Higher Education最新文献

Abstract

Extant literature has provided information about the conflict in Nigerian universities; however, there is a dearth of studies that specifically look into the causes and effects of conflict between academic staff and non-teaching staff. Against this backdrop, this study uses explanatory sequential mixed method design lenses to appraise the causes and effects of conflict between the two groups. Based on a population of 5487, comprising academic and non-teaching staff members of two selected universities in Nigeria, this study adopts a multistage sampling technique. In the first stage, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, were purposively selected from the strata of federal and state universities. The two universities have been experiencing conflict since their establishment. In the second stage, the Taro Yamane formula was used to obtain responses from 372 respondents. A proportion-to-size technique was utilised to prepare and administer questionnaires to respondents. Key informant interviews were also organised for 24 purposively selected interviewees. The interviewees included two executive members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, two executive members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, four academic staff and four non-academic staff from each of the two universities. The quantitative data collected were analysed, using descriptive statistics, while the qualitative data gathered were subjected to a content analysis. The study revealed that factors like communication gap, poor human relations and differences in perception of duties are capable of causing conflict between the two groups. This conflict has adverse effects on the environments of the two universities.

Political, social, environmental, and health challenges have questioned the relevance and sustainability of international student mobility (ISM). Strong critiques towards ISM stem from current global challenges but are also rightfully prevalent among scholars of internationalization. In response to the sustained critique of ISM, this article makes the case that—despite its limitations—ISM can contribute towards important public good outcomes and serve broader institutional and higher education sector aims. Public good is operationalized as referring to markers of democratization—trust in others and political participation—and markers of human development—self-reported competency levels and happiness. Data from eight European countries collected through the Eurograduate 2018 pilot survey is used to test the association between study abroad and democratization and human development markers. By doing so, the paper aims to understand if ISM can help address some of the democratization and human development challenges faced at national, regional, and global levels. The paper also observes how these outcomes vary between international, migrant, and domestic graduates. In this article, the juxtaposition of migrant graduates—an under-researched group in internationalization studies—with international graduates highlights how migrant students and graduates can be better supported. Results offer a complex picture of inequality between international, migrant, and domestic graduates. Findings also show that studying abroad is positively associated with trust in others, political participation, higher self-reported competency levels, and happiness, underlining the public good value of ISM.

Evidence demonstrates that women in Bangladesh are underrepresented both in engineering education and relevant career domains. This study explores the comprehensive experiences of women in their pursuit of engineering, both as a subject of study and as a career in teaching in Bangladesh. Based on in-depth interviews with 15 female undergraduate students and ten female university teachers from various engineering disciplines, this qualitative research argues that the barriers constraining women’s participation in engineering studies are mostly structural, which hinder women’s engagement in engineering by enforcing gender norms and stereotypes. On contrary, individual agency enables women to succeed in these fields combating the structural restrictions. The study’s findings also highlight the role of the interplay between structure and agency, particularly demonstrating how structural barriers, like socio-cultural obstacles in the engineering industry, can hinder women’s unrestricted exercise of agency, leading to their preference for teaching careers over non-teaching engineering roles. However, the study suggests initiating measures at different levels, including individual, family, societal, and institutional, to promote women’s participation in engineering studies in Bangladesh.

We offer insights into the factors impacting faculty-led academic/research collaborations between Mexican scholars employed in the USA and their Mexican colleagues working in Mexico. Founded on the idea that diasporic relationships include people involved in cross-border migrations yet maintaining ties with their homeland, we are referring to these faculty-led collaborations as diasporic. To offer nuanced understandings, data analyzed were obtained from 25 semi-structured interviews exploring collaboration in different professional, institutional, disciplinary, and regional contexts. Relying on Network Analysis of Qualitative Data, we were able to identify the most relevant drivers (e.g., personal relationships, common research interests, and cross-cultural understandings) and deterrents (e.g., political and legal challenges and institutional contexts) of diasporic collaborations influenced by institutional, national, and sociopolitical power dynamics. Our use of diasporic academic collaborations is intended to transcend this study; that is, although our analytic sample is comprised by diasporic Mexican academics, we argue that similar barriers and drivers may apply to academics from other countries who may be interested in participating in diasporic academic collaborations. Accordingly, we invite other researchers to expand this understudied research topic by providing access to our interview protocols and the detailed list of codes used to apply Network Analysis of Qualitative Data.

The challenge posed by academic ghostwriting extends beyond education, affecting moral and meritocratic expectations of learners. Through a sociological lens of the “accounts theory,” we analyzed the marketing language of 102 academic ghostwriting websites in English and Chinese to explore their legitimization of services in diverse cultures and contexts. Our research focused on how ghostwriting sites legitimize their services across diverse cultures and linguistic contexts while navigating the stigma associated with academic ghostwriting. We identified five neutralization techniques used by ghostwriting sites, including “Denial of responsibility,” “Denial of injury,” “Denial of the victim,” “Condemnation of the condemners,” and “Appeal to higher loyalties.” Our findings suggest that the marketing of academic ghostwriting is customized to appeal to potential clients’ cultural backgrounds, with Chinese ghostwriting sites emphasizing the authority of ghostwriters and English sites prioritizing empathy with users. The ghostwriting industry has diversified to meet the needs of diverse consumers and online environments. Our research provides insights into how ghostwriting sites devise market strategies based on cultural predispositions, shedding light on the complexities of the ghostwriting industry and its impact on the moral and educational landscape. It sheds light on how the dynamics of this market evolve, adapt, and ultimately influence the educational landscape, emphasizing the need for a holistic perspective on the forces at play in higher education.

The article examines how higher education institutions respond to ambiguous governance instruments. A key focus is how ambiguity is tackled in the interpretation and implementation processes. Building on theoretical perspectives from institutional analysis of organisations, an empirical point of departure is the analysis of ten higher education institutions in Norway and their response on the introduction of development agreements. The findings point out two important dimensions in analysing implementation processes: focusing on the change dynamics and the degree of internal integration. In combination, these point towards distinct patterns in organisational responses to ambiguous policy instruments.

This article presents initiatives undertaken by the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine (GHSM) at King’s College London (KCL), exploring avenues to decolonise higher education institutions (HEI). HEI must integrate anti-racism agendas, challenge the European-centric academic knowledge domination, and dismantle power asymmetries. During the academic year 2021, GHSM executed (1) a gap analysis of undergraduate modules, (2) a course on decolonising research methods taught by global scholars to 40 Global South and North university students who completed pre- and post-course surveys, and (3) semi-structured interviews with 11 academics, and a focus group with four students exploring decolonising HEI; findings were thematically analysed. (1) Gap analysis revealed a tokenistic use of Black and minority ethnic and women authors across modules’ readings. (2) The post-course survey showed that 68% strongly agreed the course enhanced their decolonisation knowledge. (3) The thematic analysis identified themes: (1) Decolonisation is about challenging colonial legacies, racism, and knowledge production norms. (2) Decolonisation is about care, inclusivity, and compensation. (3) A decolonised curriculum should embed an anti-racism agenda, reflexive pedagogies, and life experiences involving students and communities. (4) HEI are colonial, exclusionary constructs that should shift to transformative and collaborative ways of thinking and knowing. (5) To decolonise research, we must rethink the hierarchy of knowledge production and dissemination and the politics of North-South research collaborations. Decolonising HEI must be placed within a human rights framework. HEI should integrate anti-racism agendas, give prominence to indigenous and marginalised histories and ways of knowing, and create a non-hierarchical educational environment, with students leading the decolonisation process.

High-impact practices (HIPs), such as undergraduate research, first-year seminars, and learning communities, have been shown to generally advance college student success. However, there are often disparities in access, participation, and outcomes between white and racially/ethnically minoritized students. While scholars have critiqued HIPs and provided alternative approaches to better serve minoritized students, we know little about how federally funded programs aiming to broaden participation can serve as a mechanism advance equity. Drawing on the literature, we developed an equity-minded HIP framework to critically examine the prominence and characteristics of 38 programs aiming to broaden participation in undergraduate US STEM education funded by the National Science Foundation. We conducted a systematic examination of multimodal data from the STEM for All Multiplex repository. Findings reveal most programs included only one to two HIPs, with undergraduate research being most prominent followed by internships. Most programs included only a few elements of equity-minded design, such as providing students additional resources and faculty training, and implemented HIPs to include peer and faculty interactions. Last, most programs utilized cognitive, psychosocial, or sociocultural measures to assess the benefits to students. Only a few measured equity-mined outcomes pertaining to institutional change such as policies, resources, and practices. We highlight two exemplar programs and offer recommendations for researchers and funders to more effectively implement equity-minded HIPs to broaden participation in undergraduate STEM education.