scholarly journals Reclaiming the Idea of the University as a Possible Solution to Today’s Crisis

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-104
Author(s):  
Sonia Pavlenko ◽  
Cristina Bojan

Higher education has always been associated in one way or another with crisis. One could even argue that the university has always faced one type of crisis or another. The one debated the most is the economic crisis; however, there are many debates focusing on other types of crisis. Furthermore, all major reforms in the history of higher education (from Humboldt’s reform in 19th century Prussia to the views promoted by Y Gasset against the background of the Spanish revolution, or even the Bologna Process) have arisen as a result of a crisis. Today, the global economic crisis has yet again highlighted the fact that the idea of the university, the very foundation on which it was built, is no longer present when addressing contemporary issues in higher education. Our paper argues that there is an imperative need to reclaim and reconsider the idea of the university, as this could provide a possible solution to today’s crisis in higher education. Furthermore, we will attempt to show the reasons why this should occur, as well as the manner in which it could be achieved. The focus today is on too many minute, detailed aspects of higher education institutions, which are managed, evaluated, quality assured, ranked, assessed and so forth, while the global perspective on the university has been lost/ignored. Today’s crisis could be used as an opportunity to reassess and re-establish a relevant idea for today’s university. 

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 50-60
Author(s):  
SVETLANA KOBACHEVSKAYA

In the current article, the viewpoints of the Belarusian and foreign scientists and experts on the organization of international cooperation in Higher Education Institutions within the Bologna process are analyzed, the directions of organization of interuniversity cooperation of the university are considered, the experience of Belarusian State Pedagogical University named after Maxim Tank in this direction and the objectives of interuniversity development are defined.


2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 30-38
Author(s):  
Andrzej Chodubski

It is indicated in the lecture that higher education (universities) is one of the fundamentalentities that change the image of cultural and civilizational life. Nowadays, its existence in Poland is based on the European Union projects, including rules of so called the Bologna process. Changes in theimage and development of the Polish academicism that have been taking place, became subject of deep criticism made by scientific communities, as well as broad publicopinion. In the process of these changes a clash between traditional values and information society creation was revealed. A particularly critical attitude towards the present development of academicism at the University is presented by representatives of humanities and social sciences.


Author(s):  
María Dolores Lagoa-Varela ◽  
Begoña Alvarez García ◽  
Lucía Boedo Vilabella

In the last twenty-five years many changes have taken place in the Spanish University system and, as a consequence, the university lecturer’s role has evolved and a new teaching style prevails. The present paper focuses on University teachers of Economics and Business. It explores the teachers’ perception about the new methodologies that they have implemented, the extent to which the process of change has modified their way of working and, finally, the benefits and drawbacks encountered. Moreover, we examine whether differences of opinion arise depending on the distinct personal and professional characteristics of each teacher. The results reveal that most of the methodological changes undergone by the teachers stem more from the new profile of their students than by regulatory obligations. There is a unanimous opinion that the time and effort dedicated to teaching is now notably greater and that it is necessary to develop a rigorous system of teaching evaluation. In addition, two clear aspects can be observed: on the one hand, staff with a wider experience has carried out more changes and uses new technologies to a greater extent, and, on the other hand, the use and promotion of English in class is still a crucial issue.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-164
Author(s):  
Saskia Grooters ◽  
Emma Zaal ◽  
Menno Gerkema

A strong theoretical approach with a specific focus on disciplinary research characterizes the common science master’s education in the Netherlands. However, a work-based learning (WBL) approach may as well be expedient and suitable for science education at master’s level. In this paper, a case study is presented of a WBL-program designed for an academic setting: the one year Science, Business and Policy (SBP) master’s track, offered at the Faculty of Science and Engineering of the University of Groningen. The paper describes the design and curriculum of the track, including its underlying theoretical framework, courses, multidisciplinary projects and work placements. Based on the SBP-track’s design we identified six possible indicators of a successful elaboration of an academic WBL-program: the SBP-track 1) is designed in response to the Bologna process; 2) is offered fully within the curriculum of a master’s program of a research university; 3) requires a sufficient academic level and disciplinary knowledge at entrée; 4) follows an educational project approach; 5) focuses on the integration and implementation of knowledge, and; 6) applies learning objectives that are specifically formulated to match the WBL educational method. A directed content analysis of SBP work placements revealed an increase in the number of SBP-students between 2003 and 2019, with an overrepresentation of life science students, as well as a large variety of real-case problems addressed for both business and policy organisations diverse in sector, size and region. Students’ grades showed a positive correlation between the initial theoretical preparation and the report made during the work placement. In conclusion, the societal interpretation of the Bologna process has been implemented successfully with SBP, by combining academic learning with gaining professional experience using a WBL-approach. Received: 03 December 2020Accepted: 09 April 2021


In recent years attention to quality of studies is not decreasing. Lots of different level and type articles have been written, books and other literature have been published. On the other hand, over the last few years different national, regional and international science conferences and symposiums took place. So, it is obvious, that the concern in the university study quality is really huge. However, the essence of the matter lies somewhere deeper. The main goals, formulated in Bologna declaration, had to be implemented by 2010. However, now it becomes clear, that some of the vitally important things were not realised and there are more and more doubts if they will, on the whole, be carried through. The Bologna process itself is not sought to be analysed. What interests us firstly, is the quality of studies’ management question. Various researches reveal that the university study quality in some countries has significantly decreased even measuring according to the most minimal criteria. First of all, this is because most universities are oriented into providing service. It is known, that service University is not capable to ensure the proper quality of the studies and of provided education at the same time. Mass universities meant for mass usage. University education is more and more “Mc.Donaldized” (Lamanauskas, 2011a). Thus, the problem of the quality of studies remains the key problem in nowadays university work. It is understandable, that different countries have different experience in this field both in horizontal and vertical sense. The quality of studies conception despite all efforts remains diverse and has multiple meanings. Paraphrasing a familiar soviet times’ statement (“from everyone – according to possibilities, for everyone – according to demands”), one can state, that higher education can’t be provided according to demands, and it can’t be required from graduates according to their abilities and possibilities. Massification of higher education in a direct way negatively affects the quality of studies (process), as well as higher education quality (result). This is the essential risk in university management. Key words: education policy, quality of studies, management, university education system.


1970 ◽  
pp. 309-332
Author(s):  
Tomasz Zając Tomasz Zając ◽  
Agata Komendant-Brodowska

The aim of the paper is to analyse decisions of first degree graduates concerning continuation of their education on second-degree programmes. One of the changes introduced by the Bologna process was a division of university programmes for the first-degree (bachelor’s degree) and seconddegree (master’s degree) programmes. As a result, a new educational threshold has appeared in the course of higher education and at that threshold students decide whether to continue education and if so, which university and programme to choose. All choices involve various costs and benefits, both to be experienced immediately, as well as those that students plan to achieve or incur in the future. The article presents data on the decisions regarding the continuation of studies in the context of the assumptions of rational choice theory: methodological individualism and rationality of actors. The analysed data come from registers of the University of Warsaw. The most common decision of first-degree graduates at the University is not to change anything: either the programme or mode of study. This result will be explained in the context of assumptions about the preferences of the students.


Author(s):  
Anita Aggarwal

Higher education in developing countries presents an opportunity both for investment and development, if specific challenges can be overcome. This article looks at the opportunities for higher education in a developing country, Kenya, and how these experiences have enabled an identification of issues that must be dealt with for higher education to grow both as an investment and capacity-building opportunity for developing countries. It offers a brief narrative on the history of higher education in Kenya, and the types of higher education collaborations. Using a case study of a long established transnational education collaborative partnership between INtel College, Kenya, and the University of Sunderland, UK, it explores the framework for such operations and challenges and perspectives of the partnership. Finally, it presents a view of the future of transnational education in a nation which indeed may have relevance in any developing country.


2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Fiedler

The Bologna process aims to create a European Higher Education Area by 2010, in which university studies are comparable and compatible and degrees more transparent. Its priority is the introduction of the three-cycle system Bachelor — Master — Doctorate. At the University of Leipzig a project was launched to connect the implementation of the new structures with the establishment of a programme in interlinguistics and Esperanto studies. In the winter semester 2007/2008 a compulsory-optional module with the title Universal Languages was taught, consisting of a weekly lecture, seminar and a language course Esperanto. It was an initiative of the Gesellschaft für Interlinguistik e.V. and financially supported by the Esperantic Studies Foundation. The paper reports on the structure, contents and results of the module and draws conclusions for similar initiatives at other European universities.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (11-2) ◽  
pp. 237-249
Author(s):  
Evgeniy Rostovtsev ◽  
Dmitriy Barinov

Drawing up a collective portrait of the faculty corporation using prosopography and statistical analysis is one of the most popular approaches among specialists in the history of higher education in the Russian Empire. However, mostly such researches concern only one of the existed educational institutions. At the same time, comparative analysis of various universities allows to get a more complete picture of the specifics of higher education. Authors of the given paper try to compare the main features of the career path and academic mobility of the university lecturers at the capital (St. Petersburg) and provincial (Novorossiysk and Tomsk) universities. Among the compared aspects: the length of work, the availability of a scientific degree, the ratio ofprofessors and junior teachers, the number of own graduates, etc. These and other data made it possible to identify the main models of a scientific career typical for the capital and the province.


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