Development of soft skills in higher education - case study

e-mentor ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (70(3)) ◽  
pp. 10-14
Author(s):  
Anita Zarzycka
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Soft Skills

scholarly journals ‘Because Sometimes Your Failures Can Also Teach You Certain Skills’: Lecturer and Student Perceptions of Employability Skills at a Transnational University

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Paterson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Systematic Approach ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Employability Skills ◽  
Specific Knowledge ◽  
Graduate Degrees ◽  
International University ◽  
Education Courses

This exploratory study investigates lecturers’ and students’ understanding of the concepts and language underpinning higher education strategies of developing employability skills. While a solid grounding in discipline-specific knowledge and skills is what most graduate degrees aim at providing, employability skills are increasingly becoming an important factor when evaluating prospective employees. Embedding the acquisition of employability skills into higher education courses has emerged as a response to industry demands for work-ready graduates. The forces of internationalisation and globalisation mean that employers the world over are looking for graduates with additional soft skills, abilities and achievements. The context for this study is Westminster International University, Tashkent (WIUT), a transnational university in Uzbekistan. By means of a qualitative case study, the views of lecturers and students were investigated and common themes and perspectives identified. The main findings indicate that although students and lecturers share similar perspectives on the importance of employability skills, the purpose of employability focused pedagogy is not easily communicated to students. Furthermore, students feel that a more systematic approach to recognising and demonstrating employability skills would help them in their transition from education to work. 

scholarly journals A Soft Skills Experiment in an Industrial Engineering and Management Academic Course

2022 ◽  
pp. 20-49
Author(s):  
Klaas Stek
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Parallel Machines ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Strategic Thinking ◽  
Learning Objectives ◽  
Industrial Firms ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Skills Learning

Industrial firms increasingly concentrate on their core competences and outsource non-core activities, affecting the personal (soft) skills requirements of purchasing and supply chain management (PSM) personnel in their boundary-spanning roles. In parallel, machines take over processes but cannot replicate humans' soft skills such as creativity and strategic thinking. The literature shows that learning objectives in PSM courses in higher education are evaluated for not covering soft skills. Moreover, there is evidence that soft skills development is challenging. It is questionable which soft skills can be developed and which didactics are applicable. This study presents an educational soft skills experiment with IEM graduates, and it provides evidence that soft skills learning can effectively be introduced in existing courses. The graduates self-rated their competence levels of 36 soft skills before and after the course that provided soft skills workshops and a case study. In the first survey, “strategic thinking” ranked low and could be improved the most in the second survey.

MENGGAGAS PENDIDIKAN BERWAWASAN KEWIRAUSAHAAN DI PERGURUAN TINGGI ISLAM

ALQALAM ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Nur Hidayah
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Islamic Law ◽  
Law And Economics ◽  
State Institute ◽  
Study Program ◽  
Islamic Studies ◽  
Entrepreneurial Culture ◽  
Curriculum Structure ◽  
Islamic Values

There has been a concern over a high unemployment rate among graduates of Islamic higher education and a low proportion of entrepreneurs in Indonesia. In fact, a high proportion of entrepreneurs is one of indicators of a country’s welfare. This has generated a question: to what extent do Islamic values cultivate entrepreneurial culture among its adherents? How to cultivate entrepreneurial culture in Islamic higher education? This paper will investigate this matter using a case study of Faculty of Islamic Law and Economics at Banten State Institute for Islamic Studies.  The paper argues that the curriculum at the faculty of Islamic Law and Economics has not been oriented towards building entrepreneurial culture. The curriculum consists of subjects to enhance the students’ competence and skills to prepare them as bachelors of syari`ah economics for the professions such as manager, lecturer, researcher, syari`ah auditor, etc, instead of preparing them for entrepreneurs who are capable to build his or her own business from the scratch.    To propose Islamic entrepreneurship study program at the FSEI of IAIN SMHB, it is important to have a strong political will not only from the internal IAIN but also higher authoritative body such as the Ministry of Religious Affairs to facilitate this from not only the accreditation process but also financial support. A further feasibility study needs to be undertaken to build its infrastructure such as qualified lecturers, appropriate curriculum structure, and recruitment student system. Since this field has a strong link with a ‘real sector’, there has been an urgent need to build cooperations with business sector to enable the students to undertake their apprentice and build their networks to facilitate their ability to develop their own business.     Keywords: Islam, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial education.

A Case Study on Web-based Learning Environment Evaluation in Higher Education: Learner Perspectives in a Private University in Malaysia.

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 18-33
Author(s):  
Zarina Che Imbi ◽  
Tse-Kian Neo ◽  
Mai Neo
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Private University ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
Digital Learning ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Web Based Learning ◽  
Kirkpatrick’S Model

In the era of digital learning, multimedia-based classroom has been commonly used in higher education including Malaysian higher education institutions. A case study has been performed to evaluate web-based learning using Level 1 to 3 of Kirkpatrick's model in a multi-disciplinary course at Multimedia University, Malaysia. In this study, mixed method research was employed in which triangulation was performed from multiple sources of data collection to give deeper understanding. Students perceived that learning with multimedia was enjoyable. They were also motivated in learning and engaged through the use of web module as multimedia was perceived to motivate them and make learning fun. Students showed significant improvements in their knowledge based on the pre-test and post-test results on learning evaluation. Students were perceived to transfer the learning from web-based learning into the learning outcome. The systematic evaluation can provide the feedback that educators and institution as a whole need to improve the learning environment and programme quality. This study contributes to the research field by adding another perspective in evaluations of web-based learning. It also provides empirical evidence on student perspectives, learning and behaviour in a private university. It demonstrated that the Kirkpatrick's model is useful as an evaluation tool to be used in higher education.

Modernisation of Higher Education – Willful Action or Wishful Thinking? The Case of Bulgaria

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 3-17
Author(s):  
Elena Blagoeva
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
National Level ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu

The impact of the last global economic crisis (2008) on the European economy put a strain on higher education (HE), yet it also pushed the sector towards intensive reforms and improvements. This paper focuses on the “Strategy for the Development of Higher Education in the Republic of Bulgaria 2014-2020”. With a case study methodology, we explore the strategic endeavours of the Bulgarian government to comply with the European directions and to secure sustainable growth for the HE sector. Our research question is ‘How capable is the Bulgarian HE Strategy to overcome the economic and systemic restraints of Bulgarian higher education?’. Because the development of strategies for HE within the EU is highly contextual, a single qualitative case study was chosen as the research approach. HE institutions are not ivory towers, but subjects to a variety of external and internal forces. Within the EU, this is obviated by the fact that Universities obtain their funds from institutions such as governments, students and their families, donors, as well as EU-level programmes. Therefore, to explore how these pressures interact to affect strategic action on national level, the case method is well suited as it enabled us to study the phenomena thoroughly and deeply. The paper suggests the actions proposed within the Strategy have the potential to overcome the delay, the regional isolation and the negative impact of the economic crisis on the country. Nevertheless, the key elements on which the success or failure of this Strategy hinges are the control mechanisms and the approach to implementation. Shortcomings in these two aspects of strategic actions in HE seem to mark the difference between gaining long-term benefits and merely saving face in front of international institutions.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document