Research performance and teaching quality in the Spanish higher education system: Evidence from a medium-sized university

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joaquín Artés ◽  
Francisco Pedraja-Chaparro ◽  
Mª del Mar Salinas-JiméneZ
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education System ◽  
Research Performance ◽  
Teaching Quality ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Spanish Higher Education

Spain and the Lost Legal Generation: Spain's Dysfunctional University System is Also to Blame

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 1209-1221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katia Fach Gómez
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education System ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Law Students ◽  
State University ◽  
University System ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Spanish Higher Education ◽  
Academic Year

For the last fifteen years I have taught final year law students at a Spanish state university on a regular basis. While it is extremely difficult to generalize about matters such as the following, I believe that the typical profile of the different groups of students I have taught over the years has been relatively homogenous in terms of quality and performance. Along with a minority of highly motivated and able students, at the beginning of every academic year the classes are mostly made up of silent students who area priorireluctant to accept individual responsibilities in the learning process. Having presented this seemingly harsh appraisal with no preamble, one of the aims of this essay is to set out a series of arguments that enable us to go beyond the glib self-righteousness of blaming the students for all their woes. In my opinion, it is the Spanish higher education system that is the mainly to blame for many of the factors currently holding law students back. The following factors contribute to this outcome.

scholarly journals Sustainability Education in the Spanish Higher Education System: Faculty Practice, Concerns and Needs

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8389
Author(s):  
Pere Busquets ◽  
Jordi Segalas ◽  
Antonio Gomera ◽  
Miguel Antúnez ◽  
Jorge Ruiz-Morales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Teaching Strategies ◽  
Education System ◽  
Sustainability Education ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
University Faculty ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Spanish Higher Education ◽  
The University

This article presents the results of the EDINSOST project in relation to the university faculty’s practice concerns and the need to embed sustainability education in the Spanish Higher Education system. Four questions were devised to determine (1) which conceptions the university faculty has about sustainability in the context of the Spanish higher education (2) what sustainability competencies the university faculty holds (3) the ways in which sustainability teaching strategies are implemented and (4) the ways in which practical coursework related to sustainability is undertaken in a Spanish university context. The methodology that was applied was comprised of a discourse analysis of faculty focus groups. To that end, a category system and a focus group implementation protocol were designed and validated, as well as processes of construct elaboration based on the analysis of the focus groups’ discourses. Among the most relevant contributions stemming from the research questions regarding the faculty’s assumptions was the evidence that the holistic conception of sustainability is not addressed in all its dimensions and the environmental dimension is overemphasised. The need for training to teach sustainability competencies and the faculty’s lack of awareness were also identified. As far as sustainability teaching strategies are concerned, project-based learning prevails, with service-learning emerging as the most effective strategy, even though its application is hindered by faculty training gaps. Finally, the absence of sustainability in teaching guides and study plans and the scarce institutional support for establishing sustainability as a strategic subject in the university were significant findings.

scholarly journals The Institutionalized Stratification of the Chinese Higher Education System

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Shu ◽  
Cassidy R. Sugimoto ◽  
Vincent Larivière
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Education System ◽  
Financial Support ◽  
Research Performance ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Chinese Higher Education ◽  
Research System ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
System P

To promote research excellence, China’s government has been offering substantial financial support for a small group of selected universities through three national research programs (i.e., Project 211, Project 985, Double First Class). However, admission to these programs is not merit-based; based on a statistical analysis of Chinese universities’ scientific activities, this paper shows that this institutionalized hierarchy is not supported by empirical data on research performance, which contributes to inequalities and inefficiencies in Chinese higher education. To build and maintain research capacity, China must support meritocracy across the research system.

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