Responsibility Of Higher Education Institutions Research Articles

ORGANISATIONAL APPROACHES TO THE FORMATION OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN THE MARKET OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES. Social responsibility is a system of innovative working relationships that acts as an essential technology that enhances the effectiveness of a higher education institution with employees, partners, customers and the community, and ultimately contributes to its prosperity and civil society. Social responsibility should focus on enhancing the image of the higher education institution, recognising its successes in society by civil institutions and individual citizens. This will increase the social value of the higher education institution, its competitiveness, sustainability and efficiency, allowing society to use the resource voluntarily provided by the higher education institution to balance organisational and social interests.METHODS. The methods used to conduct the research were: interview, expert. The questions selected for this study were taken either from the literature or from individual interviews. The literature helped to identify important dimensions of the concept of social responsibility. The interviews helped to identify new points and possible dimensions to contextualise organisational approaches to shaping the social responsibility of higher education institutions.FINDINGS. Organizational approaches to the formation of social responsibility of higher education institutions in the market of educational services are proposed. Mechanisms to increase socio-commercial value of socially responsible higher education institutions are argued: creation of public institutions to identify, formulate public interests and present them to corporations; selection of social projects taking into account stakeholder expectations.CONCLUSION. In order to increase the efficiency of using the principles of social responsibility in HEIs, to improve their ratings, students' competitiveness in the labour market and their involvement in the task-setting and decision-making process, it is necessary to develop a programme of corporate social activity, which can become the basis for developing the HEIs' development strategy. The formation and adoption of such a strategy should be based on the interests of all stakeholders, based on the core values of the university to achieve the indicators at micro-, meso- and macrolevels.

ГНОСЕОЛОГІЧНА СУТНІСТЬ СТАНОВЛЕННЯ ТА ФОРМУВАННЯ СОЦІАЛЬНОЇ ВІДПОВІДАЛЬНОСТІ ЗАКЛАДІВ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ В УМОВАХ СТРУКТУРНО-ІННОВАЦІЙНИХ ПЕРЕТВОРЕНЬ

The article provides insights into the nature and specifics of social responsibility of higher education institutions in the context of transformational economy. In particular, it is argued that in the frameworks of structural and innovative transformations, technogenic safety as a readiness to be socially responsible, contributes to implementing the idea of integration of philosophical, legal, sociological and pedagogical approaches to enhance the performance of modern higher education institutions. The most critical factors in building social responsibility are the focus on professional responsibility, autonomy of higher education institutions, as well as the compliance with the principle of freedom of choice and responsibility in providing dual education services and applied research. The hypothesis of the study is the statement that in the context of structural and innovative transformations, the gnoseological nature of social responsibility of higher education institutions is embodied in gradual building of a technogenic safety paradigm. The research objective is to explore the specifics of social responsibility of higher education institutions from the perspectives of structural and innovative transformations. To attain the study agenda, the following research methods have been employed: historical analysis – to track successive changes in social responsibility concepts in the area of higher education subject to evolutionary development of society; analysis and synthesis techniques – to reveal the content and structure of a social responsibility framework. The findings demonstrate that a technological background to facilitate successive change in the structure of social responsibility elements is the following chain relationship: goals – knowledge – methods – activities. In this chain, goals are considered as expected professional performance outcomes; knowledge, methods and activities – as the capacity (readiness) of higher education institutions to implement effective professional technologies to attain the best results along with meeting all stakeholders’ demands. The summary concludes that the gnoseological implications in building social responsibility in higher education institutions affect the content of goals and the qualitative variety of tools which rely upon worldview and cultural societal values, as well as moral principles and ethical standards of educational activities.

СОЦІАЛЬНА ВІДПОВІДАЛЬНІСТЬ ЗАКЛАДІВ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ ЯК ЧИННИК РОЗВИТКУ В УМОВАХ СТРУКТУРНО-ІННОВАЦІЙНИХ ПЕРЕТВОРЕНЬ

A special research focus is put on the critical need to adapt performance of higher education institutions to the specifics of global-institutional transformations associated in the first place with modern economic development trends. The core of any higher education institution activities relies upon the readiness of society to develop this kind of activity. To gain strong public support, universities should perform certain social activities (community project funding, provide social protection for employees, caring for the environment, etc.), along with informing society about such activities, thus emphasizing their importance. The research hypothesis is represented by a statement that institutionalization of social responsibility of higher education institutions should be transformed into a process of formalization of socioeconomic relationships which are characterized by a gradual transition from informal links and chaotic (unorganized) interactions between universities to formalized relationship patterns with a clearly organized structure, hierarchy and a regulatory framework. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of social responsibility of higher education institutions as a powerful driver in boosting structural innovative transformations. To attain the objectives set, the following research methods have been employed: an evolutionary method, historical and systemic approach, analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction techniques – to render explicit concept definitions; an institutional approach – to enhance the hierarchical structure and content of the elements of social responsibility of higher educational institutions. The findings have revealed the nature of the institutional approach and the specifics of its application to explore social responsibility of higher education institutions. In addition, an improved hierarchy and the content of social responsibility structural elements have been suggested for higher education institutions. It is argued that the developed principles of the hierarchical structure of social responsibility of higher education institutions will contribute to shaping robust behavioural patterns within the innovative educational paradigm that meet the demands of all stakeholders in the higher education system.

Social responsibility of universities as a tool for community development (analysis of domestic scientific publications)

The article is devoted to the problems of formation and popularization of social responsibility, which is considered as one of the ways to improve the welfare of society. Social responsibility of universities is seen as an important tool for building partnerships and community development. The paper analyses the domestic scientific publications on the social responsibility of universities and their interaction with the community. The main substantive dimensions of existing research are identified, which include the relationship between social responsibility of universities and their competitiveness, as well as the impact of social responsibility of universities on the quality of higher education. The need to strengthen the applied aspect in the study of social responsibility is emphasized. There is a lack of research aimed directly and comprehensively at the problem of interaction between universities and local communities. The relevance of the study of social responsibility of universities is due to trends in society as a whole (sustainable development) and the process of reforming higher education (competitiveness of institutions, expanding university autonomy and financial autonomy, in particular, strengthening the social mission of higher education). Domestic experts in the study of social responsibility of universities are more focused on theoretical aspects. The applied aspect of research on the implementation of social responsibility of higher education institutions in Ukraine needs to be strengthened. The main content vectors of the study of social responsibility of universities by domestic scientists include: the relationship between social responsibility of universities and their competitiveness; the impact of social responsibility of universities on improving the quality of higher education.

Cultivating research skills through scholarly digital storytelling

ABSTRACT A fundamental responsibility of higher education institutions, across disciplines, is to develop student research skills. The exponential growth of digital scholarship, however, challenges traditional definitions of research. There is a need for deeper understanding of the ways in which students can develop and implement academic research skills and digital research skills simultaneously. This qualitative study explored graduate student engagement in scholarly digital storytelling, a technology-enhanced assessment, across multiple disciplines at a research university in the United States. Findings suggest that students developed the essential research skills of autonomy and flexible thinking along with multimodal research skills throughout the semester-long process of creating scholarly digital stories. Implications for utilizing technology-enhanced assessments, such as scholarly digital storytelling, in higher education are discussed.

Fostering Meaningful and Creative Connections in Higher Education: Contributions from Music Education

This paper focuses on contributing to the reflection on the importance of providing opportunities to foster meaningful and creative connections in higher education. In a context of growing plurality, heterogeneity and diversity of backgrounds, languages, cultures, identities, roles, and purpose influences the sociocultural relations and professional interactions that occur and are formed within higher education communities of knowledge and learning, which are explored from the perspective of music education. A narrative approach on participant’s views about their participation in an elective music program was developed inside the framework of informal education. Issues that were discussed the most across the datasets by participants individual accounts are expressed through themes that fall into three broad areas: previous musical experiences, significant influences for music participation, and perceptions of the participation in the music program. Results suggest that the informal music program provided participants with a context for a safe emotional, social, cultural, and musical experience, and thus heterogeneity and diversity are seen as enriching factors. Some considerations are made on the ways through which music can help to foster connections and sense of humanity in higher education. This provides some insights into the relevance of fostering musical participation as part of the cultural responsibility of higher education institutions for participants.

In search of valid non-cognitive student selection criteria

Properly selecting students is one of the core responsibilities of higher education institutions, which is done with selection criteria that predict student success. However, student selection literature suffers from a dearth of research on non-cognitive selection criteria which can lead to incorrect admission assessments. Contrarily, personnel selection studies are heavily focused on non-cognitive selection criteria and, as such, can offer insights that can improve the student selection literature. We carried out a systematic literature review of both literature strands and looked for ways in which personnel selection literature could inform student selection literature. We found that non-cognitive selection criteria are better predictors of success in personnel selection than in student selection, implying that non-cognitive skills are more important for job success. We also identified promising selection criteria from the personnel selection literature that could lead to better student success assessment during the selection phase: personality tests, conscientiousness, person-organization-fit, core-self-evaluations and polychronicity.

Faculty Perception of Inclusion in the University: Concept, Policies and Educational Practices

European universities must face the challenge of diversity and design inclusive practices to address it as part of their social responsibility. However, not all universities are doing the same in terms of diversity practices, so it is important to gather the perceptions of the protagonists. To this end, we have analysed university faculty’s perceptions using a mixed model with a concurrent methodological strategy, including an ad hoc questionnaire validated with 880 educators, as well as 17 semi‐structured interviews. The triangulation of these two instruments allowed us to analyse three key dimensions associated with the idea of attention to diversity in the university: diversity concept or culture, policies and programmes of the institution, and inclusive educational practices. The conclusion is that faculty members are positively predisposed to get involved in the process of attention to diversity in all three dimensions, especially in the design of inclusive teaching practices such as the UDL (universal design for learning), although they do point out that it is important to systematise diversity policies in research, innovation, and teaching to keep promoting the social commitment and responsibility of higher education institutions.

РИЗИКИ СОЦІАЛЬНО-ЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ ВІДПОВІДАЛЬНОСТІ ЗАКЛАДІВ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ В УМОВАХ ГЛОБАЛЬНИХ СТРУКТУРНИХ ВИКЛИКІВ ПАНДЕМІЇ COVID-19

The article seeks to explore the effects posed by the COVID-19 pandemic that triggered a global crisis in the area of education followed by drastic disruptions in the educational framework. However, a large-scale shift to distance learning via online platforms has mitigated the collapse risks in higher education and training. An emphasis is put that universities turned up almost ready for transition to remote learning in the COVID-19 settings. The research hypothesis is the statement that the implementation of monitoring of the actual level of e-learning performance and responsibility of higher education institutions enables timely response to the possible pandemic outbreaks and prompt actions to combat its severe consequences. The aim of the study is to identify risks of socio-economic responsibility for higher education institutions in the context of global structural challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. To attain the research agenda, the following methods have been employed: factor and cluster analysis, taxonomy method, and the dendrogram technique. The factor analysis revealed the key risk indicators; the cluster analysis identified 4 clusters which group the HEIs by the degree of distance learning performance and their responsibility; the dendrogram and taxonomy approaches facilitated visualizing of the actual and acceptable low distance learning performance and the degree of responsibility in HEIs. The results of processing the online reporting of 50 higher education institutions from the "Top 200 Ukraine" ranking over 2015–2020 and the results of academic staff and student questionnaires on the Google forms platform revealed 2 groups of risk indicators for socio-economic responsibility and 4 risk clusters for higher education institutions. The highest number of the universities under study (54% (27 out of 50)) refer to Cluster 3 with low level of distance learning performance and low degree of university responsibility. The dendrogram-based visualization of the results obtained has allowed to assess the current and boundary levels of distance learning performance and responsibility in the settings of COVID-19 pandemic. In case of deterioration of epidemic situation, the monitoring of distance learning components at higher education institutions provides for making appropriate adjustments as well as contributes to developing and implementing a strategy to enhance the University economic performance and its social responsibility in the area of distance learning at under the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emotional Performance of a Low-Cost Eco-Friendly Project Based Learning Methodology for Science Education: An Approach in Prospective Teachers

Enhancing the emotional dimension of prospective teachers in science subjects—which has become increasingly important in recent decades—is a responsibility of higher education institutions. The implementation of active methodologies has the potential to modify the traditional student-teacher roles that are encouraged by the educational policies implemented in the Bologna Process. Simultaneously, it is possible to promote knowledge of sustainability, as well as the attitudes and behaviors required by UNESCO. The main aim of this work is to describe a project-based learning methodology with a transversal sustainability approach (low-cost and eco-friendly) and to introduce this as a potential resource for the emotional and cognitive improvement of 19 prospective primary teachers enrolled in scientific subjects. This is a qualitative study in the context of a research line focused on higher education for sustainable development. A questionnaire was designed and filled in by students at two different stages, before and after implementation of the activity. The initial feedback from students was surprisingly enthusiastic due to the fact that they were working with rockets, despite this not being considered a common emotion expressed by students in science lessons. The results show the emotional improvement of prospective teachers after implementation of the activity. It is concluded that a good science education, with implementation of sustainable approaches is necessary during the training of teachers, taking into account their emotional dimensions and social repercussions as a consequence of future transmission.

The role of sustainability in media and communication studies’ curricula throughout Europe

Purpose This research aims to analyze to what extent sustainability and its related core aspects are integrated in media and communication's curricula of higher education institutions in Europe. Design/methodology/approach A total of n = 1068 bachelor and master’s degree programs, as well as their related curricula/program specifications, from 28 European countries were analyzed by means of content analysis. Findings Results show that the level of curricular integration of sustainability aspects in the field of media and communication is low (14%) to very low (6%) on module level. In most cases, sustainability remains an abstract guiding principle that is not translated into a dedicated course offer. This can indicate the difficulty of operationalizing such a concept as sustainability, which is experienced by not only higher education institutions but also policy and society as a whole. In addition, the results leave space for a reflection on the social and educational responsibility of higher education institutions. Research limitations/implications The authors are aware that not all teaching (content) is depicted in curricula. Especially where teaching is research-based, The authors assume that sustainability (communication) is more present as the curricula' analysis can represent it. In addition, the fact of solely investigating English language curricula can be seen as a further limitation. Originality/value This research is one of the few attempts to verify the actual integration level of sustainability aspects in the curricula of a specific sustainability-relevant discipline, which is neither conducted as a case study nor as a single-country analysis.

The Discussion on the Management Strategies of Education and Teaching Quality in the Popularization Stage of Higher Education

Talent training is the responsibility of higher education institutions, and the key to talent training lies in the quality of the talents cultivated. It is generally believed that the quality of the talents cultivated reflects the teaching quality of higher education institutions, the foundation for the long-term development of college students, and the core of quality education after the new curriculum reform. As our country's higher education has entered the stage of popularization, higher education institutions have provided a steady stream of human resources for social construction. However, due to the influence of some objective factors, some higher education teaching has appeared the phenomenon inconsistent with modern education goals. This paper will start with the connotation of the quality standards of higher education, analyze the problems in education and teaching in the stage of popularization of higher education, and give corresponding solutions.

A Case Study on the Development of Soft Skills among TESL Graduates in a University

Graduates of higher education institutions (HEIs) should not only graduate with hard skills but also soft skills. Therefore, it is the responsibility of HEIs as platforms to provide sufficient holistic skills to their graduates so they may perform well at their future workplace. Despite that, graduates are still deemed lacking when it comes to soft skills. The same goes for trainee teachers, as having soft skills is a pertinent aspect as future educators, even for Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) graduates. This paper aims to discuss the role of HEIs in developing soft skills of their TESL graduates. This study applied a mixed methodology via questionnaires and interviews to investigate the respondents' soft skills development which are, (a) critical thinking and problem-solving skills, (b) entrepreneurial skills and (c) moral and professional ethics based on their TESL program. The research findings showed that the respondents perceived the program generally to sufficiently develop their critical thinking and problem solving, entrepreneurship and moral and professional ethics skills as an outcome from the TESL program. However, improvements could be made to the TESL program in order to enhance their development of soft skills so to further improve the quality of teaching and learning and also aid employability. The findings are believed to be useful for future curriculum development of TESL programs in HEIs to consider the ongoing needs of stakeholders like schools when redesigning the curriculum of Teacher Education program.

Validity studies of the scale of positive and negative perceptions about alcohol effects.

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE To describe the process of elaboration and validation of the Scale of Perceptions about Alcohol Consumption in Higher Education Students in a Portuguese sample, considering the relationship between alcohol use rates and students’ perceptions about the effects of this consumption.METHODS The validation study included 531 Portuguese college freshmen who answered the instrument, which is composed of five items that express positive perceptions and five items that express negative perceptions about the effects of alcohol consumption.RESULTS Evidence of content validity, internal structure and external variables were obtained. The results of the factor analysis confirm the distribution of positive and negative perceptions by two different factors according to the theoretical model. Adequate internal consistency indexes were obtained for each dimension. The data obtained showed expected correlations between the perceptions and consumption behaviors of the students, indicating evidence of criterion validity of the scale. Moreover, the study showed that different consumption patterns between men and women, with higher alcohol consumption in the students’ households and restaurants or cafés by male students, in addition to the similarity in the consumption pattern between the two genders in parties and bars or nightclubs.CONCLUSION The data obtained show the validity of the instrument. In the discussion, the article presents considerations about the responsibility of higher education institutions in the prevention and reduction in consumption rates among their students.

Análisis de los hábitos de estudio en estudiantes de nivel superior, un caso de estudio

It is the responsibility of Higher Education Institutions to offer quality education to their students in such a way as to make them more competitive in the specific area where they have decided to train, for this purpose it is important that teachers and academic tutors have knowledge about the study habits that their students have, as well as knowledge of the existence of generic electronic learning objects that help to improve their experiences or study habits if necessary, this in order to generate strategies within the classroom that encourage and motivate students to decide to commit to their study and obtain acceptable academic performance. Since, the techniques or forms of study they possess are directly related to their performance. Avoiding in this way the failure in the subjects that semester with semester are taking and even the decrease in school dropout. The objective of this research is to carry out an analysis of study habits in 17 Computer Systems Engineering students to identify areas of opportunity and in this way to implement suitable customs and strategies in them to reduce bad practices in their study.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER ECONOMIC EDUCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UNIVERSITY MISSION REALIZATION

In the article, social responsibility is characterized as the realization of key components of the university’s mission. The basic approaches of Western scientists to understanding the mission and social responsibility of the University under current conditions are analyzed. There are those components of the mission and responsibility that, according to Western authors, correspond to the current stage of globalization, including educational one. The novel component of the mission of universities as certain guarantors of sustainable development is put forward, which leads to an increase in their social responsibility to the global scope. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the mission of institutions of higher economic education in their interaction with the state and business, and namely in respect of innovative development provision. Topical components of the mission and social responsibility of higher education institutions are identified. The emphasis is placed on a separate study in the domestic scientific environment of the mission and social responsibility of universities.Based on the information provided on official sites, a meaningful analysis is carried out and the main components of the missions of several leading universities in the world from different continents are highlighted. It is shown that the model of the university and the formulated mission determine the ethics and scope of its social responsibility. The overall direction of the mission and social responsibility transformation of the leading universities — from institutes for training specialists for the labor market, educational and scientific centers — to the leaders of values of modern democracy, authoritative mediators in resolving civilized ways of conflict between business and society, economy and ecology, politics and economy is determined. The expediency of studying and adapting the experience of the rating universities in the sphere of defining and realizing the mission and social responsibility is substantiated.

Contribuições e competências do coordenador de curso alinhadas ao modelo de aula FAESA

Faced with the scenarioof a diversified economy, social inequalities and people increasingly connected to the virtual world, the demand for professionalization is increasing, so a new management model is essential in all organizations in today's society. Regarding education, this model has an even greater dimension in the teaching-learning management process, considering the responsibility of Higher Education Institutions to make knowledge accessible to all. Thus, all the involved parts of the institution should be integrated toachieve the results focused on the management that involve the Pedagogical Project and the Institutional and organizational Planning. Course coordination is a relevant function for quality teaching, since it is a position with pedagogical, academic and scientific dimensions, besides being an administrative activity. In this article, we seek to highlight the contributions and competences of the Course Coordinator at FAESA Centro Universitário, and its importance to the advances in the quality of the coursesoffered, as a strategy to obtain a successful stay in the business world. As a basis for this research, the literature on University Management was sought, in addition to consulting the PPC, FAI's PDI and AULA FAESA Project to identify the attributions pertinent to the function, in line with institutional guidelines.

ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ КОНКУРЕНТО СПРОМОЖНОСТІ ЗАКЛАДУ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ В КОНТЕКСТІ СОЦІАЛЬНОЇ ВІДПОВІДАЛЬНОСТІ

UDC 338.242; JEL Classification : М14 Purpose − to study the essence, determine the conceptual content and justify the need to introduce social responsibility in the educational system as a necessary prerequisite for its competitive stability in the global educational space. Methodology of research . The theoretical and methodological basis are the basic laws of functioning of market economy, works of leading domestic and foreign scientists-economists, in which the social responsibility is considered in the context of ensuring the competitiveness of higher education institutions through partnerships education- business-society. Methods of generalization and abstraction were used. Method of analysis and synthesis was used. Findings . During its evolution the social responsibility goes through a number of stages of development and emerges as an innovative vector in the activity not only of Ukraine's business, but also of the educational process, in particular in institutions of higher education. The social responsibility of a higher education institution is an additional (outside of educational services) socially-oriented commitments that: are based on ethical and legal standards, which contribute to the development of the internal and external environment; take into account the strategic interests of the “education-business-society” stakeholders, which, in turn, are responsible for the socio-economic consequences of their activity. Originality . In this paper the feasibility of integrating social responsibility into a system of higher education, as a component of manifestation and formation of stakeholder relations (“education-business-society”) is substantiated theoretically. Acting as a kind of innovative vector for the development of higher education the social responsibility should contribute to the acquisition of a high level of not only traditional professional competences (educational and research component), but also innovatively oriented and special entrepreneurial abilities of applicants. The practical relevance lies in the substantiated conceptual framework for the goal of social responsibility of higher education institutions, which can be used to develop and implement of specific strategic measures which are aimed to generate sustainable competitive advantages of the latter and use them as a tool for ensuring the innovative and socio-economic development of partnerships “education-business-society” relations.

‘Context’ matters: factors considered by employers when selecting new graduate veterinarians

ABSTRACT Assisting students to develop employability attributes is considered a core responsibility of higher education institutions. While there are some common employability attributes across disciplines, there are also differences. Empirical research into employability from less-well represented disciplines, such as veterinary science, helps to broaden the current employability discourse. Using semi-structured interviews, and criterion sampling for maximal variation, this study explored factors employers consider when selecting new graduate veterinarians for employment. Eighteen employers were interviewed and data were analysed using thematic analysis within the context of an interpretivist, constructivist lens. Accounts were distilled into 20 sub-themes, or ‘selection factors’, and arranged into four interlinked themes: (1) personal attributes; (2) interpersonal skills; (3) veterinary capabilities; and (4) job match. This work illuminates the complexity of each selection factor including local influences, employer interpretations and ‘filter in’ and ‘filter out’ considerations. Findings emphasise the critical role that employer circumstances and needs can play in the selection of new graduate veterinarians, and the influence of perceptions of candidate job suitability and employee-workplace match. Our results resonate with existing employability literature, while highlighting some nuanced and previously underemphasised selection factors that may be of relevance beyond our discipline.

RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL Y VINCULACIÓN: SUSTENTO PARA LA COOPERACIÓN UNIVERSITARIA

Social responsibility implies an institutional policy committed to the objectives and mission of the university over time, it is a form of social action that creates good relations in the internal and external organization of the university, since it seeks the improvement of the environment, in various areas of the economy and society. About the responsibility of Higher Education institutions in Ecuador