Gender and Management in HEIs: Changing organisational and management structures

This paper reports on the second phase of a multi-country study examining cross cultural perspectives of gender and management in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It examines the broader labour market context and legislative frameworks for higher education in each country and then analyses the literature on women in university management. The paper presents the findings of research with male and female senior managers about their perceptions of women as HEI managers within changing organisational and management structures. It concludes that although HEI’s are now largely aware of barriers to women getting into and on in senior management, they have not addressed the organisational structures and cultures that perpetuate this inequity.

     

Gender and Management in HEIs: Changing organisational and management structures

This paper reports on the second phase of a multi‐country study examining cross cultural perspectives of gender and management in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It examines the broader labour market context and legislative frameworks for higher education in each country and then analyses the literature on women in university management. The paper presents the findings of research with male and female senior managers about their perceptions of women as HEI managers within changing organisational and management structures. It concludes that although HEI’s are now largely aware of barriers to women getting into and on in senior management, they have not addressed the organisational structures and cultures that perpetuate this inequity.     

Organisational climate and strategic change in higher education: Organisational insecurity

This research introduces the concept oforganisational climate and contributes to anunderstanding of the recursive relationshipbetween organisational climate and strategicchange initiatives. In the 1990s there wasrecognition that higher education worldwide wasmoving through a period of rapid change.Alterations in the external environment wereput forward as rationales for universities toreconsider the way they organised from theirtraditional governance and managementstructures through to the way in which theyperformed their primary activities of research,teaching and learning. A common approach tothis adaptation or change has been through anincreased emphasis upon strategic planning.This was accompanied by discourses rooted intechnological determinism and the unquestioningbelief in the rightness of a particular brandof corporate management. This research focusedon one such approach to strategic change: thedevelopment of information strategies in 12 UKHigher Education Institutions. Using a groundedapproach to theory generation, it highlightsthe influence of different styles of managementon organisational climate. The paper discussesthe antecedents and influence of one of thedimensions of organisational climateidentified: insecurity/security. Itestablishes that that climates of insecurity(or security) can exist within an HEI and canbe shared on an organisational level, or can berooted in sub-cultures. Six issues wereidentified which affected the climate ofinsecurity or security within the differentHEIs. These issues related to perceptions ofchange management and its frequency,predictability, openness, degree ofparticipation, discontinuous or incrementalnature of change, and whether or not decisionsare implemented by use of persuasive power orcoercive power. The paper goes on to discussthe multi-dimensional nature of insecurity. Itnotes that `managerial' approaches are morelikely to create highly insecure environmentswhich reinforce a vicious circle: staff beingde-motivated, cautious, less willing to takerisks or exercise discretion and are morelikely to resist change. In contrast, inenvironments where a more `collegial' approachhad been used, a virtuous cycle was created,whereby there was a willingness to be open andshare information, there was a greater degreeof cognitive conflict, and more positiveinterpersonal relationships. These factorshelped create consensus, the widespreadunderstanding of decisions (acceptance of theirlegitimacy) and commitment to both thestrategic decisions and the university. Thepaper concludes by arguing that a moresophisticated approach to strategic planningand change should be utilised reflecting theneed to view the HEI as a symbioticcommunity.     

Mergers in Higher Education: A Strategic Analysis

This paper looks at recent mergers in higher education from a strategic management perspective. It is based on private research undertaken for a dissertation in completion of an MBA degree in 1996. The objectives of the study included the discovery and analysis of merger input factors and process variables, and an assessment of the contribution of both towards an effective outcome. The paper considers similarities and differences between mergers in higher education and as a whole. The process included structured interviews with senior management in two universities, which helped to develop a census survey of incidents involving an HE partner between 1987 and 1994. The incidents included mergers with further education colleges, other HE institutions, and colleges of health.     

Use, updating and integration of ICT in higher education: Linking purpose, people and pedagogy

In this article the use, updating and integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for teaching and learning purposes is discussed. Based on an empirical study using interviews and document analysis of the implementation of ICT in five Norwegian universities and colleges, the article analyse a number of factors that are of importance for the implementation of ICT in higher education. The analysis discloses that Norwegian higher education institutions often have adequate economic resources and a rather well developed technical infrastructure and support structure related to the use of ICT. However, attempts to link ICT initiatives to organisational development issues and to human resource management have not been very successful. In the conclusion it is argued that pedagogical issues and organisational and human development aspects must be better linked if ICT is to play a more effective role in teaching and learning in Norwegian higher education.     

Organisational Change and Development: An Australian Case Study

This paper traces the theoretical perspective of organisational change and development and relate it to an Australian case study. It starts with a review of literature on various types of change, strategies, and processes of change advocated by different scholars and organisational experts. It is followed by another review of literature on organisational development and how organisational change and development could be related to institutional mergers in higher education. This theoretical analysis is followed by the results of a research project on the merger between the La Trobe University and the Lincoln Institute of Health Sciences in Melbourne. For the collection of data, a case study approach has been adopted employing mainly qualitative methodologies. Thus the results are based on an analysis of the archival material, interviews with key personnel in both institutions and the amalgamated institution as well as observations by the researcher. On the basis of what has been achieved within a period of two years, it has been concluded that the amalgamation has been a qualified success and has contributed towards change and development of the amalgamated university.     

双高建设下高职院校加强学籍管理促进学风建设探析

学籍管理是高职院校教育管理和学生管理的一个十分重要的环节,它不仅体现着高职院校的学生管理工作水平,同时也是学校办学能力的体现。科学有效的学籍管理对多元化的学生管理及学风建设都起到了至关重要的作用。但在目前很多的高职院校内部,学风建设还需要进一步加强。通过分析当前高职院校的学风建设现状,探讨学籍管理和学风建设之间的关系,提出学籍管理来促进、优化学风建设的几点措施,以期提供参考。     

关于创建示范性高职院校的思考

创建示范性高职院校,对于深化高职教育改革、提升高职教育地位,引领高职院校健康持续发展,具有重大的意义,示范性高职院校应该是发展的示范、改革的示范、管理的示范,通过示范性高职建设,创新中国高职教育的人才培养模式,走中国特色的高技能人才培养之路.     

Relationship between measures of academic quality and undergraduate student attrition: the case of higher education institutions in the Colombian Caribbean region

Undergraduate student attrition is a major concern in higher education. It is usually explained by the impact of student attributes; however, recent developments in student success literature point to the need of exploring institutional practices that may impact a student's decision to abandon their studies. The current weight of academic quality assurance for Colombian higher education institutions (HEI) and what such measures may mean for how HEI fulfill their missions indicates the need to consider a possible relation between such quality measures and undergraduate student attrition. Using official databases from the Colombian Ministry of Education for the year 2009, this study explores through analysis of variance the relationship between attrition and three measures of academic quality: accreditation status, professional test scores required to graduate (Saber Pro Exam) and the number of research groups at HEI. The scope of the study is the Colombian Caribbean region and the sample includes 19 HEI. Study results demonstrate that the percentage of accredited undergraduate programs at HEI was the only measure of quality assurance, out of the three explored, that showed a statistically significant relationship with undergraduate student attrition rates.     

Colleges and the Governance of Higher Education

The governance of higher education in colleges and college sectors that offer other types of education and training is distinctive in four main respects. First, governance structures are frequently separate and different for higher education and for other segments of tertiary education. Second, the size and scope of the higher‐level education taught by individual institutions will bear on the extent to which the management and governance arrangements in colleges are joint or divided. Third, the growth of small and distributed forms of higher‐level education has created specific problems and dilemmas for national and sub‐national governance. Fourth, the multiple missions of many colleges continue to pose questions about their educational and organisational coherence and governability. It is only in recent years that a base of evidence has been available to comprehend these developments, although definitional difficulties and data deficiencies remain.     

新疆少数民族大学生现状调查与发展对策研究

越来越多的新疆少数民族学生进入普通高校学习,成为高校的“特殊”群体,他们的风俗传统、生活习惯、学习方式等都与汉族学生有着较大的差别,导致高校对他们的教育存在一些不足。为探究起因,调查组以某学院为例,围绕近年来新疆少数民族学生学业、教育管理、受资助、心理状况等方面进行深入调研,通过问卷调查、部门走访、个别访谈、小组对话、个案研究等方式,全面了解新疆少数民族学生在校学习、生活、成长方面的现状及困惑,找到成因,并在此基础上探寻新疆少数民族学生教育管理和促进少数民族学生良好发展的对策。     

System transition in Japanese short‐term higher education: what future for the Japanese junior college in crisis?

The uniquely Japanese institution of the tanki daigaku (two‐year university) known as ‘junior college’ in English was seen as Japan's answer to increasing participation in higher education. Initially established on a provisional basis in 1950, becoming permanent in 1965, they were the higher education institution (HEI) of choice of almost 500,000 students a year at their peak in 1995. Demographic changes after 1992 brought about a buyers' market for higher education with institutions in aggressive competition for students, a battle in which the tanki daigaku seems destined to be defeated. This paper examines the options available to junior colleges in crisis and in so doing identifies a number of features of a virtually universal system of higher education which raise issues for other advanced societies grappling with massification and commodification in their own higher education systems. The paper reviews the literature in this area, as well as drawing on a year of participant observation as an associate professor from 2000–2001.     

澳洲高校合并后校园文化的培养与重建

高校合并现象引起了学术界的高度重视，如何处理和缓解由此带来的行政管理、教学、科研等诸方面的问题和矛盾，是对高校管理提出的新的挑战，其中合并后校园化建设更是其中一个不容忽视的方面。本着重介绍先于我国高校完成合并的澳大利亚高校的校园化培养，以及其校园化对高校实质性融合产生的作用等问题，说明校园化建设对培养新组建高校的忠实度(loyalty)和一体感的重要性。虽然中澳两国在基本国情、高校管理等方面存在着许多差异，但认真了解、分析澳洲高校的管理经验，对我们仍有许多可借鉴之处。     

试论高校合并后档案管理工作的整合与创新

高校合并与重组,是20世纪末、21世纪初我国高等教育体制改革的重要举措。本分析了高校合并后档案管理工作的制约因素,指出高校合并后档案管理工作应注重在三个层面上进行整合,并就高校合并后档案管理工作整合与创新的途径进行了探讨。     

创新高校教学信息化建设内涵与发展战略

教学信息化建设是高等教育信息化发展的重点,其建设水平是高校整体办学水平和地位的重要标志。当前高校教学信息化建设主要存在政策制度不完善、区域差异明显、机构职责定位含混、资源共享情况差、师生素养较低等问题。高校在教学信息化建设过程中应重视顶层设计与统筹规划,创新管理体制与工作机制,加强软硬件环境与优质教学资源建设,加快教学管理信息化进程,构建教学支持服务体系,提升师生信息技术素养,深入推广教学信息化的应用成果,以适应教育改革与发展的需要。     

Institutional Level Student Engagement and Organisational Cultures

Driven by the growing presence of market forces within higher education worldwide, universities are changing the way they engage with students. This article explores how a university's internal culture relates to engagement with students and their views. It builds on wider research into student engagement and organisational cultures. The organisational cultures of two universities are mapped against a typology developed by McNay, which was extended by the author to include aspects of institutional engagement with students. It appears that corporate and bureaucratic institutional cultures that may respond well to external pressures on institutions (regulation, performance indicators, audits and policy pressure) are not conducive to engagement with student opinion. The stronger preference of students remains a collegial, partnership‐based approach for enhancement of the student experience. This study will be of interest to institutional managers, student (union) leaders, academics and practitioners who seek to improve the student experience through effective engagement with student views.     

Resource Dependence in the Further Education Marketplace: considerations for the managers of college mergers

Abstract

In 1993 all institutions designated by the government as ‘further education providers’ were removed from local authority control (under the provisions of The Further and Higher Education Act 1992). All such colleges are now responsible for institutional self‐management, a task which, in the context of the current post‐16 education environment, presents a number of challenges.

Allied to a range of government generated targets, further education (FE) institutions find themselves subject to increasingly intense competition from their perceived local rivals. This is significant because a substantial proportion of college funding is based upon student recruitment (as well as the retention upon and the completion of programmes by students). Thus, there is an inevitable emphasis placed upon competing for the available student cohort. At the same time the FE sector is also subject to wider government measures, including the ongoing capital expenditure cuts for the sector introduced in the 1995 Budget.

In the context of considerable external influence and growing competition, many FE colleges are consequently exploring alternative strategies for coping with a complex and uncertain environment. In particular, a growing number of institutions have examined a merger strategy as a response to the pressures within the sector. By 1998, it has been suggested that 100 FE colleges will disappear due to college mergers. It would therefore appear that integration between institutions is at least being explored by a number of colleges, whilst it has been undertaken by a small number of other providers of FE.

The main focus of this article is to examine the motives of colleges seeking to merge with another FE institution, to identify the advantages and disadvantages associated with such a strategy and to explore the important issues for institutions involved in the merger process.

The article is a preliminary study of college mergers within FE and will initially note that the FE market is fundamentally different to an unrestricted, free market. In the context of government regulation it will be asserted, using a resource‐dependence model, that colleges are locked into a financial dependence upon the government. In turn, the government is then able to demand that specific criteria are pursued across the FE sector. On this basis, it will be noted that the merger is an increasingly prominent strategic option for those institutions responding to this financial dependence.

Given the nature of the FE market, the established resource dependence and the characteristics of FE colleges, the article will subsequently examine the perceived advantages and disadvantages derived by institutions pursuing a merger strategy. This will then be extended to embrace an examination of the key management issues that colleges will encounter when considering integration.

The article will therefore be of interest to academics and practitioners focusing on the nature of the external environment and markets in the public sector, the response of FE colleges to markets, competition and the government, and those examining mergers as a strategic option.     

以德治校——新时期高校教育、管理的重大课题

以德治校是新时期高校教育、管理的重大课题,也是完善治校方略的一次创新。当前,在推进依法治校的进程中,重扬以德治校的理念,努力转变高校教育、管理的观念和做法,不断探索新时期高校教育、管理的新途径、新内容和新方法具有重大的现实意义。     

高校合并的内在逻辑机制分析

在中国高等教育发展过程中出现过两次较大规模的院校合并,这种现象是特定历史时代的产物。高校合并从宏观到微观上都对高校的发展带来了影响,如规模扩张、体制改革、学科融合、学生事务管理等。文章从组织社会学视角对高校合并现象进行分析,认为大学合并是受组织的效率机制、制度环境和高校的社会网络关系的协同影响导致的。