HIGHER EDUCATION QUARTERLY最新文献

University-based boundary organisations provide academics with an environment where they can interact with a wide variety of societal partners to produce knowledge and work on research projects, often of a transdisciplinary nature. This environment, however, implies that their researchers may be confronted with multiple and sometimes conflicting demands coming from various stakeholders. In this study, we focus on one such case, a Real-world Laboratory (RwL), set up by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. This RwL focuses on urban sustainable development challenges. Drawing on boundary work literature, we analyse the boundary work strategies employed by the lab's leading researchers to manage such demands as part of a RwL research project. We observe that the managing researchers buffer several types of boundaries in order not to compromise the transdisciplinary nature of the RwL. They appear to utilise four types of boundary devices when managing boundaries: language, people, objects, and spaces. We conclude that, to reduce tensions, the managing researchers should acknowledge the presence of boundaries early on in their RwL research project, that is, during its conception phase.

The ways in which learning environments are spatially conceived have undergone a significant transformation from space as “a realm without meaning” into place as “a meaningful location.” In this context, the relevance of online interactions and the significance of online space and place in facilitating positive learning are worth exploration. Drawing on a nationwide survey involving 1010 international students at 41 Chinese HEIs in the COVID-19 pandemic, this research applied k-means cluster analyses which produced a typology of international students' perceived online educational environments and another typology of their online interpersonal interactions. The logistic regression results indicated the predictive power of both typologies on ability development. The discussion highlights the importance of considering spatial dimensions of international students' online learning. Promoting international students' online interactions and supporting inclusive, engaging learning experiences require both space for hosting and place enabling intercultural learning. The research holds implications for the sustainable development of online international education in the post-COVID-19 era.

Higher education institutions (HEIs) have focused on branding to facilitate meaningful and productive conversations about their brand values with potential students, given the competitive global expansion environment in which HEIs operate. This study empirically explores the association between brand performance and relationship quality of HEM. The quantitative findings were evaluated by students from Indian HEIs (N = 365). For the evaluation of the data, structural equation modelling was implemented. A Regression Analysis was used to examine the Social Exchange Theory. The results of this research expose that information quantity, content sharing, and surveillance had a significant influence on relationship quality. Also, social communication, content sharing, information quantity, collaborative learning, and surveillance had a significant impact on brand performance. Future investigation should consider additional mediating aspects regarding social media users' opinions.

Transformation reflects the government's engagement and policies in restructuring higher education to cultivate the country's communal economy. Higher education is challenged in providing tertiary education to students from diverse environments, and staff transformation is needed. This cross-sectional study establishes the staff's perception of transformation in the School of Healthcare Sciences of a selected South African university. Staff were purposively sampled and were surveyed using an electronic questionnaire. The survey included aspects of equity, transformation, management, recognition, the social environment, the physical environment and general satisfaction. Demographic variables, including the perspective on transformation in the institution, the student body and transformation management, were descriptively analysed. Most staff members perceived the university as committed to transformation despite racial tensions and past injustices. Over two-thirds of the staff support the university's goal of increasing a diverse student body. Additionally, the management is comfortable with diversity and demonstrates equity for all. The implementation of transformation was actively considered and aligned with policies.

Student academic representation is a staple feature in UK and international higher education. It provides a vital quality function whereby students, who are elected representatives of their programme, canvas the opinions of peers to inform quality assurance processes. In the UK, there is increasing regulatory pressure for universities and student unions to be dual owners of representation activity and much work has been done to enact this model. Nonetheless, little is known about the experiences of those serving as student representatives, despite this being a community of thousands of students across the UK, who hold an instrumental position in institutional quality assurance. We developed an instrument (SARA) to evaluate experiences of 773 active student representatives from 15 UK HE institutions. It explored key areas, including recruitment, training, working approaches and development outcomes. Data indicated low engagement in training in some key areas (e.g., representation of diverse groups and data gathering) and a narrow range of working approaches. These patterns may compromise the value of student representation both from the institutional perspective and that of individual representatives seeking to enhance their skills. Recommendations are suggested for enhancing future practice.

The qualifications of faculty members play a crucial role in the success of educational systems. Academics with a high level of organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) are mostly valued due to the excellent services they offer to their students. This study aims to investigate the impact of faculty members' personality traits on their OCB. Additionally, it examines the moderating role of the perceived university brand in the relation between the two variables. This study is quantitative in nature and the sample includes professors working at seven prestigious Iranian universities. Overall, 422 questionnaires were gathered. By the use of Smart-PLS, the results indicate that academic members with conscientious, agreeable and openness personality traits tend to show higher levels of OCB. On the flip side, neuroticism negatively predicts academics' OCB. Moreover, this research indicates that perceived university brand significantly moderates only the effect of openness trait on faculty members' OCB, meaning that professors with openness to experience traits who are working at such universities, are more likely to engage in OCB.

Sustainability action at universities is complex and requires engaging multiple competences that reside on different levels outside and inside the organisation. In addition to individual competences, social communities also possess collective resources and characteristics that do not translate into a sum of individual abilities. Based on a qualitative small-n comparative study of four universities in Spain, Portugal, Finland and Romania, this paper explores the concept of collective sustainability competences as enablers and constraints of sustainability action at universities. Drawing from institutional theory and nestedness in organisations, the article poses the following research question: How can the collective sustainability competences of universities be conceptualised? The article develops a conceptual understanding of regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive elements of collective sustainability competences as a nested institutional space. In so doing, the article contributes to the discussion on the capacity of universities to act as key organisations in sustainability transitions.

The problem of gender disparity in computer science and engineering has persisted despite longstanding efforts made in higher education. This study drew data from ten female computer science and engineering faculty in China and Italy to demonstrate the gender-specific challenges they face. The researcher applied positioning theory to analyse female faculty's motherhood experiences. Findings suggest that the dual mother-and-educator role conflict in the intersectional space of work and family can be both a burden and an asset to female faculty. As a burden, the sociocultural expectations of the mother's role drive females to take on primary childcare responsibilities. It leads to significant barriers to female faculty's career advancements. As an asset, the study finds that the female faculty's motherhood experience allowed them to generate new insights into their identities as educators and teaching practices. Their learning from motherhood prompts them to reflect and gain an appreciation of their educator identity. Such realisation enables them to improve their teaching practices and interactions with students. The study offers policy recommendations for higher education institutions to support female faculty navigating the dual roles of mother and educator. Finally, the researcher discusses the limitations and directions for future study.

Greenspaces on university campuses have gained recognition for their multifaceted impact on the physical, social, emotional and intellectual well-being of students. The allocation of resources towards the development and maintenance of greenspaces is regarded as a strategy in the pursuit of sustainable development goals. However, the research on greenspaces within higher education has been inadequate. This study conducts an assessment of greenspaces within 2556 Chinese universities using remote sensing and geospatial technology, analysing the disparities in their distribution and exploring the spatial patterns and driving factors on a national scale. A national university greenspace database is obtained. Unexpectedly, the study finds that greenspace area and proportion within Chinese universities are relatively low in comparison to the greenspace areas outside the campus and of the city. There is heterogeneity and a decreasing trend in university greenspace. Compared to university faculty and off-campus population, university students have the lowest per capita greenspace area. Of concern is the significant issue of greenspace inequality. Our research suggests that the inequality in greenspace provision for university students can be explained by factors of economic development, educational investments and provincial greenspace supply. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the state of greenspaces in Chinese universities and calls for interdisciplinary and interdepartmental cooperation to address issues of greenspace inequality and campus greening, ensuring the sustainability and livability of urban areas and university campuses.