scholarly journals Gender and Civil Engineering in Higher Education: The Case of Mauritius

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 157
Author(s):  
Noshmee Devi Baguant
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Civil Engineering ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Gender Disparity ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Gender Inequity ◽  
Undergraduate Female ◽  
Individual Conversations ◽  
Engineering Training

Engineering plays a crucial role in everyday life and is the backbone of growth and development of the world including Mauritius. To embrace development, higher education institutions have to ensure that students are equipped with appropriate knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the country. Unfortunately, data shows that there is an underlying gender disparity in civil engineering training in higher education. It is imperative to understand the causes of gender inequity in engineering in higher education. This paper summarises the findings obtained from in-depth critical individual conversations with three participants, which explored the under-representation of undergraduate female students in a civil engineering degree in a higher education institution in Mauritius. The aim was to find ways in which the recruitment of female students in higher education and advancement of women in the field of civil engineering can be achieved. The findings support the ‘non-visibility’ of civil engineering as a field to study by women and the need to fit in as an engineer by women. As a result of the research, recommendations were made to assist policy and decision makers to develop evidence-based policies to address gender inequity in engineering in higher education.

A sociolinguistic exploration of sexual harassment at an institution of higher education in Zimbabwe

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muzi Ransom Mlambo
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sexual Harassment ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Code Mixing ◽  
Undergraduate Female ◽  
Institution Of Higher Learning

The aim of this study is to explore some of the main linguistic features that characterize the discourse of sexual harassment of peers at an institution of higher learning in Zimbabwe. One hundred undergraduate female students aged between 19 and 24 were asked to respond to a questionnaire on sexual harassment and describe what they recalled the harassers said to them. The results reveal that the discourse of sexual harassment is characterized by (a) the use of monologic utterances, (b) extensive use of code-mixing and, most importantly, (c) the use of excessively impolite utterances that are couched in hostile jokes.

scholarly journals FACTORS AFFECTING THE REVERSAL OF GENDER DISPARITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (HEIS): A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 272-276
Author(s):  
M Sultana Alam ◽  
Zakee Saadat
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Gender Disparity ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male Dominance ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Male Participation ◽  
Participation In Higher Education

The commencement of higher education has observed male dominance for a very long time. However, over the past two decades, this situation has reversed. Male students are considered as a new minority in higher education institutions. This phenomenon is prominently observed in industrialized countries of the world and termed as ‘changing gender disparity’ in higher education institutions. Countries like the U.K., USA, Netherland, Germany and France are noticeable examples of the changing gender disparity. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the year 2019 observed a significant increase in female students’ participation (more than 56%), whereas male students have deteriorating participation in higher education institutions.  The European countries tend to have a similar trend whereby female students are outnumbering male students in terms of enrollment in higher education institutions. These changing gender disparity measures could result in social imbalance, causing severe social problems. For this purpose, it is crucial to determine the factors that caused the reversal of gender disparity in higher education institutions. In this context, this paper systematically reviews the literature on the factors causing less male participation in higher education institutions. The paper has adopted the PRISMA protocol for Systematic Literature Review (SLR). The paper has identified research papers that have attempted to identify the factors affecting less male participation in higher education. Furthermore, the paper has also highlighted the factors which have been identified by previous peer reviewed studies. The findings of this paper can be a potential source of information for further studying the issue related to the reversal of gender disparity, thus contributing significantly towards the relevant literature.  

The Prospects and Risks Connected with Increasing the Level of Self-Organisation in Students

2020 ◽  
pp. 75-81
Author(s):  
Svetlana Alexandrovna Kosareva ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Professional Competence ◽  
Initial Level ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Study Guide ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Self Organisation ◽  
And Control

The paper describes the method for increasing the level of self-organisation in students which has been developed by the author. It also contains the method testing results and presents the prospects and risks teachers could face while applying the method in a higher education institution. The purpose of this study is to find out the prospects and risks of applying the method for increasing the level of self-organisation in students and to determine the ways of reducing the risks. Methodology. The author points out the learning approaches which were the basis of developing the method and describes diagnostic methods for determining students’ self-organisation levels. The work focused on increasing each student’s initial level consists of a theoretical and a practical part and includes project activities on creating a study guide. The results of the study. The method developed proved to be effective. It was established by diagnosing the final level of self-organisation in students in the experimental and control groups. The paper considers the advantages of the method among which there is universal character, flexibility, improvements to teacher’s and students’ professional competence, etc. At the same time it is necessary to be aware of the risks due to the increased amount of teacher’s work and the fact that students’ work within the project tends to be monotonous. In conclusion, the prospects of the method for increasing the level of self-organisation in students are related to its advantages and the final results of the work. The risks of its use can be reduced with the help of the measures proposed in the paper.

Can-Do descriptors – Realigning English Language Curriculum at Higher Education Institution to CEFR

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 84
Author(s):  
Erda Wati Bakar
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Language Curriculum ◽  
English Curriculum ◽  
The Common ◽  
The University

The Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR) has become the standard used to describe and evaluate students’ command of a second or foreign language. It is an internationally acknowledged standard language proficiency framework which many countries have adopted such as China, Thailand, Japan and Taiwan. Malaysia Ministry of Education is aware and realise the need for the current English language curriculum to be validated as to reach the international standard as prescribed by the CEFR. The implementation of CEFR has begun at primary and secondary level since 2017 and now higher education institutions are urged to align their English Language Curriculum to CEFR as part of preparation in receiving students who have been taught using CEFR-aligned curriculum at schools by year 2022. This critical reflection article elucidates the meticulous processes that we have embarked on in re-aligning our English Language Curriculum to the standard and requirements of CEFR. The paper concludes with a remark that the alignment of the English curriculum at the university needs full support from the management in ensuring that all the stakeholders are fully prepared, informed and familiar with the framework.

THE INFLUENCE OF WORK LIFE BALANCE TOWARDS JOB PERFORMANCE IN PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION (PHEI)

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Noorlaila Hj. Yunus ◽  
Siti Musalmah Ahmad Fuad
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Job Performance ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Private Higher Education ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
The University

Work-Life Balance (WLB) is an important factor that the Human Resource Management of private higher education Institution (PHEI) should concern about in order to gain high Job Performance in theinstitution. If there are WLB practices implemented by the university, the Human Resource Department (HRD) must always get feedback from the employees to continuously improve the WLB policy. This will benefit not just the employees but the most important to the PHEI by having a good productivities and high job performance employees. The result shows that most of the employees in the university have good social support from their colleagues at work place, friends and their families. This support have given them inspiration and motivation in doing their job properly and finally they might achieved high job performance. Eventhough the result were positive about the social support the employees receives, the top management including the HRD need to revise their policy of WLBespecially other factors that can influenced the employees to optimized their efforts in doing their job.

EMPLOYEE RETENTION IN A HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION: AN ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 33-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
B J Erasmus ◽  
A Grobler ◽  
M Van Niekerk
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Employee Turnover ◽  
Intent To Stay ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
High Performing ◽  
Organisational Climate ◽  
Talent Retention

Talent retention and employee turnover are major concerns for higher education institutions (HEIs) because they are losing highly qualified staff to the private sector and to other HEIs that are able to offer better rewards and benefits. The turnover of talented staff is therefore a major concern for the institution under investigation. The retention and voluntary turnover decisions among a workforce of 4 651 employees was thus investigated. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted by means of the objective analysis of organisational data in combination with the structured questionnaire (organisational climate survey). Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyse the data across demographic groups, including age, employment category (academic as well as professional and support), etc. The results indicated that the institution’s turnover rate was acceptable (4.34%) and that dysfunctional turnover was marginal because employees with below-standard performance ratings had voluntarily resigned. Positive correlations and significant beta (b) values were reported between Organisational citizenship, Leadership, My manager and Compensation and the employees’ intent to stay in or to leave the organisation. These organisational climate factors were found to explain approximately 30 per cent of the variance in the employees’ intent to stay in or to leave the organisation. The article recommends that a talent retention tool be developed. In addition, it contributes to the literature on retention and turnover of high-performing employees, as it underscores the importance of measuring employee turnover

How (Not) to Lead Academia

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Abambres
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Time Management ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Academic Leadership ◽  
Academic Department ◽  
Higher Education Institution ◽  
Role Assignment ◽  
Professional Career

This work reports several issues found by the author throughout his professional career, concerning academic leadership. Topics like (i) out-of-field teaching/researching, and (ii) time management in faculty hiring or new role assignment, are addressed. Besides, the author describes which fundamental decisions he´d take if he could manage a higher education institution or academic department. The topics covered are crucial for the success of any higher education institution, such as (a) hiring, (b) social engagement, (c) student assessment, (d) open mindedness, (e) prompt communication, (f) passion in work, and (g) freedom / trust.

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