identifying key issues and contributing to informed public debates. Governance is a relatively new concept in the approach to the literature on public management. It is related to the way in which a society or organization is governed or to the creation of conditions for the existence of a social order, triggered by collective actions. In this article we will study the models of university governance and analyze the problem of accountability in its context, with a view to assessing the transparency with which financial information is currently disseminated in Portugal, by public Higher Education Institutions.

‘Men are from Mars, and Women are from Venus’? Doctoral Students’ Perspectives on Doctoral Education

Gender influences the lives of doctoral students, shaping both their doctoral experience and their views on doctoral education. Following this argument, the purpose of this paper is to investigate gender differences in students’ perspectives of what doctoral education entails. The emphasis is on how and to what extent male and female students’ perspectives differ in reflecting changes in doctoral education’s concept, which appears to be shifting from traditional to instrumental. A study was conducted to determine how Portuguese doctoral students perceive doctoral education in terms of its structuring dimensions. The study’s findings, gathered through 11 focus groups interviews with 31 doctoral students from three Portuguese public universities, five scientific fields and evenly distributed by gender, suggested that a hybrid concept of doctoral education is valued, combining elements of its traditional concept and an instrumental concept. This hybridity, and even a propensity toward a more instrumental perspective, appeared to be particularly prevalent among female doctoral students. The paper advances some explanatory hypotheses for these trends while highlighting clues for future research.

Student assessment in Higher Education: a review of thesis carried out in Portuguese public universities

Student assessment has become, over the past years, an important and complex issue about higher education pedagogy. This paper aims to present a systematic review of empirical studies (Master and PhD thesis), carried out in Portuguese public universities, focused on the topic of student assessment in higher education, from the year 2010 to 2020. The research methodology followed a qualitative approach, using e PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) model to develop the systematic review. Findings show a trend of change in the assessment practices of students in higher education, whose direction points to an increase of formative assessment centered on students. A strong trend of innovation in assessment practices with the use of technologies also emerges from the studies.

Assessing the Impact of Universities’ Entrepreneurial Activity on Regional Competitiveness

The aim of this study is to test the multidimensional construct of the Entrepreneurial University (EU), and therefore to confirm whether EU factors make a positive contribution to regional competitiveness. Data were collected from ten Portuguese Public Universities (PPUs) through a self-administered questionnaire. First- and second-order confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed through factor and multiple linear regression analyses. The main findings show that EU related factors—perceived and combined with actual regional metrics—especially entrepreneurial supporting measures, positively contributed to regional competitiveness. This study shows policy makers that universities are not merely cost centres but provide knowledge spillovers that can have a positive influence on regional competitiveness.

Sports management research: analysis of scientific development in Portugal (2008-2017)

Scientific research in the field of sports management and its respective academic improvement has been pointed out and recognised by several authors as the path to follow for a better understanding of its importance in the global development of sport, as well as in the improvement of academic curricula and skills of sports managers. This study aims to analyse the scientific and academic production of three Portuguese public universities, being this the main source and origin of the knowledge generated over the last decades. Methodologically, we analysed 193 master dissertations successfully completed between 2008 and 2017 available in institutional scientific repositories, as well as in the national library. The results point to a growth of scientific knowledge in Portugal, validated by the considerable evolution in the number of completed works in distinct areas in sports management, mainly in the scope of planning and strategy, human resources and sociological aspects, which helps to reinforce its multidisciplinary and differentiating character. The data obtained allow us to expose a considerable part of the knowledge produced in Portugal, thus contributing to the strengthening of some areas and future research in sports management, given that it is crucial to aggregate the existing knowledge by enhancing new paths and future opportunities. We conclude that research in Portugal reflects the global growth of scientific knowledge and the increasing interest in sports management, both at qualitative and quantitative levels, while also following international concerns and trends.

Identifying critical success factors for the General Data Protection Regulation implementation in higher education institutions

PurposeOn May 25, 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) became mandatory for all organizations that handle the personal data of European Union citizens. This exploratory study aims to determine the critical success factors (CSFs) related to implementing the GDPR in Portuguese public higher education institutions (HEIs).Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a multimethod methodology with qualitative and quantitative methods. A multiple case study was carried out in Portuguese public universities. As procedures for data collecting and analysis, semistructured interviews with 26 questions were conducted with the data protection officers of these universities during May and July 2019 to derive a set of CSFs. Next, the Delphi method has been applied to determine the ranking of the CSFs. The hierarchical clusters analysis has also been applied to determine the cluster with essential CSFs. To derive the CSF, the method by Caralli et al. (2004) has been applied.FindingsThis study has identified the list of 16 CSFs related to the implementation of GDPR in HEIs, among which we can highlight, for instance, empower workers on the GDPR; commit top management with the GDPR; implement the GDPR with the involvement of management and workers; create a culture for data protection; and create a decentralized team of pivots for data protection.Research limitations/implicationsIt could have been more enriching in the CSF determination process if all Portuguese public universities had participated in this study. In fact, within their many similarities, universities are also very different in approaching privacy and data protection. New studies are needed to determine whether the CSFs identified apply equally to other organizations, namely, private HEIs with less bureaucracy.Originality/valueIdentifying CSFs related to GDPR implementation in Portuguese public universities is a new area of study. This paper is a contribution to its development.

Investigating assessment in higher education: students’ perceptions

ABSTRACT Drawing upon a wider piece of research, this paper focuses on students’ views of assessment in higher education. It reports on data collected from a total of 5,549 students in five Portuguese public universities. The study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of two scales, one measuring the purposes and effects associated by students with assessment; and the other determining the most commonly used assessment methods. Both scales demonstrated adequate validity based on internal structure and acceptable reliability. Findings indicate that students reported more purposes and effects associated with a summative dimension of assessment than with a formative dimension. The most commonly used methods were written tests/exams and collective methods. Statistically significant differences were found in assessment methods, purposes and effects.

Investigating the Effect of the Programme of Study on University Students’ Perceptions about Assessment

ABSTRACT This study focuses on the effect of the programme variable on the purposes and effects that students associate with assessment, on the assessment methods used and on the perceived use of assessment. Data were collected in five Portuguese Public Universities through a survey (n = 4144) and focus group (n = 250) with students enrolled in different programmes. Findings point to statistically significant differences in relation to the purpose of assessment, assessment methods most used and perceived use of assessment. The main differences were found in the kinds of methods used in different programmes: Law reported the lowest frequency of the use of collective assessment methods and portfolios, whereas Psychology, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering were the programmes that reported the lowest frequency of use of individual methods. Educational sciences reported more frequency of all types of methods and reported significantly more preference for the use of alternative methods than the remaining programmes. Negative emotions were most associated with assessment by Nursing students and Educational Sciences’ students reported more participation in the assessment process than students from all other programmes. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Fluência Leitora de Estudantes do Ensino Superior

Abstract The literature that links career development with reading skills is scarce. This study seeks to fill this gap, for which the reading fluency of college students was analyzed, taking into account the choice of more/less desirable courses. Desirability is based on the classifications for college access. 211 students participated in the study, 132 female, attending four courses: Mechanical Engineering, Health, Psychology, and Education, in three Portuguese Public Universities. The instruments used were the sociodemographic form and the Teste de Idade de Leitura (Reading Age Test - TIL). The results indicated that students attending less desirable courses (i.e., Education and Health) are significantly less fluent and; students who score lower on reading fluency are more likely to belong to the Education course. This study stresses the importance of the distribution of students by the different areas of studies should not reflect reading fluency asymmetries.

Exploring the use of cognitive enhancement substances among Portuguese university students

BackgroundPrescription drug use and the consumption of substances to enhance college students' cognitive performance, described as pharmacological cognitive enhancement (PCE), is a known phenomenon potentially impacting individuals' health. University and college students are two specific subpopulations noted to use PCE (up to 17%, on average). To our knowledge, no data have been published on the use of PCE drugs among university students at a national level in Portugal and the factors that might be associated with this usage. ObjectiveThe main objective was to estimate the prevalence of PCE use by Portuguese university students and to identify the PCE substances commonly used by university students, i.e., those classified as prescription drugs and other legal and nonprescribed substances, including food supplements. MethodsThe study followed a cross-sectional exploratory, descriptive design and pursued a convenience sample of students from Portuguese public and private universities (22 higher education institutions). ResultsFrom a sample of 745 university students, 32% indicated the use of prescribed and nonprescribed substances. The most consumed substances were food supplements with CNS stimulants being the most frequent prescription-only drugs but not necessarily accessed through a medical prescription. A significant statistical association was found between substance consumption and the field of study. Health science students reported more food supplements and drug intake, allegedly under prescribed regimens, compared to humanities and exact sciences students. The study discusses the need to better understand the competitive societies that produce and support young students' outputs and the perceived ‘need’ for performance-enhancing substances. ConclusionsOne-third of the university students aimed to improve their performance by pharmacological cognitive enhancement, with a preference for food supplements dispensed in pharmacies. PCE substance consumption in higher education is thus non-negligible. The study suggests the need to improve regulations on potential inequalities in academic rankings and success and an observant attitude concerning implications that negatively affect health in the long run.

Engineering Students’ Industrial Internship Experience Perception and Satisfaction: Work Experience Scale Validation

An essential aspect of higher education institutions’ academic curricula for engineering courses is the students’ industrial internship programs. In the literature, it is well accepted that such programs provide valuable learning outcomes and increase the graduates’ employment prospects. Thus, it is paramount to evaluate the internship programs’ quality to identify opportunities to improve their design and implementation. However, that evaluation typically depends on self-designed academic assessment surveys of questionable validity. The purpose of this paper is to assess engineering students’ perceptions of their internship experiences. For that purpose, the validation of a recently adapted version of the Work Experience Questionnaire (WEQ) was carried out on a sample of 447 engineering students that participated in industrial internship programs offered by Portuguese public universities and polytechnic schools. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to confirm the suitability of the model proposed by the WEQ’s authors on this study’s sample. The psychometric qualities were evaluated through convergent and discriminant validity. The results showed that the model fit the sample well, and convergent and discriminant validity was established. The general competencies subscale was the most important for the participants—specifically, the competency of solving problems. Differences concerning the WEQ and gender, company size, and compensation were found and discussed. This study provides researchers in the field with a new tool validated explicitly for engineering students.

Awarding PhD Powers to Polytechnics: An Academic Trap?

The aim of this article is to understand whether the conditions in Portuguese public polytechnics (PPPs) when studying for a PhD are similar to those in Portuguese public universities (PPUs). Three pillars were analyzed (research, academic staff degree, and precarious rate of academic staff), and to this end, we conducted independent sample t-tests and designed a correlation matrix to shed light on the relationship between the percentage of precarious academic staff and the short-run variables in the environment of PPPs. The main findings reveal differences between PPUs and PPPs, indicating that policymakers failed to ensure that PPPs are competitive vis-a-vis PPUs in this area. Decree-Law No. 65/2018 granting PPPs the right to award doctoral degrees gives rise to a number of risks: a loss of focus in PPPs, the disappearance of the most used system in higher education (binary or dual system), and the absence of higher institutions in Portugal that provide practical training. If this is the path chosen by policymakers and the nature of course programs in PPPs and PPUs are becoming more similar, we strongly recommend that similar conditions should prevail in the two subsystems; this entails greater investment in PPPs and even the possibility of awarding PhD professional degrees in close connection with firms and corporations.

How do undergraduates perceive the use of assessment? A study in higher education

ABSTRACT Drawing upon a wider piece of research, this paper focuses on the validation of a ‘use of assessment’ scale in five Portuguese public universities with 5549 students. The study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of the scale, to describe how students look at assessment uses, to analyse their utility perceptions of assessment, and to understand their perspectives regarding participation in the assessment process. The scale demonstrated adequate validity and reliability based on factor analysis of the internal structure. Preference for alternative methods of assessment was negatively correlated with a preference for traditional methods of assessment. However, preference for alternative methods was correlated with higher scores for assessment effectiveness, fairness and level of participation and engagement with assessment. On the contrary, preference for traditional methods was negatively correlated with perceived fairness and with engagement with assessment.

O Facebook como instrumento de comunicação das Universidades públicas em Portugal

Portuguese public universities (UPP) use Facebook to communicate with their target audience.Firstly, we identified which UPP getFacebook and how they position themselves in terms of likes, comments and shares. In the analysis of the use of this tool, the frequency in number of posts andthe type of information conveyed were examined and we tried to identifythe extent related to the use of hashtags, inclusion of photography and/or video. The results obtained revealed that UPP use Facebook to communicate, however they position themselves in different ways on the network. There is a lot of work to be done iftheychoose to bet on Facebook as theirprimary communication tool. The posts are mostly short texts with images proving concern inmaking communication more humane with successful posts. They make use of news from external media to promote themselves and the use of hastags and videos in the posts is not observed.

The Cosmovision of Students Participating in a Research in Portuguese Public Universities

The Cosmovision of Students Participating in a Research in Portuguese Public Universities

Websites e páginas do Facebook das Universidades portuguesas: novas possibilidades de interação social?

This article aims to analyze the existence and use of interaction spaces on Portuguese Public Universities’ websites and Facebook pages, checking whether or not the online communication developed by these institutions values social interaction. To this end, we have developed a quantitative and qualitative research setting in the form of a multiple-case study using the structured direct observation method. We know that several significant issues have been imposed on public universities in recent decades. For a long time, Universities used unidirectional and asymmetric communication models. Organizational leaders believed that quality and rigor in teaching and research were enough to create and maintain a positive image for organizations, an understanding that is not suited to today's reality. They began to operate in an increasingly complex and competitive environment, they had to rethink the role they play in society, their mission and relationship with different audiences. In this way, Universities needed to restructure, adopt more entrepreneurial management strategies, attract new audiences and find new forms of financing and communication had to accompany the changes to provide answers to the new imposed scenario. In general, it becomes more and more relevant for organizations to be present in the online environment through spaces that not only offer information but also demonstrate the willingness to interact and dialogue with the public, which leads us to think about their existence and use by Universities, to qualify the presence of organizations and rethink about the effectiveness of interactions and possibilities for improvement. Nowadays, all Public Universities in Portugal have a website and a profile on at least one social media platform. We realize that Portuguese Universities offer spaces that enable interaction with audiences, both on websites and Facebook pages, but many of them still do not value interaction and use the new media in the same way they used the old ones, in a unidirectional way. Websites are communication tools that provide essential information for society, being representations of the University in the digital environment and, often, the first element of contact with the public. But, although all Universities provide space for online interaction, not all work effectively, since there was no response from messages sent by part of the Universities. Social media, on the other hand, are dynamic platforms, designed and centered on social interaction, which must be considered in the planning and management of digital communication. The predominant strategy adopted by Portuguese Public Universities in Facebook publications is to make content available to attract audiences to the website, producing little or no specific content for the platforms and maintaining a limited level of interaction. A different approach could bring audiences closer to Universities, encourage engagement and open new spaces for dialogue. Nowadays, it's not enough to just be present on the Internet, audiences increasingly expect organizations to listen to them, get involved and react, and this involvement is fundamental to building relationships. The monologue was replaced by the possibility of effective dialogue, with the negotiation of communication strategies between the parties and no longer passive reception. The interactions that are established between organizations and audiences in the digital environment reinforce the individual feeling of communication, recognition and trust, influencing the attitude people have towards a service or product, as well as organizational image and reputation. In addition, they represent opportunities for organizations to learn more about the audience's needs and expectations.