scholarly journals University for Career Construction: Expectations and Realities

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Türker Kurt ◽  
Tuncer Fidan

The aim of this study is to reveal how higher education affects university students' career building processes based on the opinions of students at a state university. In line with this aim, students' opinions regarding how they chose their departments/programs, to what extent their expectations from their departments were satisfied and how they thought university education would affect their future careers were asked. 79 students studying in four faculties of a state university in Ankara participated in the study. The study was designed as a phenomenological qualitative study in which the data were obtained through a written interview form. The data were then analyzed through directed content analysis technique. The findings indicated that most of the participants made their department choices after a short decision-making period (within a few months) before taking the university entrance exam. Therefore, department choice was found to be predominantly a haphazard and even accidental process. The participants reported that their expectations were not met due to the fact that their university courses were largely theory-based, their practice and internship opportunities were too limited, and the social activities and career opportunities offered by their university were insufficient. Some participants expected positive outcomes while some had negative ones. Based on these findings, higher education institutions are suggested to develop policies to ensure graduate employability by decreasing the mismatches between student expectations, labor market demands, and what they can offer their students.

Author(s):  
Anne Roosipõld ◽  
Krista Loogma ◽  
Mare Kurvits ◽  
Kristina Murtazin

In recent years, providing higher education in the form of work-based learning has become more important in the higher education (HE) policy and practice almost in all EU countries. Work-based learning (WBL) in HE should support the development of competences of self-guided learners and adjust the university education better to the needs of the workplace. The study is based on two pilot projects of WBL in HE in Estonia: Tourism and Restaurant Management professional HE programme and the master’s programme in Business Information Technology. The model of integrative pedagogy, based on the social-constructivist learning theory, is taken as a theoretical foundation for the study. A qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with the target groups. The data analysis used a horizontal analysis to find cross-cutting themes and identify patterns of actions and connections. It appears, that the challenge for HE is to create better cooperation among stakeholders; the challenge for workplaces is connected with better involvement of students; the challenge for students is to take more initiative and responsibility in communication with workplaces.


Complexity ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Pablo Medina ◽  
Natalia Ariza ◽  
Pablo Navas ◽  
Fernando Rojas ◽  
Gina Parody ◽  
...  

In this paper, we show an unintended effect of the program Ser Pilo Paga (SPP) that was a flagship program of the Colombian government between 2014 and 2018. It was designed as an intervention in the Colombian Higher Education System (CHES) by awarding, in the steady state, individual funding to about 40,000 students. Every year, 10,000 new students were chosen from the best applicants in the top decile of the population in the entrance exam to higher education in Colombia that also came from families that live under the level of poverty according to a national survey. Our approach, based on an intensive study of the changes in the statistical distributions of the exam scores during these four years, provides evidence of student performance improvements not only of the beneficiaries of the program, but also of the whole student population. This shows that the program opened similar opportunities for all the students, especially for the poorest ones. The program drove a reduction in the gap between students of the upper strata of the population and those of the lowest strata that usually did not access a high quality institution of higher education due to the lack of funding. This result has opened a debate about the optimal way of funding higher education.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophia Gorgodze ◽  
Lasha Macharashvili ◽  
Anna Kamladze

In the context of increasing numbers of students enrolling in higher education in the last decade, understanding student expectations of their universities becomes more important. Universities need to know what students expect if they want to keep them satisfied and continue attracting them. On the other hand, it is also important to know whether student expectations are in line with the purpose of the universities and the causes they serve. This research explores students’ expectations and perceptions of the university in post-Soviet Georgia, as well as whether these expectations are in line with the perspectives of university administrators. For the purposes of this research, over 800 bachelor level students of different academic programs were surveyed at five big public universities across Georgia. Additionally, 10 in-depth interviews were conducted with university administrators to learn about the purpose that public universities try to serve and to understand their perspectives on what should be expected of university. After the analysis of the results, two focus groups were conducted with the students in Western and Eastern Georgia to make sense of the findings obtained through the student survey. Finally, 4 in-depth interviews were conducted with experts to understand their perspectives on the actual findings of this research. The results suggest that employment is the main expectation from a university education. Moreover, there is a mismatch between what students identify as their primary expectation and what administrators believe students should expect. Significance and implications of these results for universities are discussed.


Author(s):  
Taisiya Yudina

Introduction. The article covers history waypoints of the corporate culture, tradition, emblems of Volgograd State University, its corporate ideology and the role of the University in the regional community. The author enlightens the activity and responsibility of the rector department and faculties in terms of the development of the University as region’s leader of science, education and culture. Methods and materials. The principles of historicism and objectivity were used as a methodological base of the research. The study is based on scientific papers on the role of university education in modern society and corporate cultural space in the university community. Analysis. The core activity and focused informational work of the University has allowed to form its positive image. Special attention is paid to the appearance of higher education institutions in the region and the establishment of Volgograd State University. The author studies the contribution of the University to the social-economic, public and cultural sphere of region’s life. Results. The main conclusion of the article is that nowadays classic university education leads to forming the social elite, increases the level of education and culture in the regional community. The program of transforming Volgograd State University into the University Centre of innovative, technological and social development of the region allows to reach success for not only the University, but for the whole region.


Author(s):  
Suzana Marković Krstić ◽  
Lela Milošević Radulović

Starting from the fact that higher education is an activity of special social interest and the initiator of the development and improvement of society, in theory and teaching practice questions are often asked regarding the quality of higher education and the possibility of its improvement. The quality of higher education in terms of the increase in its effectiveness is one of the shared aims of the Bologna convention, that is, the current reform process in European countries. It is determined by the quality of the study programs and the quality of the teaching process, which requires a competent teacher, prepared for the process of innovating teaching plans and programs, and the realization and improvement of the teaching practice. Considering the social importance of education and teaching, research into the social group which performs work-related tasks in the educational process, as well as into the quality of the teaching itself, is of special importance. The paper presents the results of research regarding student perceptions of the characteristics of teachers manifested during the course of educational practice in higher education institutions, which were based on the following: the human, professional and pedagogical qualities of teachers, the quality of the university education/teaching process and learning outcomes/learning achievements (the prevalence of theoretical knowledge, practical application of knowledge, etc.). The aim of the paper is to, on the basis of three empirical studies, from a sociological standpoint evaluate the perception of the social role and competencies of teachers and the quality of university education from the viewpoint of the student youth(in 2009, 985 students from 30 colleges in Serbia were surveyed, in 2012, 2208 students of the University of Niš (818), University of Bitolj (804) and the University of Veliko Trnovo (586), and in 2019, 374 students from 13 faculties of the University of Niš). The empirical findings indicate that teachers are qualified professionals who lecture clearly, comprehensively and are able to emphasize the most important points, but that their lectures are still insufficiently interesting, and that they are often unjust and biased. Considering the noted differences between the competencies of teachers working in higher education settings, and the quality and outcomes of the teaching/learning, “models” of teaching/learning have been proposed in this paper for each of the countries included in the study (Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria). Based on noted disparity between theory and teaching practice, the paper points to the need for new scientific research in the context of reform processes in higher education, with the continued redefinition of its goals and tasks with the aim of improving the quality of the teaching process and teaching practice.


2011 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 383-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Campbell

Higher Education in Britain expanded dramatically during the 1950s and 1960s. The trigger for growth was the Barlow Report of 1946, which recommended an immediate doubling of the number of science students and an increase in the total number of student places, of which there had been c. 50,000 in 1939, to 70,000 by 1950 and 90,000 by 1955. The 1963 Robbins Report continued and accelerated this expansionist policy, proposing that half a million student places be created by 1980. In the event, although funding was less generous than Barlow had recommended, the numbers achieved were far greater, and 85,000 students were in Higher Education by 1950. The impetus for this growth, which included the foundation of seven new universities (the so-called ‘Shakespearean Seven’) and the enlargement of existing institutions, stemmed from an ambitious vision of the role of universities after the Second World War. Higher Education, and particularly scientific training, was seen as one way to maintain Britain’s position on the world stage. Equally important was the principle of widening access, and a concern to broaden the social base of university education found expression in a range of new approaches to design. Within this context, the universities of Oxford and Cambridge also witnessed significant expansion, but in a very particular way and with distinctive results on account of these universities’ collegiate structure. As elsewhere, buildings at Oxbridge for teaching and research were dependent on finance from the University Grants Committee, but the semi-autonomous colleges could draw on their own (sometimes considerable) resources when it came to building. Furthermore, college dons could exercise significantly more influence over the choice of architect than was possible elsewhere. The colleges of Oxford and Cambridge therefore provided an important environment in which new architectural ideas could be explored. An early contribution to the debate was made by the Erasmus Building, a residential block at Queens’ College, Cambridge, designed by Basil Spence in 1958 (Fig. 1). Although the history of Spence’s design is inextricably bound up with its Cambridge context, as an attempt to reformulate the collegiate ideal it also offers a foretaste of the debates that shaped the new universities in the decade that followed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (10) ◽  
pp. 155-162
Author(s):  
Z. F. MAMEDOV ◽  
◽  
Kh. BAYRAMOVA ◽  

Education like others spheres of life of modern society is in the state of dynamic changes. New formats of universities as well as their missions and roles in the social and economic development are actively discussed by professional environment. A number of external and internal factors that determine the depth and scale of transformation have effects on the development of the system of higher education. The system of higher education is under the influence of the system and institutional dynamics, which dictate the need for changes. The activity of universities as centers of education, science and culture is one of the most important bases of social progress. This role becomes especially important in XXI century, which is based on new knowledge and principles of technological development. First of all a university takes new features in the current conditions of globalization. The fundamental task that needs to be solved in order to achieve the goals of a modern University is the change of meanings, goals and content of education by active participation in the internationalization processes of the system of higher education and by introducing reforms in educational process. Of course new economic conditions (global market and information technologies) require modifications. It was stated that the commercialization of University innovations in Azerbaijan is a relatively new direction, since the country is just adopts the path of an innovative economy. In this regard the transformation of a scientific idea to a product or a service faces a number of difficulties. It was investigated the problem of commercialization of the results of scientific activities of higher educational institutions in Azerbaijan. For the first time Azerbaijan State University of Economics has implemented its rebranding in the educational system of the country in order to strengthen the market position of the educational institution and realization of innovative marketing strategies. The University’s strategic goals were defined under the UNEC brand, and the brand development was successfully continued with the support of the scientific and expert community. An integrative educational environment is created in Azerbaijan State University of Economics and such environment ensures the unity of the “education – science – innovation – commercialization – production system”. It is important to note that UNEC strategy also provides for clustering of economical education and so that it provides for increasing the integration pace of the University into the world scientific and educational space. The article presents the innovative infrastructure of Azerbaijan State University of Economics connected with its integration into the global scientific and educational environment. The paper studies the matters of the international cooperation issues of the University with universities of such countries as USA, EU, Russia, Turkey, which expands the academic potential of the University and increases its competitiveness. The article substantiates the conclusion that the globalization of higher education increases the importance of commercialization of higher education institutions in the field of education and science. The article reveals the successful experience of UNEC University in the creation and implementation of joint educational programs, expanding academic mobility, attracting foreign applicants, conducting joint researches and international scientific events in partnership with universities in the EU, Russia and Turkey.


Author(s):  
David Willetts

Universities have a crucial role in the modern world. In England, entrance to universities is by nation-wide competition which means English universities have an exceptional influence on schools--a striking theme of the book. This important book first investigates the university as an institution and then tracks the individual on their journey to and through university. In A University Education, David Willetts presents a compelling case for the ongoing importance of the university, both as one of the great institutions of modern society and as a transformational experience for the individual. The book also makes illuminating comparisons with higher education in other countries, especially the US and Germany. Drawing on his experience as UK Minister for Universities and Science from 2010 to 2014, the author offers a powerful account of the value of higher education and the case for more expansion. He covers controversial issues in which he was involved from access for disadvantaged students to the introduction of L9,000 fees. The final section addresses some of the big questions for the future, such as the the relationship between universities and business, especially in promoting innovation.. He argues that the two great contemporary trends of globalisation and technological innovation will both change the university significantly. This is an authoritative account of English universities setting them for the first time in their new legal and regulatory framework.


1973 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 297-304
Author(s):  
Daymon W. Thatch ◽  
William L. Park

Rutgers University was chartered as Queen's College on November 10, 1766. It was the eighth institution of higher education founded in Colonial America prior to the Revolutionary War. From its modest beginning in the New Brunswick area the University has grown to eight separately organized undergraduate colleges in three areas of the State, with a wide range of offerings in liberal and applied arts and sciences.


2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (1-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rolf Sternberg

Occupational fields and career prospects of economic geographers. Empirical evidence from a graduate follow-up study at the Leibniz Universität Hannover and conclusions for teaching at universities. The employability of the alumni has become an important aspect of university teaching in Germany since bachelor and master courses were introduced some years ago. This also applies for the university education of economic geographers. The paper demonstrates the increased and still increasing relevance of employability for economic geographers studying at German universities. Based on data for 295 economic geography graduates from the Leibniz Universität Hannover it is shown that such alumni have rather good career opportunities to achieve both high income and satisfying work conditions. Adequate specialization of the curriculum, excellence in teaching and research, and a close relationship between university teaching (and teachers) and the professional world outside the university are important conditions for successful alumni.


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