scholarly journals Administrative transformation and managerial growth: a longitudinal analysis of changes in the non-academic workforce at Australian universities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gwilym Croucher ◽  
Peter Woelert
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Longitudinal Analysis ◽  
Organizational Transformation ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Academic Work ◽  
Fundamental Aspect ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
Academic Workforce ◽  
Substantial Decline ◽  
Australian Universities

AbstractOne fundamental aspect of organizational transformation in higher education is the change to the profile of universities’ non-academic workforce. Key staffing trends identified in recent studies conducted in a variety of national settings include an increase in the proportion of non-academic staff at universities and a shift toward more highly qualified and remunerated non-academic roles. This paper examines the extent to which these trends have played out at Australian universities over the period 1997 to 2017. Drawing on unpublished sets of staffing data, the analyses show that while the proportion of non-academic positions at Australian universities has remained largely stable, there has been a striking and uniform growth in management-rank positions, concurrent with a substantial decline in lower-level and less expensive support roles. This has some significant implications, in particular the growth in more complex “corporate” structures, the relatively fewer staff to support academic work, and the increase in the relative costs associated with maintaining the non-academic workforce at Australian universities.

scholarly journals Looking over our shoulders: critical thinking and ontological insecurity in higher education

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Christine Jones
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Academic Identity ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Academic Role ◽  
Five Disciplines ◽  
The Face ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Australian Universities

This paper examines the changing landscape of higher education from the perspective of teaching academics. Critical thinking has been seen as one of the central facets of the academic identity and so this paper uses the notion of critical thinking as a lens through which to explore this changing identity. It argues that the professional identity of the academic is in a state of flux, which has caused uncertainty regarding the academic role, its freedoms and responsibilities. The particular focus here is on teaching and the changes occurring in this arena. The paper reports the findings of a qualitative study based on in-depth interviews with academic staff across five disciplines from two Australian universities. In the modern university, the pressures of accountability to a range of stakeholders, both internal and external, are changing the face of university teaching.

Conceptualizing language, culture and intercultural communication in higher education languages programs

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-213
Author(s):  
Paul J. Moore ◽  
Adriana Díaz
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Approaches To Teaching ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Australian Universities

Abstract Languages curricula are an important, yet underutilized, site for students’ development of intercultural knowledge, awareness and skills in higher education, though there has been little related empirical research. Given the key role teachers play in student learning, in the context of two Australian universities, this study explores language teaching academics’ perspectives on language, culture and intercultural communication, and how these are reflected in their teaching approaches. As part of a larger needs analysis project into the teaching of languages and intercultural communication, this article reports on semi-structured interviews with ten academic staff engaged in teaching and/or researching languages, and one study abroad coordinator with a language teaching background. Interpretations of the key concepts varied, as did participants’ reported approaches to teaching, from critical to instrumental. Teachers’ interpretations and approaches were influenced by their teaching and learning histories, and while there were a range of approaches to the incorporation of the (inter)cultural in the teaching of languages, this was approached more critically than reported in previous studies. Contextual features which may limit such integration of language and culture are discussed, as is the contribution of languages teachers to students’ development of intercultural competence.

scholarly journals Curriculum Renewal: Barriers to Successful Curriculum Change and Suggestions for Improvement

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (11) ◽  
pp. 115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trudi Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Curriculum Change ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Action Learning ◽  
Academic Work ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Design Changes ◽  
University Systems ◽  
Curriculum Renewal ◽  
Academic Workforce

This article examines the practical difficulties encountered when a renewed curriculum is implemented in higher education. Attention has been given in the literature to the importance of coherent curriculum and approaches to curriculum design. Less attention has been paid to whether the renewed curriculum can be faithfully implemented within a given university context and how constraints to implementation change the curriculum design. Practical barriers to implementation arose from several sources. These included: how to ensure that all staff understood and supported the new approaches, in the context of a casualized academic workforce; the need for academics to find sufficient time to engage with the renewal process and complete the necessary work to implement the new curriculum, in the context of intensification of academic work; how to support academic staff to gain an understanding of curriculum design changes in a context where few staff have formally studied education; and, the tension between explicit curriculum philosophies that inform alternative curriculum designs and tacit curriculum philosophies embedded in university systems. The project used an action-learning approach and situated the learning in the context of literature on curriculum, academic work and contemporary university practices, to draw conclusions about how universities can better support successful implementation of curriculum change. The article concludes that successful realisation of curriculum change requires on-going support from management and a flexible environment to ensure that planned changes can be implemented effectively. This has implications for many university systems including, academic support, professional development, academic workloads, and university reporting systems.

Application of remote technologies in education

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 503-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olesya A. Stroeva ◽  
Yuliia Zviagintceva ◽  
Elena Tokmakova ◽  
Elena Petrukhina ◽  
Oksana Polyakova
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Logical Method ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
Smart Technologies ◽  
Method Of Evaluation

Purpose At present, the development of information technologies changes the whole system of public functioning. Special attention is paid to the system of higher education, as it forms future highly qualified specialists, who will become the basis of digital economy. According to this, new remote technologies are implemented into the system of education each year, which are a basic prototype of smart technologies. The purpose of this paper is to determine the role of remote technologies in the development of the system of higher education and to form skills with the students. Design/methodology/approach Based on this, it is necessary to solve the following tasks: view the aspects, peculiarities and possibilities of remote education; distinguish the main tools of remote technologies in education; offer electronic final program as a remote method of evaluation of students’ knowledge. Findings In this study, the following methods are used: analysis, synthesis, logical method, abstraction and comparison. Scientific novelty consists in performing research in the sphere of significance and implementation of remote technologies in the system of higher education of the Russian Federation. Originality/value This research could be useful for public officers who form programs of development of higher education and for academic staff of higher educational establishments.

scholarly journals Workforce development and renewal in Australian universities and the management of casual academic staff

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 27-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn May ◽  
◽  
Glenda Strachan ◽  
David Peetz ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Workforce Development ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Career Satisfaction ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Undergraduate Teaching ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Academic Teaching ◽  
Career Supports ◽  
Academic Workforce ◽  
Australian Universities

Most undergraduate teaching in Australia’s universities is now performed by hourly paid staff, and these casual academics form the majority of the academic teaching workforce in our universities. This recent development has significant implications for the careers and working lives of those staff, for other academic staff, and for students, implications which are yet to be closely examined. Investigation of the working conditions of casual academic teaching staff is important, as the ageing of the continuing academic workforce suggests the universities will need to consider workforce development and renewal, and the casual academic workforce may represent an important source of labour. This paper examines the support casual academic staff receive from their universities to undertake their work, and how this level of support has an impact on their job and career satisfaction. It uses data from the Work and Careers in Australian Universities Survey, conducted in 2011 across 19 universities. Casual academic teaching staff answered questions which provided information on a range of demographic details, conditions of work, their motivations for casual work, and their access to a range of job and career supports. The research found that there is variation among universities in their provision of physical supports such as provision of a desk and computer, supports for collegial inclusion such as meeting attendance, and access to professional training. The range of assistance provided to these staff had an impact on their job and career satisfaction.

Students' Independent Professional Activity in Pedagogical Practice

2010 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 38-58
Author(s):  
Aina Strode
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Empirical Study ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Professional Activity ◽  
Pedagogical Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Criteria And Indicators ◽  
Study Process

Students' Independent Professional Activity in Pedagogical PracticeThe topicality of the research is determined by the need for changes in higher education concerned with implementing the principles of sustainable education. The article focuses on teacher training, highlighting the teacher's profession as an attractive choice of one's career that permits to ensure the development of general and professional skills and an opportunity for new specialists to align with the labour market. The empirical study of students' understanding of their professional activity and of the conditions for its formation is conducted by applying structured interviews (of practice supervisors, students, academic staff); students and experts' questionnaire. Comparative analysis of quantitative and qualitative data and triangulation were used in case studies. As a result, a framework of pedagogical practice organisation has been created in order to form students' independent professional activity. The criteria and indicators of independent professional activity have been formulated and suggestions for designers of study programmes and organisers of the study process have been provided.

The interaction of higher education system with the labor market: A study of the labor market in the regions of the Volga Federal District

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 456-480
Author(s):  
R.B. Galeeva
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Labor Market ◽  
Education System ◽  
Federal District ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
Expert Survey ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Qualified Personnel ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The One

Subject .This article discusses the need to bring into line with the future activities of specialists the content of their preparation, the formation of a system model of higher education, which takes into account today's and prospective requirements of the labor market. Objectives. The article aims to research the labor market in four regions of the Volga Federal District of the Russian Federation: the Republic of Tatarstan, Mari El Republic, Chuvash Republic, and the Ulyanovsk oblast, as well as discuss problems and prospects of interaction of universities with enterprises and organizations of these regions. Methods. For the study, I used the methods of logical and statistical analyses, and in-depth expert survey. Results. The article analyzes the state of regional labor markets, presents the results of the expert survey of labor market representatives and heads of the regional education system, and it defines possible ways of harmonizing the interaction of universities with the labor market. Conclusions. The article notes that although the number of employed with higher education is growing, at the same time there is a shortage of highly qualified personnel in certain professions, on the one hand, and unskilled workers, on the other. Also, the article says that the universities do not prepare the necessary for the regions specialists in a number of professions or they provide a set of competencies different from the requirements of the labor market, so it is necessary to form and develop effective directions of cooperation between educational institutions and employers.

EMPLOYEE RETENTION IN A HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION: AN ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 33-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
B J Erasmus ◽  
A Grobler ◽  
M Van Niekerk
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Employee Turnover ◽  
Intent To Stay ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
High Performing ◽  
Organisational Climate ◽  
Talent Retention

Talent retention and employee turnover are major concerns for higher education institutions (HEIs) because they are losing highly qualified staff to the private sector and to other HEIs that are able to offer better rewards and benefits. The turnover of talented staff is therefore a major concern for the institution under investigation. The retention and voluntary turnover decisions among a workforce of 4 651 employees was thus investigated. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted by means of the objective analysis of organisational data in combination with the structured questionnaire (organisational climate survey). Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyse the data across demographic groups, including age, employment category (academic as well as professional and support), etc. The results indicated that the institution’s turnover rate was acceptable (4.34%) and that dysfunctional turnover was marginal because employees with below-standard performance ratings had voluntarily resigned. Positive correlations and significant beta (b) values were reported between Organisational citizenship, Leadership, My manager and Compensation and the employees’ intent to stay in or to leave the organisation. These organisational climate factors were found to explain approximately 30 per cent of the variance in the employees’ intent to stay in or to leave the organisation. The article recommends that a talent retention tool be developed. In addition, it contributes to the literature on retention and turnover of high-performing employees, as it underscores the importance of measuring employee turnover

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS: APPLYING US EXPERICENCE TO UKRAINAN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

2020 ◽  
pp. 80-85
Author(s):  
Olha Pavlenko
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education Research ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Cost Reduction ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
Current State

The article discusses the current state of professional training of engineers, in particular, electronics engineers in Ukrainian higher education institutions (HEIs) and explores best practices from US HEIs. The research outlines the features of professional training of electronics engineers and recent changes in Ukrainian HEIs. Such challenges for Ukrainian HEIs as lack of collaboration between higher education and science with industry, R&D cost reduction for HEIs, and downsizing the research and academic staff, the disparity between the available quality of human capital training and the demanded are addressed. The study attempts to identify successful practices of US HEIs professional training of engineers in order to suggest potential improvements in education, research, and innovation for training electronics engineers in Ukraine.

scholarly journals A North–South-South partnership in higher education to develop health research capacity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: the challenge of finding a common language

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christiane Horwood ◽  
Sphindile Mapumulo ◽  
Lyn Haskins ◽  
Vaughn John ◽  
Silondile Luthuli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Nutritional Epidemiology ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
English Speaking

Abstract Background Globally, increasing numbers of higher education institutions (HEIs) in non-English-speaking countries have adopted English as a medium of instruction (EMI), because of the perception that this provides opportunities to attract high-calibre students and academic staff, and engage with the international research community. We report an evaluation of a North–South-South collaboration to develop health research capacity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by establishing a postgraduate programme in nutritional epidemiology at the Kinshasa School of Public Health (KSPH), where EMI was adopted. We report experiences and perceptions of stakeholders, facilitators and students about using EMI. Methods In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted between October and December 2019 among convenience sampled stakeholders (8), facilitators (11) and students (12) involved in the programme from all three partner institutions (University of Kinshasa; University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; University of Bergen, Norway). Interviews were conducted in participants’ language of preference (English or French), audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated into English when required. Analysis employed a thematic approach. Results Most participants viewed EMI positively, reporting that studying in English created opportunities to access relevant literature, improve interactions with the scientific community and advance their careers. As a result of adopting EMI, some students had opportunities to present research findings at international conferences and publish their research in English. English-speaking researchers from partner institutions were able to participate in supervision of students’ research. However, inadequate English competency, particularly among students, was challenging, with some students reporting being unable to understand or interact in class, which negatively affected their academic performance. Further, EMI created barriers at KSPH among academic staff who were not proficient in English, leading to poor participation among non-English-speaking staff and lack of integration with other postgraduate programmes. Participants suggested additional English language support for EMI. Conclusion Partnerships between HEIs could be a powerful tool to develop research capacity in low-income countries in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. EMI could be a solution to language barriers faced by many such partnerships, but wide-ranging support to develop English proficiency among staff and students is essential to ensure that the challenges do not outweigh the benefits.

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