University social responsibility as a driving force of change: students’ perceptions beyond the ivory tower

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-100
Author(s):  
Marcia Coelho ◽  
Isabel Menezes
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Experiential Training ◽  
Content Type ◽  
European Universities ◽  
Core Mission ◽  
The Impact

Purpose In the context of increasingly diverse issues that affect global society, the social responsibility dimension in higher education institutions is being called to the forefront of change, both in the sense of rethinking their internal practices (e.g. promoting the access and progression of students from different cultural backgrounds) and in their interaction with the surrounding community (e.g. through the establishment of stronger partnerships). The USR activities and projects are considered driving forces of change for universities, but the potential that the involvement of students in this area can have, in their academic and professional capacities, is not yet sufficiently studied. Design/methodology/approach This study examines how students from three European universities (Edinburgh, Porto and Kaunas) perceive the impact of their own involvement in the Erasmus + project ESSA – an experiential training in university social responsibility audit – through focus-group discussions. Findings This analysis pointed towards the role of USR projects as an opportunity for students to improve transversal competencies aligned with articulation between the three cornerstones of the university: teaching, research and third mission. Research limitations/implications The study rests on students' perceptions of personal change. Practical implications This research can help higher education institutions understand the potential of involving students in existing USR projects as a tool to promote their personal, academic and civic development. Social implications USR is a core mission of higher education institutions that is beneficial not only internally but also in what concerns interactions with the community and the potential for developing “public-minded alumni”. Originality/value This paper provides an insight into how students perceive the impact of their involvement in USR projects as unique learning spaces.

Student entrepreneurship ecosystems at Australian higher education institutions

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Maritz ◽  
Quan Nguyen ◽  
Sergey Ivanov
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
University Student ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Student Entrepreneurship ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Entrepreneurship Ecosystems ◽  
Start Ups ◽  
The Impact

PurposeDespite the significance, university student start-ups and student entrepreneurship ecosystems (SEEs) have been subject to little research. This study aims to apply a qualitative emergent enquiry approach to explore best practice SEEs in Australia, complimented by narratives from leading scholars in higher education institutions with the aim of delineating the integrative components of SEEs.Design/methodology/approachAdopting the entrepreneurial ecosystem framework and aligned to the social cognitive theory, this paper explores the components and dynamics of SEEs, contributing to an understanding of how such components can better support the growth, sustainability and success of student start-ups. The authors extend entrepreneurship research on social construction using narrative research.FindingsThe findings provide guidelines for researchers, entrepreneurship scholars and educators, entrepreneurship students, policymakers and practitioners to enhance the impact and success of university student start-ups by adopting a student ecosystem approach.Research limitations/implicationsThe narratives represent a limited number of universities with an opportunity for further research to empirically measure the impact and outcomes of SEEs. The research is exploratory, inherently conceptual and emergent, providing an opportunity for validation of narrative frameworks in future studies.Practical implicationsThe findings may assist university managers to be more aware of their own subconscious preferences to student entrepreneurship and start-up initiatives, which may be useful in refining their impact and offerings regarding a quest toward the entrepreneurial university.Social implicationsFrom social perspectives, the alignment of the components of SEE has the ability to enhance and shift the entrepreneurial mindset of entrepreneurship students, notwithstanding enhancement of intentionality and self-efficacy.Originality/valueThis is the first study of SEEs in Australia, highlighting the importance of the integration of entrepreneurship education programs, entrepreneurship education ecosystems, the entrepreneurial university and specific start-up initiatives such as university accelerators. Furthermore, students may enhance their entrepreneurial mindset by actively engaging in such ecosystems.

scholarly journals Student Auditing of University Social Responsibility - Reform through Reflective, Experiential Learning?

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Menezes ◽  
Márcia Coelho ◽  
Fernanda Rodrigues ◽  
Peter Evans ◽  
Brian Martin
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Initial Data ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
European Universities ◽  
The Social ◽  
Teaching Support ◽  
The Impact

The emphasis on the social responsibility of higher education institutions emerged more systematically in the Post-Bologna European context. This paper presents an overview of a case study on a certificate in university social responsibility auditing, based on three European universities: Edimburgh, Kaunas and Porto. The goal is to develop an auditor training for students based on experiential learning, that is coherent and replicable in diverse contexts and that involves the various stakeholders. The project is based on a set of benchmarks of university social responsibility developed in the context of a European project, namely:  Research, Teaching, Support for Learning and Public Engagement; Governance; Environmental and Societal Sustainability; and Fair Practices. We will report on the initial data generated by the ESSA Project, in respect of student recruitment, baseline attitudes and the impact of participation in the training and the first audit.

Students’ perceptions among foreign languages in the EHEA

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-214
Author(s):  
M. Isabel Sanchez-Hernandez ◽  
Dolores Gallardo-Vazquez ◽  
Beatriz Corchuelo Martinez-Azua
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Language Competence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
English Class ◽  
European Universities ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
European Higher Education ◽  
The University

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the students’ opinion on their proficiency in one or more foreign languages, and the importance they attribute to their foreign language competence because the adaptation to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) implies the promotion of the mobility of teachers and students. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative and quantitative approach conducted at the University of Extremadura in Spain. The method used was to triangulate the data resulting from three quite different procedures: promoting the participating students’ awareness of the issue through a seminar on the importance of mastering other languages and their relevance for graduate employability; inquiring into the students’ impressions when receiving an English class with a focus group; and a questionnaire on their opinions about the importance of proficiency in foreign languages. Findings – The findings highlight how teaching in English in European universities could bring real opportunities for the development of the EHEA. Furthermore, the development of foreign languages competences have to be a priority line of innovation in higher education in order to build a more meaningful relationship between education institutions and the European project. Research limitations/implications – The study is a first attempt to analyse the need to teach in English in European higher education institutions. Results are not completely generalizable because the study has been conducted in one university, in the field of social sciences in the branch of Economics and Business, and it has been examined only the views of students. Originality/value – The paper draws attention to the need for, and suggestions on how higher education institutions can be more aware to the needs of developing studentś English competences when designing programmes in the EHEA.

Higher education institutions, PRME and partnerships for the goals: retrofit labeling or driving force for change?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Hauser ◽  
Annmarie Ryan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Current Mode ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
University Partnerships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Important Variation ◽  
Multi Stakeholder ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to propose a framework to map partnerships as practiced in higher education institutions (HEIs) and trace the current mode of engagement between HEIs and their partners. This paper reflects on the alignment between current practices and what is understood in the literature as “true” partnerships. We are interested in the different modes of engagement that are labeled by the HEIs as partnerships and consider the plasticity of the term. The interest is in how the term is operationalized by HEIs and how variations in approach can be accounted for while still maintaining some stability and common understanding of the term partnership. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on extant literature in the field of cross-sector partnerships, a three-dimensional framework is proposed to map partnerships as practiced in HEIs. Furthermore, this paper draws on insights gained from the partnership stories of 13 leading principles of responsible management education (PRME) signatories to evidence examples of how this framework can help us to categorize the different types of engagement that the HEIs call partnerships. These case stories were gathered in the fall of 2019, based on a brief inquiry form sent to the 39 PRME signatories who were part of the PRME Champions Cycle 2018–2019. Findings This paper sees cases where faculty drive interaction on sustainable development goal-related issues with external stakeholders, but where the impact of these interactions seems to reside within the main business of the HEI (teaching and research). In contrast, much partnering work addresses broader social impacts. Of particular, interest in partnerships that seek to address a specific local issue, first and foremost and doing so in such a way as to apply the unique resources of the HEI working in multi-stakeholder networks. This paper also notes important variation between individual faculty-driven initiatives and initiatives where the school provides a strategic framework to support these efforts. Research limitations/implications By focusing on the academic sector and its stakeholder partnerships, this paper contributes to the literature on cross-sector partnerships. In particular, the specifics of this context and the importance of, for example, academic freedom have been under-researched in this field. Furthermore, the framework presented is novel in that it helps us to grasp the nuances of external university partnerships that can form out of individual, programmatic and other institutional levels. Practical implications From a practice perspective, the framework offers a useable tool for HEI partnership managers to position themselves and their activities and reflect more on how they organize external partnerships. Further, this tool offers a more precise framework for the discussion on partnerships within the PRME to sharpen the partnership instrument and bring more clarity about what is meant by the partnership for the goals. Originality/value The paper offers a novel partnership portfolio framework that contributes both to theory and practice. The framework aids in mapping the locus of benefits/outcomes and the material and affective commitments made by the HEI to bring these collaborations about. In dimensionalizing partnerships in this way, this paper can conceptualize a balanced portfolio in an HEI’s partnerships for the goals.

Decision-making system for higher education university selection: comparison of priorities pre- and post-COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishnadas Nanath ◽  
Ali Sajjad ◽  
Supriya Kaitheri
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Final Decision ◽  
Content Type ◽  
University Selection ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

PurposeUniversity selection in higher education is a complex task for aspirants from a decision-making perspective. This study first aims to understand the essential parameters that affect potential students' choice of higher education institutions. It then aims to explore how these parameters or priorities have changed given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning about the differences in priorities for university selection pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic might help higher education institutions focus on relevant parameters in the post-pandemic era.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a mixed-method approach, with primary and secondary data (university parameters from the website and LinkedIn Insights). We developed a university selector system by scraping LinkedIn education data of various universities and their alumni records. The final decision-making tool was hosted on the web to collect potential students' responses (primary data). Response data were analyzed via a multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) model. Portal-based data collection was conducted twice to understand the differences in university selection priorities pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic. A one-way MANOVA was performed to find the differences in priorities related to the university decision-making process pre- and post-COVID-19.FindingsThis study considered eight parameters of the university selection process. MANOVA demonstrated a significant change in decision-making priorities of potential students between the pre- and post-COVID-19 phases. Four out of eight parameters showed significant differences in ranking and priority. Respondents made significant changes in their selection criteria on four parameters: cost (went high), ranking (went low), presence of e-learning mode (went high) and student life (went low).Originality/valueThe current COVID-19 pandemic poses many uncertainties for educational institutions in terms of mode of delivery, student experience, campus life and others. The study sheds light on the differences in priorities resulting from the pandemic. It attempts to show how social priorities change over time and influence the choices students make.

Personal Values as a Building Block for Social Responsibility of Higher Education Institutions

2017 ◽  
pp. 119-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zlatko Nedelko ◽  
Vojko Potocan ◽  
Nikša Alfirević
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Community Involvement ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Personal Values ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Core Mission ◽  
Insight Into

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the role of personal values for social responsibility (SR) of higher education. Besides the core mission of higher education to create, transfer and preserve knowledge in society, the idea of SR has gained its importance also in institutions of higher education. SR has many drivers, among which personal values are considered as one of the key building blocks for SR. For enhancing SR, higher education institutions should also develop stronger ties with the community. The chapter provides an insight into discussion about community involvement of higher education, into the role of personal values for shaping SR of higher education institutions and explain how personal values can help to enhance community and social involvement of higher education. Findings may be a starting point for re-thinking and/or establishing strategies for achieving higher level of SR in higher education institutions and enhancing the link with the community.

scholarly journals ІНФОРМАЦІЙНЕ ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ ПРОЦЕСІВ ФОРМУВАННЯ СОЦІАЛЬНОЇ ВІДПОВІДАЛЬНОСТІ ЗАКЛАДІВ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ

2022 ◽  
pp. 28-33
Author(s):  
Валентина В. Яценко
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Academic Freedom ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Information Support

The paper discusses the selected aspects related to the issues of developing social responsibility in higher education institutions. Emphasis is placed on the growing role of higher education and its evolution in modern society as a crucial element in enhancing cultural, social, economic and political development in Ukraine and as a solid foundation in building internal capacity, promoting human rights, sustainable development, democracy and justice. The study focuses on the need to adhere to the key provisions of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Higher Education (1998), in particular, to share the idea that “higher education should be viewed as a public service. The funding of higher education requires both public and private resources. The role of the state remains essential in this regard. Public support for higher education and research remains essential to ensure a balanced achievement of educational and social missions. It is argued that the slowdown in economic growth and structural transformations have increased the value of education and its social responsibility to society. The research hypothesis is the statement that social responsibility, academic freedom and autonomy have become the driving forces in increasing the demand for higher education. In this context, it is assumed that universities should maintain a reasonable balance between these components. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the need for information support of the processes of developing social responsibility in higher education institutions within the education services market. To attain the study objectives, the following research methods were employed: expert analysis of the higher education transparency; methods of assessing the key stakeholders’ involvement (students, employers and civil society) in encouraging the University social activities. The findings have identified the challenges and barriers to fostering further academic freedom and institutional autonomy, academic freedom and public-private partnership, boosting academic freedom as an ethical dimension and social responsibility, promoting academic freedom and entrepreneurship. It is argued that education – technological progress complementarity has a number of important implications for the national economic policy. The conclusions verify that the relationships between education, innovation and qualifications is the background for developing social responsibility in universities that contributes to integrating basic education and employment, lifelong learning and maintenance of professional qualifications, promoting innovation and social accountability.

scholarly journals Knowledge management practices

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Balakrishnan V Nair ◽  
Chandramalar Munusami
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Influential Factor ◽  
General View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Teaching And Learning Environment ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate KM practices that may be in place in the higher education institutions (HEIs) and whether the KM practices are made known to the employees for improving the teaching and learning environment provided at the Malaysian higher education institutions.Design/methodology/approachData were collected using a personal administrated method made available to private higher education institutions academic members in five states with 30 or more employees. A total of 1,100 survey questionnaires were handed out, out of which 273 were collected and were usable (24.8 per cent response rate). The sample was checked for response and non-response bias. Results were tested using SPSS application and questionnaire tools.FindingsIt was essential to establish the knowledge management (KM) capacity in key areas such as the ability to recognise experts within the institution, leadership’s innovation, knowledge sharing and knowledge acquiring work culture, and technology usage. KM tools and techniques would help the institutions to meet their competitive goals; therefore, it is vital for HEIs to create KM awareness among the employees.Research limitations/implicationsSimilar to most studies, it is anticipated that the participants’ awareness of KM practices at their HEIs is very high. The samples were collected to evaluate the general view of KM awareness and how participants perceived KM practices. The total samples received for this study were expected; however, they were sufficient to study the impact.Practical implicationsThis paper provides support for the importance of KM practices and employees awareness at HEIs to enhance innovation and performance teaching and learning environment.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the first papers to find empirical support for the role of KM practices at HEIs. Further, the positioning of KM practices as a competitive tool can be considered as an influential factor to competitive advantage.

Do “decent work” dimensions lead to work engagement? Empirical evidence from higher education institutions in India

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vaneet Kashyap ◽  
Neelam Nakra ◽  
Ridhi Arora
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Work Engagement ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Decent Work ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The study aims to investigate the impact of “decent work” dimensions on faculty members’ work engagement levels in the higher education institutions in India. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from 293 faculty members working in higher education institutes in India. The proposed study hypotheses were tested by deploying the statistical technique of multiple regression analysis using statistical package for social sciences Version-24. Findings Results demonstrated that of the five dimensions of “decent work,” only “access to health care” and “complementary values” were significant predictors of work engagement. “Adequate compensation,” “free time and rest” and “safe interpersonal working conditions” as dimensions of “decent work” were not found to be significantly related to work engagement. Research limitations/implications Findings encourage education policymakers to implement a “decent work” policy for faculty members with greater emphasis on ensuring workplace-fit and provision of adequate health-care facilities to keep the workforce engaged. Originality/value It is one of the few studies conducted in the South-Asian context that highlight “decent work” as a crucial job resource, useful in enhancing the work engagement of faculty members in higher education institutions.

scholarly journals Can change leadership impact on staff organizational citizenship behavior? A scenario from Malaysia

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simin Ghavifekr ◽  
Adebayo Saheed Adewale
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Organizational Behavior ◽  
Organizational Citizenship ◽  
Organizational Citizenship Behavior ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Change Leadership ◽  
Citizenship Behavior ◽  
Academic Leaders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of change leadership on staff organizational citizenship behavior in a university setting. Moreover, the study aims to explore forces that influencing on staff organizational citizenship behavior in higher education institutions. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a qualitative research design. An interview protocol along with field notes were used as major approaches for collecting in-depth data. Coding and categorizing approach were used to analyze interview transcriptions to help for emerging the study’s themes. Findings The findings reveal that change leadership builds confidence of staff, motivate them and helps to ensure trust. Moreover, results show that staff organizational citizenship behavior is influenced by personal, organizational, social-cultural and economic forces. To increase the organizational citizenship behavior of staff in higher education institutions, there is a need for leaders to use appropriate change-oriented style in leading their organizations. Findings also revealed that change leaders must serve as role-model to their subordinates as a way on enhancing staff organizational citizenship behavior. Research limitations/implications Academic leaders are the pivot of change in higher education institutions. Accordingly, the effectiveness of higher education institution, staff and students are depending on the effectiveness of the leadership. In this regard, academic leaders’ willingness to change is the most effective factor that not only sets the credibility of the organization, but, more importantly, influence on staff organizational behavior. Practical implications It is hoped that the outcome of this research will contribute to the current knowledge of change leadership and organizational behavior in universities. Originality/value This is an original research and makes a great contribution to higher education in Asian countries.

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