Public University Research Articles

Exploring the moderating role of university environmental performance in shaping students’ environmental awareness and behaviors

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating role of university environmental performance in the relationship between students’ environmental awareness and behavior, with a particular focus on the imperative for universities to adopt comprehensive sustainability frameworks. Design/methodology/approach Using a quantitative research methodology, the study administered a survey to 775 undergraduate students from diverse academic departments at a public university. The survey aimed to assess students’ environmental awareness, behaviors and perceptions of university environmental performance. The Mann–Whitney U test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Friedman test were applied, and a simple moderation analysis was performed. Findings The results indicate that environmental awareness significantly influences students’ environmental behaviors. Crucially, the perception of environmental performance moderates the relationship between environmental awareness and behavior. The relationship between environmental awareness and environmental behaviors becomes stronger when environmental performance increases. Research limitations/implications While the scope of this research is limited to a single institution, potentially limiting the generalizability of the findings, future studies could extend this investigation to multiple universities to confirm and expand upon these results. Originality/value This research contributes to the existing body of literature by emphasizing the critical role universities play in cultivating students’ environmental awareness and behaviors, and it underscores the importance of institutional environmental performance in promoting sustainable practices within academic environments. Although previous research has explored environmental awareness and behavior, this study offers a unique contribution as it establishes a connection between the awareness-behavior gap and environmental performance.

Women leadership in higher education: exploring enablers and challenges from middle-level academics’ perspective

The scarcity of literature in higher education addressing the enablers or challenging factors influencing the progression of women academics from middle-level to senior leadership roles is noteworthy. This study aims to explore the factors that enable or impede the advancement of middle-level women academics and identify recommendations for promoting women leadership in higher education institutions. This qualitative study has collected interview data from 17 informants from five Malaysian public universities. The thematic analysis revealed four enablers and three challenges faced by women in academic leadership. The thematic analysis revealed four enabler factors - gender-neutral policies, management of multiple roles, core personal competencies, and the presence of mentors and role models. Conversely, traditional women’s roles, social stigma, and personal factors were identified as factors that hinder women’s leadership in universities. The findings underscore the importance of implementing gender-neutral policies to foster inclusivity, the establishment of formal mentorship programmes, and cultivating multitasking skills among women. Understanding the dynamics from the perspective of middle-level women academics is essential for crafting a more equitable and supportive institutional environment to equip them with the necessary resources and support to transition into senior leadership positions smoothly, ultimately strengthening the leadership pipeline within the institution.

Impact of distress and anxiety due to COVID-19 on digital addictions in university students in the third wave period

Abstract Background Digital addictions are a major problem worldwide, which has increased considerably during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this scenario, two important impact factors to explain this problem are stress and anxiety because of COVID-19. The objective of this research was to determine the impact of distress and anxiety due to COVID-19 on digital addictions. Methods cross-sectional, explanatory study. A total of 802 students from public and private universities residing in the city of Lima and Callao (Peru), with a mean age of 21.68 (SD = 3.11), selected by convenience sampling, participated in the study. The MULTICAGE CAD-4 questionnaire, the distress scale, and the anxiety scale by COVID-19 were applied. Results two models examined with structural equation modeling showed good fit indices (CFI and TLI > .95, RMSEA and SRMR < .06). The first model shows that the latent variables distress and anxiety due to COVID-19 have direct effects on digital addictions as a general construct (R2 = 22%). The second model shows that the exogenous latent variables (stress and anxiety) have direct effects of different magnitudes on each digital technology, so the variance explained on smartphone addiction was higher (R2 = 25%) with respect to internet (R2 = 19%) and video game addiction (R2 = 6%). It was also found that for every male, there are two females with high levels of distress and anxiety. Regarding the problematic use of smartphones and internet, there is a prevalence of 40% regardless of sex; but as for the problematic use of video games, there is a marked difference between males (18.8%) and females (2.7%). Conclusion the distress and anxiety caused by COVID-19 have a direct impact in aggravating digital addictions.

Embracing the Golden Years: An Exploratory Study on Hospitality and Tourism Students’ Career Perceptions of Senior Living

ABSTRACT This exploratory study aims to investigate hospitality and tourism undergraduate students’ perception of senior living careers and intention to work in the industry. A total of 269 usable responses were collected from students from a hospitality college at a large public university in the USA. A mixed-method approach was adopted to analyze the data. The qualitative data analysis result showed that students perceived high relevance of hospitality to senior living, whether as business functions, service and experience, and skills and competencies. The quantitative analysis outcomes revealed that students were interested in exploring career opportunities in senior living but not ready to pursue jobs in the industry. Their intention to work in the industry was significantly influenced by personal alignment, perceived self-control, subjective norms, and marginally affected by career familiarity.

Predictors of Life Satisfaction in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander College Students

This study examines predictors of life satisfaction in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NH/PI) college students, who form an underrepresented group in well-being research. In a sample of 128 NH/PI students from a public university in Hawaii, self-report measures of life satisfaction, affect, stress, and mood were analyzed. The results indicate that positive affect and mood are significant positive predictors for life satisfaction, while negative affect predicts lower satisfaction. By contrast with other racial/ethnic groups, perceived stress did not significantly impact life satisfaction in NH/PI students. These findings suggest that emotional well-being is a key determinant for life satisfaction in NH/PI students, and stress is not. Culturally responsive interventions that focus on positive emotions and community support can enhance well-being and academic success in this population. This study contributes to the understanding of unique cultural influences on well-being in NH/PI students and provides implications for targeted interventions.

Social Justice Integration in Clinical Social Work: Teaching with Current Events from the Media

ABSTRACT Scant research focused on building a practice platform to integrate social justice issues in clinical social work education. In a clinical course from 2016 to 2019 at a public university in a Southern state in the United States, this research team content-analyzed 41 real-life vignettes prepared by 82 Master of Social Work students to connect social justice focuses with current-events clinical learning. We analyzed these vignettes against the 13 Grand Challenges for Social Work (GCSW) in the United States: youth development, healthcare, interpersonal violence, productive aging, social isolation, homelessness, changing environments, technology for social good, antiracism, decarceration, financial capability, economic equality, and opportunity justice. Most vignettes (85.4%) had microlevel challenges, over half (56.1%) had macrolevel challenges, and almost half (41.5%) had mezzolevel challenges; 60% addressed more than one of these GCSW levels. These clinical social justice cases shared five common elements: (a) improving clients’ self-efficacy, (b) combating institutionalized oppression, (c) accessing effective mental health services, (d) building healthy social relationships, and (e) eliminating safety threats. In future studies, direct input from social workers will help develop a learning platform for justice-based skill development.

Employing social media in building academic brands of the UAE’s universities: A comparative analysis

This paper studied the United Arab Emirates universities’ social media branding strategies based on an investigation of their performances on Twitter. Content analysis was conducted to examine universities’ tweet topics, image subjects, languages, and engagement features. The effectiveness of strategies is investigated by analyzing audience engagement metrics. We also compared social media strategies between private and public universities. Results indicated a discrepancy between universities’ branding efforts, audience preferences on social media, and different strategies between public and private universities. The study offered insights into how academic institutions can optimize the use of social media platforms in building their reputation amid intense competition locally and globally.

Research involvement among undergraduate medical students in Bangladesh: a multicenter cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe involvement of undergraduate medical students in research is pivotal for the advancement of evidence-based clinical practice. This study aimed to assess the extent of research involvement and the factors influencing it among undergraduate medical students in Bangladesh.MethodsA multi-center cross-sectional study involving 2864 medical students from both public and private medical colleges was conducted between June and December 2023. Data on demographics, research involvement, participation in research training, future career aspirations in research, and obstacles encountered by students were collected. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 25.ResultsThe mean age of the students was 21.8 ± 1.8 (SD) years, with the majority being female (61.8%). Overall, 21.5% (n = 617) were actively participating in research beyond academic activities. Approximately 7% (n = 205) had undergone formal research training, and 6.5% (n = 187) had experience in publications in peer-reviewed journals as first authors or coauthors. A total of 45.5% of the students faced multiple challenges during participating in research, with the two most difficult tasks being designing a study (26.7%) and data collection and recruitment of study participants (19.6%). Almost half of the students (47.2%, n = 1352) showed an interest in pursuing a research career in the near future. The primary barriers preventing students from choosing a future research career were insufficient mentorship (16.3%), the perception of a lengthy career path (17.2%), and limited funding opportunities (15.9%). Factors that significantly encouraged research involvement included being male (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.5, 95% CI: 1.2–1.8), studying in the senior academic phase (aOR 3.9, 95% CI: 2.7–5.6), previous education from an English-medium educational institute (aOR 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2–2.2), and encouragement from faculty (aOR 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1–1.7).ConclusionThe proportion of research participation among the students was relatively low. To promote research engagement among undergraduate medical students in Bangladesh, comprehensive policy formulation and strong commitment at the highest levels are essential. Integrating national research policy into the curriculum could serve as a strategic measure for achieving this objective.

RELAÇÃO COM O SABER DE UM GRUPO DE ESTUDOS DE EDUCAÇÃO FÍSICA ESCOLAR: AS NARRATIVAS COMO MODO E RAZÃO PARA PESQUISAR

A teoria da relação com o saber, proposta por Bernard Charlot, vem sendo estudada por investigadores(as) de várias áreas do conhecimento, com propósitos convergentes de desvelar e caracterizar as relações que são estabelecidas com os saberes. Nesse sentido, o objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar e descrever parte de um percurso de elaboração e explicitação das próprias relações com os saberes de um grupo de estudos de educação física escolar de uma universidade pública federal. Como escolha metodológica enfatizamos as narrativas. Na discussão dos resultados, provisoriamente, identificamos as dinâmicas que constituem aspectos da relação com o saber e estão presentes nos modos e razões de compreender a si mesmo(a), os(as) outros(as) e o mundo enquanto se pesquisa. Concluímos que é importante que aqueles(as) que intencionam investigar os elementos da relação com o saber caminhem em direção de si mesmos(as) para compreender a complexidade dessa rede de saberes.

“I feel like grad school is a pretty big decision”: exploring vocational anticipatory socialization through messages about pursuing graduate education

ABSTRACT This study explores college student vocational anticipatory socialization (VAS) into graduate education. Public university undergraduates (N = 99) quantitatively indicated their plans to attend graduate school and the likelihood of seeking information from six VAS sources. They provided comments on influential sources, messages received, and expectations. Across different intentions to attend graduate school, results suggest that students seek information from varied sources for different reasons, sources communicate that graduate degrees increase career opportunities, and students have underdeveloped expectations about graduate degrees’ value. School personnel are most sought-after, followed by peers, internet, and relatives. Part-time jobs/internships and traditional media are not influential. Our results add to VAS research in three ways. First, the findings provide new insight into why students seek specific sources of information, highlighting the importance of source characteristics. Second, students combine VAS sources to gain diverse perspectives and reduce uncertainty. Third, most students think graduate education will optimize professional fulfillment, with a small minority who believe graduate degrees are not required for their careers. Both types of expectations are vague, speculative, and uncertain. This points to a new VAS problem – information inadequacy – consisting of messages that lack specificity and/or accuracy. We offer recommendations for improving graduate enrollment and socialization.

Assessment of the validity and reliability of the nurses’ professional values scale—revised in Persian version among nursing students

BackgroundEvaluating professional values is crucial to developing effective strategies for integrating them into professional performance and clinical education. A standard questionnaire is an instrument that can be used to evaluate professional values. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised (NPVS-R) among nursing students in the Persian language.MethodsThis methodological and cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the NPVS-R among nursing students. Following a back-translation process, the Persian version was subjected to face, content, and construct validity assessments. Construct validity was examined using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on a sample of 439 nursing students during their internships at 16 public universities of medical sciences in Iran between April and July 2019. Additionally, convergent and divergent validity were assessed on a separate sample of 105 nursing students. The reliability of the instrument was assessed using both internal consistency measures and the test–retest method. Furthermore, the psychometric properties of the questionnaire were analyzed using Samejima’s Gradual Response Model. Data analysis was performed using SPSS (version 19) and MPLUS (version 5.1).ResultsAll components had a content validity ratio greater than 0.6 and a content validity index of 1, indicating excellent content validity. Exploratory factor analysis reduced the items to 25, with five factors explaining 52.26% of the variance. The scale exhibited strong convergent validity (r = 0.73, p < 0.001) and satisfactory divergent validity (r = 0.12, p = 0.21; r = 0.07, p = 0.47). Test–retest reliability was excellent, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.92. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranged from 0.53 to 0.83 for the factors and 0.91 for the entire scale, showing good internal consistency. IRT analysis confirmed that alpha parameters for all items were statistically significant and at an acceptable level. Thus, the Persian NPVS-R, with 25 items and 5 factors, is a valid and reliable tool for nursing students.ConclusionsThe Persian NPVS-R, comprising 25 items and 5 factors, demonstrated excellent validity and reliability. This scale serves as a standardized tool for evaluating the professional values of nursing students, suitable for application in educational and clinical settings to enhance nursing practice and education.

The unintended consequences of a quantitative, centralized faculty promotion system: empirical evidence from a developing country

Abstract The Iranian higher education system is expansive, boasting nearly 80,000 faculty members. To guarantee transparency, fairness, and the alignment of professors’ activities with the priorities of higher education policies, its promotion system is centralized and relies heavily on quantitative measures of performance. This study identifies the unintended consequences facing the promotion system in Iranian public universities. The data sources include interviews and discussion sessions with faculty members and policymakers, along with policy and regulatory documents related to the promotion system. The results reveal that the system’s shortcomings have led to low-quality teaching and research activities, devaluation of academic tasks other than research publication, unethical practices, and a decline in faculty well-being. The impact, however, varies depending on each faculty member’s individual profile and institutional factors. Despite the unintended consequences of a centralized quantitative promotion assessment, decentralization does not appear to be feasible or straightforward for all higher education institutions, at least in the short term; not all institutions have the capability and resources to craft and enforce their promotion system. However, the criteria and processes used in the centralized promotion system could be improved by simplifying the measures, enhancing the evaluation processes, adding some qualitative dimensions of assessment, and providing institutional resources for faculty members’ professional development.

Using AI to Inform Evidence-based Decision-Making in Educational Policy

This study evaluates the role of artificial intelligence in evidence-based decision-making in educational policy, with a quantitative research design to measure the perceptions and experiences of 200 educators at public and private universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, Pakistan. Random sampling was applied to the participants so as to ensure even distribution and remove bias. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires that consisted of both closed-ended questions and questions that used the Likert scale. Statistical methods of data analysis applied included correlation analysis, r = 0.78, p &lt; 0.001, regression analysis, ? = 0.65, R² = 0.58, p &lt; 0.001, and t-tests, t(198) = 2.85, p = 0.005. Such techniques have been applied to determine the relationship,?predictive factors, and group differentiation associated with perceptions of the effectiveness of AI in educational policy-making. The study shows that artificial intelligence improves decision-making and?corrects the imbalances in education greatly. The findings do stress?the demands of embedding artificial intelligence into education systems even while confronting issues such as algorithmic bias and data privacy. It sheds light on how AI could impact?educational policy, and it provides guidance on the careful implementation of this techn

Responsible leadership and university reputation: a social cognitive perspective in Bangladeshi higher education

PurposeGrounded in social cognitive theory, this study examines the role of responsible leadership in enhancing the reputation of universities within Bangladeshi higher education. Specifically, it explores the antecedents, outcomes and moderating factors influencing university reputation by connecting it with responsible leadership, teaching satisfaction, and faculty academic performance.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from a web-based online survey of 388 faculty members across public and private universities in Bangladesh. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships.FindingsThe study shows that responsible leadership significantly improves university reputation and faculty teaching satisfaction. Teaching satisfaction influences reputation but does not moderate the link between leadership and reputation. Surprisingly, university reputation does not significantly affect faculty’s perceived academic performance, underscoring the complexity of the reputation–performance relationship in the Bangladeshi context.Practical implicationsUniversities should prioritize responsible leadership to enhance faculty satisfaction and institutional reputation. Leadership training, faculty support initiatives and resource allocation toward teaching excellence are recommended to maximize impact, as reputation does not directly influence academic performance.Originality/valueThis study applies social cognitive theory to investigate the dynamics between responsible leadership, faculty satisfaction and university reputation in a developing country. It contributes by uncovering the complex and indirect pathways through which leadership impacts academic environments, providing actionable insights for higher education leadership and policymaking in resource-constrained settings.

Shaping future pharmacists: Transformative effects of clinical rotations on attitudes toward depression and diabetes care

Background: Clinical rotations play a vital role in preparing future pharmacists for the responsibility of providing care for patients with chronic diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of clinical rotations on the attitudes of final-year pharmacy students at a Nigerian University toward providing Pharmaceutical Care (PC) for patients with depression and diabetes. Methods: This was a pre-post interventional study design among randomly selected final-year pharmacy students of a Nigerian public University. All participants took part in a nine-week clinical rotation. Two validated self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection before and after the clinical rotation. Descriptive statistics and paired sample t-tests were used for data analysis. Results: A total of 301 pharmacy final-year students participated in this study. The findings showed that clinical rotation improved students’ attitudes toward providing PC for patients with depression (29.90 ± 10.35 vs 32.00 ± 8.10, p = 0.006) but had no significant effect on diabetes care (32.47 ± 9.58 vs 33.60 ± 8.23, p = 0.120). However, pharmacy students had more positive attitudes toward providing PC for people living with diabetes than those with depression (30.95 ± 9.35 vs 33.03 ± 8.94, p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: Although clinical rotation improved students’ attitudes toward providing care for people with depression, the study findings underscore the need for the inclusion of more mental health training to ensure that future pharmacists are equally prepared to care for patients with both mental and physical illnesses.

Utilisation of ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence tools among medical faculty in Uganda: a cross-sectional study

Background ChatGPT is a large language model that uses deep learning techniques to generate human-like texts. ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionize medical education as it acts as an interactive virtual tutor and personalized learning assistant. We assessed the use of ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools among medical faculty in Uganda. Methods We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study among medical faculty at four public universities in Uganda from November to December 2023. Participants were recruited consecutively. We used a semi-structured questionnaire to collect data on participants’ socio-demographics and the use of AI tools such as ChatGPT. Our outcome variable was the use of ChatGPT and other AI tools. Data were analyzed in Stata version 17.0. Results We recruited 224 medical faculty, majority [75% (167/224)] were male. The median age (interquartile range) was 41 years (34–50). Almost all medical faculty [90% (202/224)] had ever heard of AI tools such as ChatGPT. Over 63% (120/224) of faculty had ever used AI tools. The most commonly used AI tools were ChatGPT (56.3%) and Quill Bot (7.1%). Fifty-six faculty use AI tools for research writing, 37 for summarizing information, 28 for proofreading work, and 28 for setting exams or assignments. Forty faculty use AI tools for non-academic purposes like recreation and learning new skills. Faculty older than 50 years were 40% less likely to use AI tools compared to those aged 24 to 35 years (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio (aPR):0.60; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): [0.45, 0.80]). Conclusion The use of ChatGPT and other AI tools was high among medical faculty in Uganda. Older faculty (&gt;50 years) were less likely to use AI tools compared to younger faculty. Training on AI use in education, formal policies, and guidelines are needed to adequately prepare medical faculty for the integration of AI in medical education.

Use of multimodal glosses in teaching English vocabulary for non-English specialised undergraduates in public university in Nepal

Knowledge of vocabulary is an essential aspect of language development. Most of the non-English specialised students feel hesitation in communicating in English due to limited vocabulary. Effective vocabulary teaching and learning can be aided by multimodal glosses. In this rationale, this mixed methods participatory action research is intended to investigate the effect of multimodal glosses in improving the English vocabulary of non-English specilised EFL students in a public university in Nepal. The study was conducted in a three-month intervention experiment for an intact class of 60 non-English specilised undergraduates. The data were collected from tests (pre-test, progress-test, and post-test), and interviews. The data were analysed using quantitative statistics (mean, standard deviation, and T-test), and the data from the unstructured interview were analysed descriptively. The overall results revealed that the use of multimodal glosses led to significant improvements in students’ English vocabulary and its use. The findings suggest that the study’s intervention, the use of multimodal glosses, was effective in improving non-English specialised undergraduates’ ability to develop, comprehend, and use English vocabulary. Thus, students and teachers are to be aware of using multimodal glosses contextually to increase, understand, and adopt English vocabulary appropriately.

Employee innovation behavior, technology adoption, and process innovation among public universities: Basis for digitalization construction framework

Employee innovation behavior, technology adoption, and process innovation among public universities: Basis for digitalization construction framework

Forging a relationship between quality management and sustainable development in higher education institutions: insights from a cross-country Kano study

PurposeThis study’s objective is to offer a process to adapt the Kano model as a quality management (QM) tool for prioritizing students’ sustainability transformation requirements of higher education institutions (HEIs).Design/methodology/approachData for this study were gathered from business students enrolled in bachelor’s programs at two state universities in the USA and one public university in Germany. In total, 239 students participated in the survey. For the Kano analysis, instead of selectively applying various evaluation rules and quality criteria, an integrative-sequential analysis process involving three steps is employed to enhance classification quality.FindingsResults show that sustainability transformation expectations and their priority orders differ across the countries studied. Although the Kano model as a QM tool has not been extensively used by HEIs to gauge students’ sustainability expectations, it offers significant potential as part of a comprehensive process to translate stakeholder sustainability needs into HEIs’ actions.Originality/valueAs the first study adapting the Kano model as a QM tool for use in HEIs’ sustainability transformations, our study contributes to the growing body of research on incorporating QM tools and customer and stakeholder orientation into the sustainability context at HEIs.

Mental health and university dropout among nursing students: A cross-sectional study.

Various factors and motivations linked to higher education dynamics can impact professional training, academic involvement, student well-being, and dropout. Knowledge of these factors enables the adoption of more appropriate strategies to promote student retention. Identification of potential motivations for dropping out of university and the relationship with symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress among undergraduate nursing students. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 179 undergraduate nursing students at a public university in northeastern Brazil. Students who were actively enrolled were included and those who were on withdrawal/leave of absence from university were excluded. Data was collected using the following instruments: Sociodemographic questionnaire; Scale of Reasons for Dropping Out of Higher Education and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. The variables linked to students' mental health were associated with the motivational domains for dropping out. Among students with depressive symptoms, they were almost 3.5 times more likely to drop out of university for reasons related to 'Academic performance' (3.448); while for anxiety and stress, the chances of dropping out related to 'Lack of support' increased by 3.85 and 3.2 times, respectively. Indicators of student mental health are significantly related to motivations for dropping out of university. It is hoped that this study will broaden the understanding of this phenomenon, from a multifactorial perspective, and will be a driving force behind the planning of integrated actions to improve the well-being and retention of students.