scholarly journals Correlates of the national ranking of higher education institutions and funding of academic libraries: An empirical analysis

2020 ◽  
pp. 102264
Author(s):  
Vinit Kumar ◽  
B. Preedip Balaji ◽  
Monika
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
National Ranking

scholarly journals Journal subscription expenditure of UK higher education institutions

F1000Research ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart Lawson ◽  
Ben Meghreblian
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Scholarly Communication ◽  
Freedom Of Information ◽  
Journal Subscription ◽  
Knowing How ◽  
Uk Higher Education ◽  
Information Requests

The academic libraries of higher education institutions (HEIs) pay significant amounts of money each year for access to academic journals. The amounts paid are often not transparent especially when it comes to knowing how much is paid to specific publishers. Therefore data on journal subscription expenditure were obtained for UK HEIs using a series of Freedom of Information requests. Data were obtained for 141 HEIs’ expenditure with seven publishers over a five-year period. The majority of institutions have provided figures but some are still outstanding. The data will be of interest to those who wish to understand the economics of scholarly communication and see the scale of payments flowing within the system. Further research could replicate the data collection in other jurisdictions.

scholarly journals Academic Libraries and Disabled Students: An Accessible Story?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Burrows
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Disabled Students

With a growing disabled population, theaccessibility of higher education institutions is agrowing areaof attention in Canada. This paperexamines how academic libraries in Canada areresponding to create accessible environments,and how students are experiencing theseservices and spaces in practice. This examinationwill help to build a picture of how notions ofdisability and accessibility are constructed inacademic libraries in Ontario, and how theseunderstandings may affect disabled students inpractice.

scholarly journals A case study investigation of academic library support for open educational resources in Scottish universities

2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 685-693
Author(s):  
Seth D. Thompson ◽  
Adrienne Muir
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Educational Resources ◽  
Institutional Commitment ◽  
Case Study Methodology

The aim of the research was to investigate why and how Scottish university libraries support open educational resources and to assess their ability to provide support services for their development and use within higher education institutions. There has been little research on the role of academic libraries in supporting open educational resources in Scotland and previous research found that there is a lack of awareness of them in Scottish higher education institutions and few have open educational resources policies. The case study methodology therefore involved two Scottish academic libraries providing open educational resources services. The libraries’ motivation includes supporting teaching and learning and the development of educator digital skills and copyright knowledge. However, there are a number of barriers limiting the services the libraries are able to provide, particularly lack of human resources. The research confirmed the findings of previous research on the importance of institutional commitment, incentives for educator engagement, and understanding of copyright and licensing issues by educators and library staff.

scholarly journals Journal subscription expenditure of UK higher education institutions

F1000Research ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart Lawson ◽  
Ben Meghreblian
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Scholarly Communication ◽  
Freedom Of Information ◽  
Journal Subscription ◽  
Knowing How ◽  
Uk Higher Education ◽  
Information Requests

The academic libraries of higher education institutions (HEIs) pay significant amounts of money each year for access to academic journals. The amounts paid are often not transparent especially when it comes to knowing how much is paid to specific publishers. Therefore data on journal subscription expenditure were obtained for UK HEIs using a series of Freedom of Information requests. Data were obtained for 139 HEIs’ expenditure with seven publishers over a five-year period. The majority of institutions have provided figures but some are still outstanding. The data will be of interest to those who wish to understand the economics of scholarly communication and see the scale of payments flowing within the system. Further research could replicate the data collection in other jurisdictions.

scholarly journals COVID-19: strategies for positioning the university library in support of e-learning

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Tsekea ◽  
Josiline Phiri Chigwada
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Digital Library ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Digital Library Services

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the various innovative support strategies rendered by academic libraries in support of e-learning in Zimbabwean universities. This was necessitated by the change in nature of learning and services provision in universities as a result of COVID-19. Despite the crisis caused by the pandemic, users of libraries still expect services to answer their information needs. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative study was done to unpack the role of digital library services in supporting e-learning in universities in Zimbabwe. An online questionnaire was developed using survey monkey and distributed to 50 professional librarians in both private and state universities in Zimbabwe. A total of 34 librarians responded to the questionnaire and the data was analysed and presented thematically. Data were presented using descriptive statistics in the form of figures. Findings The findings revealed that academic libraries play an important role in supporting e-learning in higher education institutions by providing electronic information resources, which are key in research, learning and teaching. The libraries provide a one-stop shop for accessing electronic resources through the digital library. Patrons have benefitted by accessing and using digital library services during the COVID-19 lockdown period. It was also discovered that libraries should ensure that they are prepared to always offer their services despite the closure of physical buildings because of the pandemic. Research limitations/implications The study used an online questionnaire only as the data collection instrument, as it was the most suitable one to get data from librarians working from home and also because of the COVID-19 health guidance such as maintaining social distance. The other methods were not used because of financial constraints. Practical implications This research showed the importance of digital services in e-learning environments, especially in developing countries. The work revealed how university librarians in Zimbabwe are coming up with practical solutions in supporting e-learning in times of crisis. The research therefore becomes handy for higher education institutions and authorities in crafting e-learning frameworks and positioning academic libraries at the centre of teaching, learning and research activities. Social implications This paper provides useful insights into how libraries can support learning especially during a pandemic. The paper details how libraries support communities by offering correct and reliable information from scholarly information sources. It also chronicles how libraries play an important part in the support of researchers in higher institutions in the fight against COVID-19. Originality/value To the best of authors’ knowledge, this research is one of the first done in Zimbabwe on strategies that libraries are using in the COVID-19 era to support e-learning. The findings presented in this study are helpful for higher and tertiary education authorities and other policymakers in improving e-learning and digital libraries.

scholarly journals From accreditation to ranking (functioning vs development)

2018 ◽  
pp. 3-20
Author(s):  
V. Lugovyi ◽  
O. Slyusarenko ◽  
Zh. Talanova
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Education Quality ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Ranking Functions ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
The Future ◽  
Shanghai Ranking ◽  
National Ranking

The essence, strengths and weaknesses of the accreditation and ranking mechanisms for assessing the institutional capacity and performance of higher education institutions are analyzed and systematically compared in the article. Significant advantages of the ranking over accreditation are proved, as well as the subordination of the second one to the first one, given the leading role of higher education in ensuring and accelerating human progress that has a research-innovative and competitive character. The necessity of urgent introduction, as well as the main stages of practical implementation of the national general and sectoral ranking based on the methodology of the Shanghai ranking (ARWU), are substantiated. It is proposed to use a national ranking for modernization of the national network of higher education institutions. It is argued that accreditation and ranking are fundamentally different mechanisms for assessing education quality with significantly greater possibilities for ranking. Accreditation focuses on the thresholds (minimum) standards and requirements (conditions) and is not suitable for an objective comparative assessment of institutions (educational programmes), taking into account their level of excellence. The rank implies the ranking institutions in the order of their achievements, therefore, in terms of importance and significance, and can be used for relief modeling the landscape of the network of higher education institutions (not only in terms of their territorial or sectoral accumulation, but also in terms of competitiveness). Given this Ukraine with 289 successfully accredited institutions remains a white spot in Europe and the world according to interpretation of the Shanghai ranking of 2018. Unlike accreditation, which, due to limited capabilities, is unable to separate a mass low-order higher education from an innovative high-order higher education, the ranking mechanism reveals the first one as well as the second one. It was clarified that in contrast to providing motivation of obligation (performance) for developing culture of the minimum sufficient quality by accreditation, the ranking forms motivation of encouragement (creativity) for developing culture of the maximum possible quality. The culture of the maximum possible quality under the current conditions of the research and innovation type of progress and competition is a priority because it enhancing competitiveness. In addition, ranking implies the existence of a developed autonomy, able to respond promptly and effectively to the results of the ranking assessment. Autonomy, basically, is non-critical for accreditation. The results of the ranking can be successfully used for accreditation under the conditions of real autonomy, but the conclusions of accreditation for the ranking of institutions – no. Accreditation is inherently affected by a subjective factor, at the same time, ranking (for example, ARWU) can be constructed with the exclusion of a subjective component, with transferring ranking functions to independent artificial intelligence in the future. It has been shown that the research and innovation essence of higher education needs an appropriate valid mechanism of assessment of higher education institutions excellence, which is capable of permanently (for example, annually) to record level of institutions development in view of the ability to predict and project the future of society. Therefore, the trend of the rapid development and spread of international and national rankings is actual. It is argued that the creation of the national ranking of higher education institutions is an urgent objective and should be carried out in several stages: its legislative regulation, the determination of the system of objective indicators agreed by the leading Ukrainian universities (it is advisable to unite them into the leading Association of Ukrainian Universities), organizational and legal, financial support for administration of the ranking (e.g. the National Higher Education Quality Assurance Agency), the annual ranking of institutions and according to its results elaboration and implementation of measures to improve the network of higher education institutions in Ukraine, primarily to consolidate and integrate them.

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