scholarly journals An Investigation into Contract Cheating in Tertiary Education, and How to Combat the Problem in a United Arab Emirates Context

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 120-135
Author(s):  
Andy Pacino
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Peer Pressure ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Fraud Triangle ◽  
Contract Cheating ◽  
Student Dropout ◽  
Branch Campuses ◽  
Triangle Theory

This review article investigated the pervasive problem that contract cheating presents in higher education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and aimed to discover whether a solution could be found to combat the growing use of essay mills among students in the region. This literature review aimed to answer the following research questions; why do students use essay mills? Is current university student academic support adequate to facilitate branch campus learning at a level equivalent to a home campus? What methods can international branch campuses in the UAE employ to discourage the use of essay mills? What type and levels of services can universities provide in the future that better support students and stop them from becoming potential essay mill users?  The point of the research was to find a means by which students can be dissuaded from using contract cheating sites by becoming so well-supported, and so aware of the threat that contract cheating poses to the value of their degree, that essay mills become a much less attractive option. The study began with a look into the possible circumstances that lead a student to cheat, which includes exploring the fraud triangle theory, the peer behaviour theory, the planned behaviour theory, and the subsequent methodology used. The study found a variety of reasons students cheat, citing laziness, a lack of ability or adequate depth of academic vocabulary in a second language learner, peer pressure, that it is so easy and convenient to use such sites, and the fact that there is a promise of plagiarism free work with a click of a mouse and simple financial transaction (Clarke & Lancaster, 2013). Furthermore, online contract cheating presents a significant challenge for higher education institutes to keep a check on standards and quality assurance. Many teachers are either unaware of or simply afraid to follow up on instances of contract cheating for fear of recriminations in the form of poor feedback or possible student dropout rates.

International and Commercial Higher Education in Ras Al Khaimah: Policies, Problem Areas, and Promise

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee Rensimer
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Public Investment ◽  
Education Sector ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Branch Campuses ◽  
Policy Paper ◽  
Education Market

"The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is rapidly growing as an international hub for higher education, with a wide array of international branch campuses, as well as national public and private institutions. While a majority of this growth in international students and institutions is concentrated in the emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the tertiary education sector of Ras Al Khaimah has also expanded through a combination of public investment and educational zoning policies designed to attract foreign providers who are offering affordable higher education opportunities to the UAE’s expatriate residents. The increase in commercialized international providers, however, introduces a range of regulatory issues, including the need for quality assurance, data reporting, accountability, and sustainability. In the absence of robust monitoring and regulation of institutions operating within economic free zones,1 students must navigate a commercial higher education market without access to impartial information. As a result, students are vulnerable to misinformation and misleading claims by institutions and may unwittingly pursue low-quality degrees that may not meet the needs of potential employers. Drawing on survey data from students studying in the educational free zones of Ras Al Khaimah, this policy paper provides insight into who these students are, why they choose to study there, and what factors influence their decisions. It finds that students attending international institutions in Ras Al Khaimah make choices based on educational cost, convenience, and location over institutional quality and reputation and that a large majority of these students are Ras Al Khaimah residents who have few educational alternatives. It argues that Ras Al Khaimah’s higher education sector is being populated by a number of low-cost commercial institutions, which may not aid the emirate or its students in their development. The paper makes several policy recommendations concerning data collection and dissemination in order to increase institutional transparency and accountability."

Building a Case of Student Experience for Sustainable Higher Education in Transnational Environment

2014 ◽  
pp. 597-611
Author(s):  
UmmeSalma Mujtaba
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Host Country ◽  
Student Experience ◽  
Mission Statements ◽  
Student Choice ◽  
First Year ◽  
Branch Campuses ◽  
International Branch Campuses ◽  
Transnational Higher Education

This chapter sets ground to realize the exceptional significance of students to international branch campuses, which is a popular mode of transnational higher education. Mission statements of different international branch campuses are analyzed that converge on the fact that most of these institutions irrespective of the host country perceive student as their priority. The chapter then moves on to explaining student choice, in a situation where number of international branch campuses co-exist in a home country, such as the case of United Arab Emirates that hosts 19% of the world’s current branch campuses (Observatory, 2012). This information is then employed to expound how international branch campuses can progressively build student experience. Within this chapter, readers can find steps to build student experience in the first year of operation, followed by fine steps that can assist in progressively developing student experience. The chapter then addresses the significance of students in transnational higher education and how this can be developed, leveraged, and converted to be a potent tool such as to ensure sustainable branch campuses (a form of transnational higher education).

scholarly journals Transnational Higher Education and International Branch Campuses in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: The Case of the United Arab Emirates

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Michael Bridi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Scientific Progress ◽  
Gulf Cooperation Council ◽  
Government Funding ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Branch Campuses ◽  
International Branch Campuses ◽  
Transnational Higher Education ◽  
Internationalization Of Education

The aim of the paper is to examine the emergence of transnational higher education (TNHE) and international branch campuses (IBCs) in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  The findings demonstrate that the emergence of TNHE and IBCs has been the result of interrelated political, economic, social, and academic factors.  First, the formation of the GCC was a key moment during which member states sought to stimulate scientific progress through the development of higher education as part of a strategy to meet labor demands and economic development.  Second, the commodification of education and the drive to increasing profits in educational institutions combined with decreases in government funding to Western universities during the neo-liberal era of capitalism have been an impetus for Western universities to seek ‘new markets’ beyond their borders.  Third, the liberating of regional trade policies in services, including education, combined with the internationalization of education has enabled the cross-border movement of students, educators, and institutions.  Fourth, the UAE’s unique demographic group mix, which consists of a majority of international expatriates, combined with significant government funding in the education sector and international partnerships has resulted in the rapid expansion of TNHE and IBCs.

The use of MOOCs in transnational higher education for accreditation of prior learning, programme delivery, and professional development

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 959-975 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carrie Amani Annabi ◽  
Stephen Wilkins
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Professional Development ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Individual Performance ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Branch Campuses ◽  
International Branch Campuses ◽  
Transnational Higher Education ◽  
Programme Delivery

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how, and the extent to which, massive open online courses (MOOCs) might be used in the accreditation of students’ prior learning, in programme delivery at international branch campuses, and for lecturers’ professional development (PD) in transnational higher education. Design/methodology/approach – The data were obtained from two international branch campuses in the United Arab Emirates. The research adopted a qualitative methodology that involved 20 lecturers participating in semi-structured interviews and ten lecturers participating in a focus group. A rigorous process of content analysis was used to analyse and interpret the data. Findings – Lecturers in transnational higher education perceived that MOOCs were not suitable for accredited prior learning but that they might be useful as a supplementary resource for student learning and for personal PD. There was a strong belief that as international branch campuses offered a commodified product, MOOCs were unlikely to be adopted as a replacement for traditional programme delivery methods, as students strongly prefer face-to-face teaching and support. Practical implications – The research has identified a number of recommendations for higher education institutions operating in transnational settings, which might improve both institutional and individual performance. Institutions that intend to use MOOCs in programme delivery should consider how their students and staff would react to such a move, and how this might impact upon institutional image and reputation. Originality/value – Surprisingly, there has been little academic research published on the use of MOOCs in higher education, and to the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study conducted in a transnational education setting. The uniqueness of the environment in which international branch campuses operate, as well as their different objectives and student profiles, provide the rationale for this research.

scholarly journals Internationalization Of Higher Education: A Reflection On Success And Failures Among Foreign Universities In The United Arab Emirates

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sepideh Mahani ◽  
Arman Molki
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Internationalization Of Higher Education ◽  
Branch Campuses ◽  
The Past ◽  
Education Hub ◽  
World Class ◽  
Set Up

Globalization has affected many sectors of the society, including higher education. In the current global economy, higher education institutions face numerous challenges. Factors such as the increasing international competition, achieving higher ranking among global universities, and the pursuit of creating world-class institutions has had a significant impact on higher education institutions. While universities respond to these challenges differently, some higher education institutions are increasingly moving toward the internationalization of their campuses. Internationalization of higher education programs includes branch campuses, cross border collaborative programs, exchange of international students, and establishment of English-medium programs and degrees. Over the past decade, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been on the receiving line of this phenomena. Internationalization of higher education has greatly affected the UAE as it continues to strive toward becoming a leading education hub in the Middle East. Until recently, the goal of the UAE has been to make higher education accessible to all students within the UAE by providing them with quality learning resources. However, over the past several years, in addition to providing its citizens with quality education, the country is working toward establishing itself as a world-class regional education hub through inviting prominent universities to set up campuses in the country. This paper examines the current trends in internationalization of higher education and analyzes the recent successes and some unanticipated outcomes of this phenomenon in the UAE.

The Effects of Employee Commitment in Transnational Higher Education: The Case of International Branch Campuses

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 295-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Wilkins ◽  
Muhammad Mohsin Butt ◽  
Carrie Amani Annabi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Employee Commitment ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Branch Campuses ◽  
International Branch Campuses ◽  
Transnational Higher Education ◽  
At Home

Higher education is a labor intensive activity and strong organizational performance depends upon employee commitment. This study analyses antecedents and consequences of employee commitment in universities that are involved in transnational higher education, with a focus on identifying differences between the employees at home and foreign branch campuses. The data for the study were obtained using a questionnaire that was completed by both teaching and non-teaching staff at three institutions in the United Kingdom, three institutions in Malaysia, and two institutions in the United Arab Emirates. A conceptual model was proposed and tested using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that employees at international branch campuses are not as motivated and committed to their organizations as their counterparts at home campuses. The findings suggest that institutions need to employ different and customized human resource strategies at home and foreign campuses, specifically with the aim of improving employee commitment and performance at the foreign campuses.

scholarly journals DETERMINANTS OF ACADEMIC FRAUD IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: A FRAUD TRIANGLE PERSPECTIVE

2021 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 3879-3892
Author(s):  
Kamaruzzaman Muhammad, Erlane K Ghani, Muhammad Asyraf Haziq Rossli
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Fraud Triangle ◽  
Academic Fraud ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Policies And Procedures ◽  
Triangle Theory ◽  
The Relationship

This study examines the factors influencing academic fraud based on two components of the fraud triangle theory in a faculty of a university from the perspective of students. Specifically, this study examine whether pressure and opportunity increase the students’ propensity to commit academic fraud. Using questionnaire survey on 227 respondents, this study shows a positive relationship between pressure and academic fraud. Among the reasons for the presence of pressure are wanting to help a friend, not likely to get caught, assessment being too difficult and pressure to get good grades. This study also shows a positive relationship between opportunity and academic fraud. Among the reasons are little or no discussion in class on academic fraud with specific examples and explanations of the consequences and, little or no reference being made to the University’s policy on academic fraud in the syllabus and, students do not sign a statement that their work is their own. The findings of this study may enhance the readers understanding toward the relationship between the variables. This is imperative for a university especially the management to consider academic fraud as a serious issue. It is hope that the faculty can devise appropriate policies and procedures or improve its existing system to minimise the instance of academic fraud in the future, as well as meeting its organisational goals.

scholarly journals The Cultural Border Crossing Index: implications for higher education teachers in the UAE

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-45
Author(s):  
Peter Hatherley-Greene
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
English Language ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Border Crossing ◽  
Classroom Culture ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Foundation Program

Student transitions from secondary to tertiary education have attracted global attention as universities and colleges of higher education seek to improve student retention. Over the course of one academic year, I documented the transitional experiences of first-year male Emirati students at a college of higher education in a rural location of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In this paper I describe four categories of cultural border crossing experiences – smooth, managed, difficult, and impossible – with easier and smoother crossing experiences associated with close congruency (related to the students’ self-perceived attitude and scholastic preparedness as broadly reflected in their competence in their second language, English) between the predominantly Arabic life-world associated with Emirati families and government schooling and the dominant Western/English language culture in institutes of higher education. Additionally, I describe and evaluate students’ cultural border crossing experiences with some Foundation program faculty, finding that those teachers who developed a classroom culture based on Kleinfeld’s (1975) notion of ‘warm demandingness’ and caring rapport-building appeared to have the most positive impact upon the students. Implications from this research have the potential to positively impact both the student and faculty classroom experience in the Gulf tertiary classroom, in addition to improving overall student retention rates.

Internationalization of the higher education system: an interpretive analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 359-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nizar Mohammad Alsharari
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Regional Integration ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Branch Campuses ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Education Hub ◽  
Area Of Concern

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the process of internationalization of higher education (HE) in the United Arab Emirates by examining the development of its HE system, and analyzing the components and results of internationalization.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a qualitative research methodology to analyze primary evidence from interviews with academics in the UAE, and uses documents and archival research as secondary evidence to provide a comprehensive view of the UAE’s internationalized HE sector. A review of the literature is undertaken to inform discussion and analysis which focuses on the internal and external environments of the UAE. A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis identifies the benefits and challenges for the UAE of internationalized HE.FindingsThe study finds that internationalization of HE in the UAE has grown rapidly in the last decade, and that the UAE has sought to establish and promote itself as an “education hub” in the Middle East. However, this may subsume the government’s parallel goal of educating its citizenry to the level of skills necessitated by globalization. Three major forces promoting internationalization in the UAE are neoliberalism, quality assurance, and imported internationalization, an approach seeks the prestige conferred by international accreditation that is predominant in the UAE as well as other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states. An area of concern is the governance of systems to ensure high quality for universities that may be state-owned, privately owned, or international branch campuses. The study concludes that regional integration could provide the way forward for these countries in their internationalization efforts, not by standardizing but by better formulating study programs across the range of state, private and international higher education institutions.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has important implications for HE policy and governance in the development of internationalized HE in the UAE. It provides theoretical perspectives with practical implications, focusing on some of the critical issues in this developing field for HE administrators and practitioners alike. It also has implications for the UAE’s national social values and cultural identity. This may be a reflection of the UAE’s relatively recent unification as a state whose HE system, developed to skill its population, has been overtaken by the imperative to compete in a globalized world. The research is limited by the absence of longitudinal data to review longer-term outcomes.Originality/valueThe UAE, like other GCC countries, is striving to take its higher educational system to a higher level of performance. This study can be considered as one of the very few studies in the area of the internationalization of HE in the UAE. It contributes to the HE literature by identifying factors and circumstances that facilitate, and hinder, the development of internationalization of HE in the UAE. Globalization can be considered as one of the history’s most significant social processes, and the HE sector plays a vital role in the delivery of knowledge and skills to societies, and thus its socio-economic development.

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