scholarly journals Student satisfaction or happiness?

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aftab Dean ◽  
Paul Gibbs
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Student Experience ◽  
Service Model ◽  
Transformative Experience ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the purpose of the complex open system of higher education and to explore this transformative experience as personal flourishing, where students come to terms with a way of being, matching their potentiality with their agency and leading to profound happiness. There is influential, but not uncontested (Tsinidou et al., 2010), literature concerning higher education institutes as education service providers, functioning like any other business (DeShields, 2005). Eagle and Brennan (2007, p. 4) argue that academic staff as service providers are thus vital to process delivery. Using a service model and traditional corporate quality frameworks, there is a temptation to measure how a service ethos serves recipients and co-producers – students, donor, industry and sponsors – negating education’s transformative and uncertain nature, rather than taking the externality of process delivery as a guide. Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on a questionnaire designed and administered to two cohorts of students in different universities in the UK. It presents the outcomes as indicative results and draws preliminary conclusions on how the student experience might be engaged with to increase happiness as well as satisfaction. Findings – The results show a distinct notion of happiness which has specific attributes from those that deliver satisfaction. Originality/value – The literature on student experience and more importantly, its reporting conflate happiness and satisfaction. This research shows that they are different, and offers a new way of looking at the student experience data.

International evidence of changing assurance practices for carbon emissions disclosures

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rina Datt ◽  
Pranil Prasad ◽  
Connie Vitale ◽  
Krishan Prasad
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
North America ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Evidence ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Intensive Growth ◽  
Do So

Purpose The market for the assurance of carbon emissions disclosures is showing intensive growth. However, due to the largely voluntary nature of carbon reporting and assurance, there are currently no clear standards or guidelines and little is known about it. The purpose of this paper is to examine the reporting and assurance practices for carbon emissions disclosures. Design/methodology/approach This study provides evidence on this market, with a sample that includes 13,419 firm-year observations across 58 countries between 2010 and 2017 from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) database. Findings The results show that the demand for carbon emissions reporting comes mainly from North America, the UK and Japan. Recently, markets such as South Africa have also shown increased demand for carbon reporting. The data also shows that more firms are seeking assurance for their carbon emissions reports. Legitimacy, stakeholder and institutional theories are used to explain the findings of this study. Research limitations/implications The results have important implications for firms that produce carbon emissions disclosures, assurance service providers, legislators, regulators and the users of the reports and there should be more specific disclosure guidelines for level and scope of reporting. Originality/value Amongst the firms that do provide assurance on their carbon emissions reports, a majority do so using specialist assurance providers, with only limited assurance being provided. The results further show that a myriad of assurance frameworks is being used to assure the carbon emissions disclosures.

Approaches to supervising work-based learning students’ workplace research

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon Talbot ◽  
Andy Lilley
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Contextual Framework ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline a small research project designed to explore the practices of the UK work-based learning (WBL) tutors in facilitating formal research projects in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected using a short questionnaire to practitioners administered electronically and a daylong workshop where issues were discussed in greater depth by participating tutors. Findings – The main findings are that there is a degree of agreement by WBL tutors about the distinctiveness of WBL research projects; that although there is increasing use of technology to support delivery only one institution is using e-learning as the principal means of delivery; emphasis is upon a relatively small number of techniques and there is a strong preference for qualitative over quantitative methods. Research limitations/implications – The main limitation of the study is the relatively small number of active participants. However, this is the only study of its kind and the results offer insights into an important element of pedagogic practice in WBL. Practical implications – The project enabled the identification of common approaches and facilitated discussion of problems shared by WBL tutors across the field. There appears to be a consensus that situated investigation exists within a different contextual framework to traditional academic dissertation projects and that the focus is therefore necessarily on generating data as the basis for active problem solving. Originality/value – This is the only empirical study of practice in respect of facilitating research projects on WBL programmes in higher education.

Financing universities through waqf, pious endowment: is it possible?

Humanomics ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 430-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siti Mashitoh Mahamood ◽  
Asmak Ab Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Board Of Trustees ◽  
Academic Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Financing Higher Education ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to highlight the importance of waqf in financing higher education. Nowadays, higher education is costly and this has prevented students, especially those who are self-financed, from accessing such learning environments. This paper offer an alternative solution to relieve such a situation, namely, through the application of an endowment-based or waqf educational institution. The study suggests a way to establish an endowment university by concentrating the discussion on the concept and principles of its establishment, as well as sharing the experiences of the Malaysian waqf universities and the Turkish Foundation Universities/Vakif Üniversitesi in financing their universities using waqf, i.e. a pious endowment instrument. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical data were mainly collected using in-depth interviews with the universities’ higher management authorities and some of the members of the board of trustees. Findings – The findings show that the role of waqf or pious endowment is significant in providing financial assistance to their communities as well as strengthening their academic quality. In addition, tawhidic epistemology together with morality and ethics have influenced waqf donors or founders to donate their wealth and property to enrich and sustain universities and higher education. Originality/value – This article provides the experiences of the Malaysian Waqf Universities and the Turkish Foundation Universities/Vakif Üniversitesi in financing their universities using waqf. It also contains some good examples from the experience of several earlier Islamic civilizations, in particular those of the Ottoman Empire and the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt. In addition, examples of the implementation of waqf and endowment-based universities in the UK and USA as well as the Al-Azhar University of Egypt is also included.

Towards a sustainable apprenticeship system

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 324-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandy Samantha Crawford-Lee
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Government Policy ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Critical Stage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a short overview of current government policy and context to the development of higher and degree apprenticeships and the engagement of higher education (HE) providers in delivery to achieve the ambition of three million apprenticeship starts by 2020. Design/methodology/approach Opinion piece contextualising the UK Government’s approach to apprenticeship reforms and the role of HE and further education in the design and development and delivery of higher and degree apprenticeships. Findings The apprenticeship system is at a critical stage of development and HE providers need to embrace the opportunities and address the competitive challenges of apprenticeship delivery given the £2.5 billion per annum that will be raised by the apprenticeship levy and the threat to their existing and traditional HE provision. Originality/value Reflects the ambition and mission of the University Vocational Awards Council.

Applying SERVQUAL

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 788-799 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jess L. Gregory
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Return On Investment ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Five Dimensions ◽  
University Level ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Austerity approaches in higher education require choosing the highest leverage strategies of increasing student satisfaction. Attending to student perceptions of program/service quality (SERVQUAL) is a means to identify areas that have the greatest return on investment. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This study explores how a program has applied the SERVQUAL model and survey to identify areas for growth. Findings The survey of 57 students in a cohort-based doctoral program demonstrated the smallest gaps (highest satisfaction) with the domains of empathy (1.33) and responsiveness (1.30) and the lowest with reliability (2.03), tangibles (1.97) and assurance (1.90). Practical implications While not all of the five dimensions are within the purview of a program to address (some may require funding that is determined at a college or university level), many of the gaps can be addressed by adopting procedures and policies that increase transparency so that students can moderate their expectations and faculty and staff can provide reliable information. Additionally, the use of the SERVQUAL model provided this program with specific, actionable information that could be used to improve the program. Originality/value The study includes a review of studies that have applied the SERVQUAL model in higher education. The application of SERVQUAL to a cohort-based doctoral program to identify program improvements and steward program image fits into a gap in the extant literature.

Deconstructing quality at multi-campus universities: what moderates staff and student satisfaction?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Larissa Sue Christensen ◽  
Natalie Elizabeth Nilsen
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Current Review ◽  
Geographical Separation ◽  
Meta Analyses

Purpose Through using a realist approach, this study aims to identify the key moderators of multi-campus effectiveness through a systematic literature review, with a focus on faculty staff and student satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach Following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines, information from peer-reviewed journal papers relating to multi-campus universities was located. The systematic search spanned a 10 year period (2009 to 2019) and returned 538 results. After duplicates were removed, and titles, abstracts and full-texts were screened, 14 papers matched the eligibility criteria. Findings Four key moderators were identified through the thematic analysis: inconsistent technology, hesitation to innovate, geographical separation of staff and geographical separation of students. Originality/value By exploring the moderators, the study provides policy and practice professionals in higher education with a complex understanding of the key contexts that can hinder the success of staff and student satisfaction at multi-campus universities. To enhance the tangibility of the current review, the study concludes with practical steps forward for enhancing staff and student satisfaction at multi-campus universities.

scholarly journals A systematic review of quality of student experience in higher education

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Heng Tsai Tan ◽  
Birgit Muskat ◽  
Anita Zehrer
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Student Experience ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Education Experience

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify and synthesize major streams of research on quality of student experience in higher education, to present an agenda for future research. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents a systematic review of research published in high-quality journals during the period 2000 to 2014 in the areas of quality of student experience and higher education. Findings Findings highlight current research trends on the quality of student experience in higher education. Results show five prevailing research streams: exploration of learning experience; exploration of student experience; gender differences in assessment of higher education experience; improvement in quality of student experience; and student satisfaction with higher education experience. Research Limitations/implications The identification of the five research streams provides the basis for a synthesis of key issues identified within each research stream. In addition, the identification of purposes and limitations in existing research supports attempts to address issues of the quality of student experiences in higher education. Practical Implications Literature currently portrays the quality of student experience as a student-centric idea. Together with the purposes and limitations identified in existing research, the paper proposes an agenda for future research that increases the variety of research streams to provide a deeper understanding of the student experience and to enhance the delivery of quality in higher education. Originality/value The findings contribute to the research scene by providing important insights in terms of the current trends and focus of existing research in the area of quality of student experiences in higher education.

Improving performance in higher education groups

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distributed Leadership ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Education Groups

Purpose Higher education institutions in the UK will become better placed to meet increasing challenges and pressures when appropriate network and leadership structures are in place. Networks based on both formal and informal ties used in combination with distributed leadership can help strengthen connectivity between academics and positively impact on different performance indicators. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Higher education institutions in the UK will become better placed to meet increasing challenges and pressures when appropriate network and leadership structures are in place. Networks based on both formal and informal ties used in combination with distributed leadership can help strengthen connectivity between academics and positively impact on different performance indicators. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

scholarly journals Course leadership in small specialist UK higher education – a review

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 1174-1183
Author(s):  
Nieky van Veggel ◽  
Philip Howlett
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Education Sector ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Course Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Academic Literature ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Uk Higher Education

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the literature with regard to the course leader in small and specialist higher education in the UK. Design/methodology/approach First, the role of the course leader is explored, followed by an evaluation of the barriers to effective course management. This is then followed by a discussion of mitigating solutions to the barriers identified. Course leadership is then reviewed in the context of small and specialist higher education. Finally, areas for future research are suggested. Findings Course leadership in the UK is a role with wide ranging responsibilities, but is under-appreciated by the higher education sector. Various barriers have been identified, and some solutions proposed, in the literature, but problems remain. Originality/value Course leadership is an underappreciated area with little academic literature available, even though issues have been reported since the 1990s. This paper critically evaluates and summarises the issues, and shows that they are still current. It also proposes solutions and areas of further research so that issues can be resolved for betterment of the higher education sector.

Student voice: perceptions of fair treatment in a Foundations program

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-145
Author(s):  
Kay Gallagher
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Interpersonal Relations ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Unfair Treatment

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate why beginning university Emirati students might believe they are unfairly treated by their instructors. By understanding student perceptions, the learning needs of such students can be better catered for, and learning outcomes enhanced.Design/methodology/approachAn interpretivist approach was taken to investigate a finding from a standardized survey of student satisfaction which showed that students felt they were treated unfairly by their instructors. Focus group interviews were used to uncover the possible reasons why students believed they received unfair treatment.FindingsInterpersonal or interactional unfairness is the type of unfair treatment most often cited by the Foundation students who participated in this study, indicative of the importance of interpersonal relations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) higher education teaching and learning environment.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the study is situated within one Foundations program in the UAE, the imperative for instructors to build positive interpersonal relationships with beginning students is highlighted, as well as the need for curricular transparency and ongoing moderation of grading practices, and the importance of informing students about these practices.Practical implicationsThe imperative of building positive pedagogical relationships with beginning university Arab Gulf students is highlighted, as well as the need for transparent practices such as moderation of grades, and explicitly informing students about fair practices.Social implicationsDrawing on data from faculty instructors, the paper suggests that a deeper, macrosystemic level of educational unfairness may also be at play: that is, the unfairness inherent in the hegemony of English, and the disconnect between the quality of the state school system and the demands of university. Until these educational issues are addressed, perceptions of unfair treatment in Foundations programs in the Gulf are likely to continue.Originality/valueAs higher education continues to undergo expansion and transformation in the UAE, increasing numbers of academic staff from around the world migrate there, and thousands of Gulf students continue to emigrate to study overseas. This paper contributes important insights into Gulf students’ perceptions.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document