University Provision Research Articles

Psychological predictors of National Student Survey course satisfaction

Course satisfaction has been linked independently to University provision quality, student self-efficacy and basic psychological need fulfilment. In the current paper we seek to unite those disparate areas with a view to understanding how University factors interact with psychological factors in the determining of student satisfaction, as measured by the National Student Survey (NSS). Study one was focused on data from the NSS itself (N = 1321), in which it was demonstrated that variance in overall course satisfaction is mostly driven by satisfaction with teaching quality and the students' personal development. Study two (N=250) was focused on the psychological factors that relate to students’ personal development that might influence course satisfaction. This questionnaire-based study indicated that self-efficacy, skill confidence and the three basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness were associated with course satisfaction. However, those variables shared much variance and only the fulfilment of the need to feel competent uniquely predicted levels of course satisfaction. We conclude that efforts to maximise student satisfaction should focus on enabling academic staff to excel as inspirational tutors, tutors who foster competence and confidence in their students' academic journey.

ANALYSIS OF ICT COMPANIES’ NEEDS FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF ICT HIGHER EDUCATION AT MASTER LEVEL: THE CASE OF KAZAKHSTAN

The correspondence between ICT master programmes and requirements of ICT companies is shaped via needs analysis. The research aim: The aim of the present article is to analyse the empirical results of the study of needs of ICT companies, underpinning the elaboration of implications on ICT master programmes. The primary methods used: Exploratory research has been implemented within the present work. The representatives of four ICT companies, namely CISCO, KAIB, Kaspersky Lab and Soft Com, took part in the focus group interview organised at International Information Technology University, Almaty, Kazakhstan, in October 2019. A brief description of the main research results: The theoretical findings of the present research allow concluding that ICT companies and the universities belong to the local or regional community. The structuring content analysis allows identifying the areas of universities-companies cooperation, namely academic staff training, students’ training, provision of universities with modern equipment, joint elaboration of the content of ICT master programmes, organisation of joint laboratories including virtual laboratories, ensuring practice and internships for students, etc. The summarising content analysis highlights the need in cooperation between universities and companies to strengthen the sustainable development of the digital economy in the region. The novelty of the present work is formulated in the implications on ICT master programmes. Directions of further research are formulated.

COVID-19: strategies for positioning the university library in support of e-learning

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate the various innovative support strategies rendered by academic libraries in support of e-learning in Zimbabwean universities. This was necessitated by the change in nature of learning and services provision in universities as a result of COVID-19. Despite the crisis caused by the pandemic, users of libraries still expect services to answer their information needs.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative study was done to unpack the role of digital library services in supporting e-learning in universities in Zimbabwe. An online questionnaire was developed using survey monkey and distributed to 50 professional librarians in both private and state universities in Zimbabwe. A total of 34 librarians responded to the questionnaire and the data was analysed and presented thematically. Data were presented using descriptive statistics in the form of figures.FindingsThe findings revealed that academic libraries play an important role in supporting e-learning in higher education institutions by providing electronic information resources, which are key in research, learning and teaching. The libraries provide a one-stop shop for accessing electronic resources through the digital library. Patrons have benefitted by accessing and using digital library services during the COVID-19 lockdown period. It was also discovered that libraries should ensure that they are prepared to always offer their services despite the closure of physical buildings because of the pandemic.Research limitations/implicationsThe study used an online questionnaire only as the data collection instrument, as it was the most suitable one to get data from librarians working from home and also because of the COVID-19 health guidance such as maintaining social distance. The other methods were not used because of financial constraints.Practical implicationsThis research showed the importance of digital services in e-learning environments, especially in developing countries. The work revealed how university librarians in Zimbabwe are coming up with practical solutions in supporting e-learning in times of crisis. The research therefore becomes handy for higher education institutions and authorities in crafting e-learning frameworks and positioning academic libraries at the centre of teaching, learning and research activities.Social implicationsThis paper provides useful insights into how libraries can support learning especially during a pandemic. The paper details how libraries support communities by offering correct and reliable information from scholarly information sources. It also chronicles how libraries play an important part in the support of researchers in higher institutions in the fight against COVID-19.Originality/valueTo the best of authors’ knowledge, this research is one of the first done in Zimbabwe on strategies that libraries are using in the COVID-19 era to support e-learning. The findings presented in this study are helpful for higher and tertiary education authorities and other policymakers in improving e-learning and digital libraries.

Facilitators and barriers to supporting young people with eating disorders during their transition to, and time at, university: An exploration of clinicians' perspectives.

Eating disorders (EDs) are common in student populations and present formidable challenges as to how best to treat and support these young people, especially at points of transition. Yet research exploring these challenges is lacking, particularly from the perspective of those providing treatment and support. A qualitative design was used to explore clinicians' perspectives of supporting students with EDs. Twelve clinicians from a large ED service in the United Kingdom participated in one-to-one semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Facilitators and barriers to supporting students with EDs fell into four overarching themes: Health System, University, Patient and Carer Factors. Reported facilitators were; ED service awareness, flexibility and resources, university as a motivator, and carer support. Reported barriers were; poor links and communication between institutions, the primary care system, poor university provision for and awareness of EDs, young people's denial and ambivalence, inconsistent implementation of guidelines, and carer anxiety. The findings revealed challenges unique to the university transition, including the need for more collaborative working between healthcare and education institutions, improved training of non-specialised ED professionals, and the benefits of a flexible, adapted ED treatment approach specifically tailored to the unique needs of students with EDs.

The role of universities in the realization of opportunities and curbing threats to innovative economic development – expert opinions

Purpose. Defining the role of universities in realizing opportunities and containing threats to the development of an innovative economy related to training and scientific and practical cooperation. Identification of peculiarities of views of different institutional groups of society on the characteristics of innovation economy.Methodology. The study was based on an expert method. In total, 106 experts representing four institutional groups took part in the assessment of opportunities and threats: representatives of banks, business of the real sector of the economy, authorities, faculty of universities. The evaluation is carried out on 18 possibilities formulated by experts and 19 threats from which positions are selected, which are influenced by the state of personnel provision and interaction of universities with organizations of the real sector of the economy. A fuzzy logic set was used to process the results.Results. As part of the development opportunities of the innovative economy, two are directly related to the training of qualified personnel and seven – to the scientific and practical cooperation of universities, research institutes, enterprises of the real sector of the economy. In the composition of 19 threats – four are caused by insufficient qualification, weak state support of specialists. The positions of experts within the groups are in most cases sufficiently harmonized. There are significant differences between the estimates of different groups. All expert groups assessed threats higher than opportunities, which couldbe considered a pessimistic attitude to the prospects for the development of an innovative economy. Among opportunities as the most significant are recognized: the state support of talented scientists and experts in the field of scientific, scientific and technological and innovative activity; State support for small innovative enterprises. Threats include low budget funding for academic science and higher education; Lack of the necessary legal framework to protect intellectual property owners; Lagging behind in the training of personnel with competencies adequate to the requirements of an innovative economy; «Brain drain» of current and potential developers of technological and product innovations.

Growth of private university business following “oligopoly” and “SME” approaches: an impact on the concept of university and on society

Purpose Universally, university is considered as the apex body which is ethically obliged to present a substantial society. In doing so, universities often innovate dynamic business models and theories. Ideally, the countries whose universities contribute for better and sustainable business growth are the advanced one. However, universities themselves should be the business organisation – an argument is yet to receive attention. Although literature lacks in the area of education business especially university provision, the sector behaves as business entity after the inception of private sector. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the paradigm transformation of university sector and its impact on the society. Design/methodology/approach Given the differentiated nature of research questions, multiple techniques are used to collect the data. However, this research adopts the norms of qualitative methods. Both secondary and primary data are used. While secondary data are collected by University Grants Commission (UGC), primary data are collected through interviews. Findings Findings show that the development of university sector started following monopoly model. More than half a century, the same model was continued. Thereafter, duopoly model was introduced which carried until the inception of private sector. The growth of private sector followed oligopoly model which was further extended to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). These days, society compares university with “diploma mill”, as production of knowledge and civic society is longer than the part of the core business of university. Consequently, compromising with research is to be judged as a threat to overall development that includes business and social development. Originality/value A few studies have been published in the area of private university. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, none covers the oligopoly-ism and SME-ism behaviour of university and its impact on the concept of university and on the society. Therefore, this project aims to understand the norms of university business and its substantial contribution on the social change.

IS PREVIOUS STUDENT COMPUTER EXPERIENCE RELATED TO THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS INTERNET USE

In the recent past, university students were confined to traditional educational technologies such as chalkboards, papers and textbooks for pedagogical purposes. Institutions of higher learning in Uganda have provided Internet services to students, increasing their access to global resources through surfing, downloading and obtaining electronic materials. Students’ use of technology as a university provision should be explored in order to establish and meet their needs more effectively. This study was conducted in Kyambogo University in Uganda, to explore the impact of students’ previous computer experience on use of the Internet. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select a sample of 280 university students. The quantitative data, collected using a questionnaire, was analyzed descriptively using SPSS for frequencies, means standard deviation and cross tabulation. The qualitative data, collected using interviews, was analyzed using thematic analysis. The results corroborated each other, indicating a significant relationship between previous computer experience and students’ use of Internet. It was recommended that students be incentivized in order to develop positive attitudes towards use of e-technology; and learners be introduced to use of ICT at both primary and secondary levels of education. Article visualizations:

Opening universities’ doors for business? Marketization, the search for differentiation and employability in England

AbstractThe article investigates the causes and consequences of the increased engagement of British universities with employability and skills initiatives. By employing case studies of six universities based in England, it asks whether the increased engagement between higher education and the labour market is driven by universities or business and whether such engagement has increased the diversity of the higher education sector. Findings suggest that the alignment between labour market needs and educational provision in universities is strongly mediated by the competitive environment within which higher education institutions have been operating since the late 1990s: the higher education market – not the labour market – is the key driver for universities to engage in employability and skills initiatives. The article also questions the assumption that ‘competition’ leads to ‘differentiation’ in higher education. Rather, isomorphic tendencies seem to prevail over differentiation in the context of a highly competitive higher education market.

Assessing Muslim Higher Education and Training Institutions (METIs) and Islamic Studies Provision in Universities in Britain: An Analysis of Training Provision for Muslim Religious Leadership after 9/11

The training of Imams and Muslim religious leaders has received much interest in the post-9/11 era, resulting in a vast amount of research and publications on the topic. The present work explores this literature with the aim of analysing key debates found therein. It finds that throughout the literature there is a pervasive demand for reform of the training and education provided by Muslim higher education and training institutions (METIs) and Islamic studies programmes at universities in the shape of a synthesis of the two pedagogic models. Such demands are founded on the claim that each is lacking in the appositeness of its provision apropos of the British Muslim population. This article calls for an alternative approach to the issue, namely, that the university and the METI each be accorded independence and freedom in its pedagogic ethos and practice (or else risk losing its identity), and a combined education from both instead be promoted as a holistic training model for Muslim religious leadership.

Relación entre formación universitaria y competencia mediática del profesorado

Este trabajo muestra el vínculo entre los niveles de competencia mediática del profesorado no universitario y la formación recibida por el profesorado de acuerdo con los actuales currículos universitarios en España. A partir de nuestro análisis, que se llevó a cabo a partir de los currículos de todas las universidades españolas con formación en educación (un total de 252 grados) y de un diagnóstico de competencia mediática de profesores no universitarios (906 sujetos) de nueve provincias españolas, llegamos a la conclusión de que existe una relación coherente entre estas dimensiones. En otras palabras, las deficiencias en la competencia mediática del personal docente no universitario son un claro reflejo de la poca importancia otorgada a la alfabetización mediática en los programas universitarios. Como resultado, destacamos la necesidad de revisar y reestructurar la formación universitaria en alfabetización mediática ofrecida a futuros profesores y maestros. Es necesaria una formación coherente y sólida que se centre en todas las dimensiones de la competencia mediática y no sólo en la capacidad tecnológica, en contraste con la oferta actual de las universidades españolas.

Dimensions of Sustainable Research Collaborations in Philippine Universities

The study was conducted to identify dimensions that sustain research collaborations between universities and industries and government agencies in the Philippines. A total of twenty-five participants including regional directors of national government agencies, local government unit heads, managing heads of business chambers, research heads, deans and presidents and vice-presidents of state universities and colleges in Davao Region, Southeastern Philippines served as key informants. The gathered data was processed using INVIVO qualitative software and thematic content analysis.The study found out that there is growing evidence that universities, industries, and government agencies increasingly rely on each other to carry out research. When sectors collaborate in research, they effectively contribute to economic growth. Hence, in order to sustain successful research collaborations, the following dimensions were culled out from the study: First, typologies of research collaboration include capability-building, management partnership, institutional partnership, and reinforcement. Second, collaborative governance is necessitated through personal relation, establishing rapport, and transparency. Third, collaborative leadership is strengthened by political leadership, micro-leadership, and leadership by character. Fourth, the collaborative research agenda setting where stakeholders and their thrusts and priorities must be involved should be considered. Fifth, research collaboration is sustained by the university's provision of collaborative research enabling resources. Sixth, the university faculty's motivation fosters collaborative research. And finally, strategic actions were formulated to ensure the sustainability of research collaborations.The study concluded with the development of a framework showing the dimensions for the sustainability of research collaborations in Philippine universities.

SPECIAL EDUCATION PROVISION AND TEACHER PREPARATION IN UNIVERSITIES: A CASE OF KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY

This manuscript is a study on special education provision and teacher preparation in universities. The study aimed at establishing the special education provisions in universities, establishing how special teachers are prepared in universities and determine the requirement for learners with disabilities in order not to be left behind. The tools for data collection were the document study, interview schedule and the questionnaire. Data was analyzed using excel sheet and manually. The sample comprised of 30 masters students for special education programme at Kwame Nkrumah University. The findings were that special education provisions incorporated the special child’s needs, national needs, international needs, the university needs, teachers’ needs and technological needs. The study also found that, teachers were prepared by being equipped with knowledge and skills of special education. In order for learners with special needs not to be left behind it was discovered that they needed trained teachers in special education, infrastructure and curriculum modifications, teaching and learning materials and methods tailored to their needs, they needed schools, community, national, international and all stakeholders involvement in their education.

Assessment of the readiness of the russian higher education for the digital economy

The purposeof the study is to assess the readiness of the Russian higher education system to move to the digital level based on the statistical researches of education. The way to the digital economy becomes decisive in the development of Russian education and covers all its stages. Within the framework of the state program “Education development” the project “Modern Digital Educational Environment” is being realized, for the secondary education the “Digital School” project is being developed, and in the program of development of the digital economy a separate direction “Personnel and Education” is emphasized. Digitalization of education becomes the next stage after the informatization stage in the technological development of education. It is necessary to assess the current level of informatization of higher education.Materials and methods of research.The presented study of the assessment of the readiness of Russian higher education to the digital economy is based on the methodology, proposed by the World Bank, which includes an assessment of five groups of indicators: the use of information technology in the learning process; training of teaching staff for the use of information technology in education; informatization of education management; information infrastructure of higher education; normative and legal support of the digitalization of education. The methodology includes the combination and interpretation of the different statistical data because the appropriate study of digitalization of education requires the specific approach. The factual basis of the research is the data of official statistics and universities.The results, on the one hand, indicate a high level of provision of universities with personal computers and access to the Internet, and on the other hand, a lack of automation of the administrative and educational processes of the university. Despite the constant development of technologies and the emergence of new educational web tools, and a multi-year state policy on the information educational space formation, its potential is partly used by universities. Only one third of university students are trained using e-learning or distance education technologies. At the same time, non-state educational institutions provide most of the educational services available to online listeners. In general, the share of online education in the market of educational services is low and is 1.8% for higher education programs and 6.7% for additional professional education. 82% of students, enrolled in programs with exclusive use of e-learning are students of non-state universities. The use of technology, even in the form of blended learning, in addition to the corresponding IT infrastructure, requires the appropriate training of lecturers and students. The training of lecturers in the use of IT in education, including training directly to work with IT, should be supplemented by teaching methodical work in the information educational space.Conclusion. The study shows that the Russian education system has created the necessary reserve for the creation of IT infrastructure, regulatory support, and best practices in the field of IT application in the educational process, which should become the basis for the participation of Russian universities in the digital economy. At the same time, the differences between information technologies (IT) and digital are not obvious, in many respects, these concepts are identical, differences arise when considering the totality of the information technologies and resources involved. Digitalization assumes that practically all the computing devices are involved in information support, including consumers, who, for example, install mobile applications in order to use the services. Involving a large number of devices with the ability to connect to the Internet allows you to organize the collection and processing of a large amount of digital data. The basis of digitalization is the created IT infrastructure and the degree of informatization in educational institutions.

Prehistoric process in HE: A critical review of institutional processes for business–academic partnerships in management development provision

This article sets out to capture the benefits of business and universities working together to create robust management development programmes for the competitive markets ahead. It attempts to illustrate the changes in business approaches to providing people with management development, given the increased mobility of individuals from company to company, the pressures on budgets in more restricted financial times and the benefits of partnering with university provision. Using qualitative data sourced from both business organizations and higher education institutions (HEIs), underpinning a more detailed pivotal case study, themes are extracted on the current provision from institutions to business, bringing to light the reality that desire and actual outcome are two different things. The systems created for institutions before their contemporary dealings with business are still used to serve current needs, and it is clear from early research and practice that they are not fit for purpose. The result is a slow service for business clients and a loss of potential third-stream income – valuable to HEIs in a new competitive market. In the light of this research, recommendations are offered for HEIs to become more competitive when trying to penetrate commercial markets for this income.

Avoiding to fit a square peg into a round hole: a policy framework for operationalising open distance education in dual-mode universities

Although education policies in many African countries refer to the need for distance education to widen participation in universities, they have not articulated guidelines on how they plan to develop systems and structures that will support it. The purpose of this study was to develop a policy framework specific for distance education provision in conventional universities. A two-step approach was utilised to guide the process of the development of the framework. The first step was to analyse national education policies, which provide the educational vision of the country. The second step was to analyse distance education policy frameworks in order to provide specific criteria that need to be met when providing distance education. Futures research methodology was employed to look at policy interventions with the aim of identifying probable development in education that may influence distance education practices within the conventional university context.

Outsourcing as a strategy for facilities management provision in Nigerian universities

ABSTRACTOutsourcing in universities is a form of privatization in which external providers are contracted to provide a traditional campus function or service but has however remained relatively unexplored. The purpose of this study is to explore its use as a strategy for facilities management (FM) roles in Nigerian universities. Using a cross-sectional questionnaire survey, total of 43 responses representing 43 out of 134 sample units used for the survey were received to give an overall response rate of 32%. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and Spearman's rank correlation. Findings among others, reveal that five FM roles to which outsourcing has been most effective are campus security, cleaning services, plant operation and maintenance, waste management and laundry in that order while most of the procurement options have significant correlation with outsourcing success. The paper concludes that a number of FM services and functions have been outsourced or are currently being outsourced. Moreover, the services outsourced are mainly janitorial services which support the teaching, research and learning in the universities. By implication, knowledge of the level of effectiveness of outsourcing as a strategic option for FM will enable the universities adopt best options that will ultimately increase the efficiency and effectiveness of corporate governance within institutions. The paper recommends that universities should consider launching advocacy on the potential benefits of outsourcing to bolster the full acceptance of outsourcing particularly for hard FM which is presently not the case according to findings of this study.

Social Work Education and the Marketisation of UK Universities

Social work practice and university provision of social work education in the UK have come under considerable public scrutiny during the past decade. Questions have been raised in the media, professional discourse and government inquires as to whether universities are delivering consistently high standards of graduates into the profession. During the same period structural changes to the provision and funding of universities in the UK have transformed higher education. The rapid expansion of the sector alongside the introduction of fees-based funding has resulted in a ‘market’ in higher education. Students are now consumers, with greater numbers of universities competing for their custom. However, as the sector continues to expand a growing body of critical literature is emerging raising doubts as to the efficacy of this newly marketised university structure. This research therefore asks how marketisation is influencing social work education in UK universities. Although it is acknowledged that there has been an expansion of alternative routes to qualification, this research is exclusively focussed on university provision. Using a dual-stranded study involving a national sample of social work academics, questionnaire and interview data is analysed to present emerging themes based on the expressed views and reported experiences of those working directly within the sector. The study highlights a level of concern regarding the changing academic relationship with students and particularly the role of the National Student Survey (NSS). It raises questions in relation to standards of admissions, teaching and assessment in some institutions. Findings indicate that academics are very aware of the influence of a market-culture within universities but that experiences differ across the sector. There is evidence that consistency of standards may be compromised in some instances but that social work academics feel unable to speak out about this topic whilst working in this highly competitive and uncertain environment. Conclusions have a transformative focus pointing to a need for open, critical and reflective discourse to assist the development of future practice, policy and regulation in this area with the ultimate aim of improving standards of higher education. The study may therefore be of interest to those working in other disciplines, particularly comparable professional courses such as teaching and nursing.

Inclusive education policy provision in South African research universities

The 4-A Framework suggests that all inclusive education systems must be available, accessible, acceptable and adaptable. South Africa is committed to establishing an inclusive education system that does not exclude students with disabilities. South African university disability policies translate the imperatives of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities into institutional mandates that govern the implementation of inclusive education. The aim of this study was to determine to what extent disability policies at South African research-intensive universities addressed the markers contained in the 4-A Framework. The framework was reworked and operationalised for the higher education context, and expanded to include a fifth marker, namely affordability. A deductive thematic analysis, using a protocol based on the five markers, was used to analyse these policies. Results indicate that, of the five markers, affordability was not sufficiently addressed. Various disclaimers also limit policy provisions related to other markers.

University as a Center of Exemplary Knowledge. Review of the book: Boguslavsky M. (2016) Higher Education inthe German and Russian Traditions

As globalization accelerates around the globe, universities are becoming acritical national resource. The book captures a broad range of problems faced by universities in the era of globalization and crisis intervention processes, including the development of new business strategies, the upgrade of education programs to enable graduates to integrate into the global labor market, and the provision of universities’ competitiveness in the education market. Alternative versions of university education in the information age are proposed along with such innovative institutional models as open university, network university, multiversity and educational hub. All the three sections of the monograph — the theory, the background and the project — describe in parallel the experience, regularities and prospects of the development of higher education systems in Russia and Germany. The book goes into the sociocultural foundations of the higher education systems and the evolution of the sociocultural concept of “education” in Russia and Germany. Examples of Russian and German universities are used to demonstrate how international cooperation in higher education could be organized and maintained.

Not nearly enough geography! University provision for England’s pre-service primary teachers

Research into geography provision in primary initial teacher education [ITE] courses in the United Kingdom and worldwide is very limited. England educates pre-service primary teachers of 5–11 year olds to be “generalists” who teach the full range of curriculum subjects, including geography. This article identifies that the provision of teaching time for geography is low and declining in England’s primary ITE courses. It presents a picture which may not seem dissimilar in other parts of the world. With only about half of pre-service primary teachers in England having studied geography after age 14, their subject knowledge appears weak. University-based ITE subject sessions rarely extend beyond introducing them to England’s primary geography requirements and to some approaches to teaching geography. Prospective primary teachers observe and teach limited, if any, geography in primary schools. Developing their geographical understanding and teaching capability is highly challenging for tutors. There are concerns that the current situation may well decline further. Encouragement exists to develop geography provision in primary ITE but the opportunities to achieve this appear increasingly constrained as the pre-service environment moves from university-led to school-led provision. International comparative research is essential to understand better pre-service primary teachers’ learning to teach geography.