Higher education in Turkey: Subsidizing the rich or the poor?

We investigate how the benefits of publicly financed higher education in Turkey are distributed among students with different socioeconomic backgrounds. We use a dataset from a nationally representative sample of university entrance exam takers together with data on government subsidies to public universities. We compare the characteristics of students who succeed in the exam to those who do not and those who enter public universities to those who go to private ones. Our econometric analyses based on a three-stage selection model reveal that students from wealthier and more educated families are more likely to be successful at university entrance. Unlike the findings in other countries, students who enroll in private universities come from higher income and more educated families. Among those who enter public universities, students from higher income and better educated families are more likely to go to universities that receive larger subsidies from the government.     

A longitudinal examination of students’ health behaviours during their first year at university

During the transition from school to higher education, young adults experience a substantial amount of change where they progress from the highly controlled setting of school to the autonomous and self-motivated environment of university. Time spent at university is considered a critical period during which young adults establish a clear sense of identity, which can include forming positive health behaviours such as regular physical activity. The transition from school to university also involves a number of changes that can impact on the mental well-being of students including financial concerns, academic pressures and a lack of social support. Our aim was to longitudinally examine the physical activity levels and mental well-being of Scottish students during their first year at university. Participants were 48 first-year students (males, n = 24; females, n = 24) aged 18–19 years enrolled at two Scottish universities in the UK. At entry to university (semester 1) participants completed a validated self-report measure of physical activity and measures of anxiety and depression. Participants’ physical activity levels were assessed for seven days via accelerometry. Participants completed the same measures six months later (semester 2). Daily moderate physical activity levels decreased across the semesters yet perceptions of mental well-being remained stable. There was a significant increase in hip and waist circumferences across the semesters. The first year of university is a critical period for establishing positive health behaviours and there is a need for universities to actively encourage physical activity as an integral part of university life.     

‘The customer is always right?’: Student discourse about higher education in Australia

Changed funding arrangements and views of education have resulted in a re-prioritization of activities and practices in Australian universities. While considerable research attention has been given to the consequences of these changes for university policies and the activities of academic staff, less attention has been given to how students perceive these changes. In this paper, undergraduate students’ experience of the commodification of higher education sector are explored. The evidence suggests that the changed context is beginning to affect how students perceive university priorities and their effects on teaching and learning.     

90后大学生学风建设

学风是一所高校能够持续发展的力量源泉,90后大学生成为高校主体的今天,学风建设面临新的机遇和挑战,产生了一系列问题.高校应根据90后大学生的新特点采取健全规章制度、加强思想教育、优化教风、加大实践教学力度等措施,构建优良学风.     

我国不同时期个人高等教育经历与收入关系的比较研究

回顾高等教育经历对个人收入影响的历史变动轨迹,探讨高等教育回报"价值"变化趋势,对高等教育的未来发展有着较强的参考价值和启示意义。本文利用中国社会综合调查2006(CGSS2006)数据,比较研究了上世纪80、90年代、新世纪三个时期大学毕业生的教育个人回报率变化情况。结果表明,随着时间推进高等教育回报率在不断提高,但如果考虑大学生"毕业后未能就业"群体规模与比例激增的现实情况,相对而言新世纪大学生的"价值"在"明升暗降"。     

全球化与终身学习

全球化对于教育发生着全面而深远的影响。受过高等教育的人总是承受着世界对于劳动力划分的压力,大学也因此变成为这些劳动力提供职业再教育的场所。世界上越来越多的大学教育已经开始面向社会上的劳动力提供硕士研究生教育和职业技能教育。中国的高等教育在为受教育者提供终身教育方面做得还很少。文章提醒我国的高等教育应该相应的调整。     

大学生创业行为影响因素及其激励对策研究——基于武汉高校大学生的调查

创业教育是个系统工程,其中任何一个环节的变化都可能会对大学生创业行为产生影响。基于武汉市十所不同层次高校的608名大学生创业行为进行实证调研,从大学生个体、家庭、高校三个层面出发,通过运用OLS、Logistic模型、Probit模型,系统分析了武汉市大学生创业行为的现状及影响因素。研究发现,个体、高校这两个层面的因素对大学生创业行为影响较为显著,但家庭层面的影响不显著。此外,通过对性别和创业培训的情况进行异质性分析发现,年级、创业培训、创新创业比赛机会等对男大学生的影响显著,而影响女大学生创业行为的主要因素则是实习经历、亲朋创业经历以及创新创业比赛机会等。对没有创业培训经历的大学生而言,个体、家庭、高校层面的因素对大学生的创业行为存在显著影响,而对于经历过创业培训的大学生而言,仅有性别和创新创业比赛机会对其创业行为产生影响。基于此,文章提出激发大学生创业热情、优化高校创业教育体系、构建创新创业为导向的协同培养机制以及营造良好的创业文化氛围等四项对策建议。     

Effects of the Shift to English-Only Instruction on College Outcomes: Evidence from Central Asia

Abstract

English-only college education in non-English speaking countries is a rapidly growing phenomenon that has been dubbed as the most important trend in higher education internationalization. Despite worldwide popularity, there is little empirical evidence about how the transition to English-only instruction affects students’ academic outcomes. Using a natural experiment at a selective university in Central Asia and a difference-in-differences strategy, we estimate the causal effect of switching to English-only instruction on students’ college outcomes. We find that the introduction of English-only instruction led to a decrease of GPAs and probability of graduation and an increase in the number of failed course credits. Although negative, the effects were short-lived. The difference-in-differences estimates and the examination of potential mechanisms suggest that at least in selective universities in non-English speaking countries, the switch to English-only instruction may affect college outcomes negatively at the time of transition but may not necessarily imply longer-run negative effects.     

世界一流大学留学生教育规模研究

大学留学生教育是反映现代大学教育质量与水平的重要参数之一,世界一流大学都比较重视留学生教育,但各个国家情况不同,留学生教育发展模式也有区别,各大学在留学生总数及比例、本科段和研究生段的人数及比例等方面都有不同程度的差异。我国大学的留学生教育还有待进一步提升,在发展过程中既要借鉴世界一流大学的经验,更要根据国情校情,因地制宜地稳步推进留学生教育的发展。     

体验式教育：提升大学生思想政治教育实效性的有益路径——以《思想道德修养与法律基础》课程为例

如何进一步加强和改进大学生思想政治教育工作,大力培养造就社会主义事业合格建设者和可靠接班人,是我国高校肩负的神圣而艰巨的政治使命,是高校德育工作者和伦理学者共同研究的课题。本文以我国高校正在开设的《思想道德修养与法律基础》课程为研究对象,以体验式教育为研究方法,以提高大学生思想政治教育实效性为目标,对大学生道德体验式教育的内涵特征、主要内容以及模式设计与实施进行了研究和探索。     

“… but it has its price”: Cycles of alienation and exclusion among pioneering Druze women

The positive aspects of women from traditional societies acquiring higher education have been widely documented, while the loss and pain entailed in the process, involving transition and changing gender roles, have usually been ignored. This narrative research explores the experience of Druze women who were the first or among the first, from their villages to study at Israeli universities, focusing on their return home following their studies. Studying in university involved crossing boundaries of gender and culture, leading the women through a path profoundly different from that of their families or childhood friends. Upon return, feelings of pride and accomplishment were accompanied by alienation, hybridity and pain. These aspects, previously overlooked in research literature, are discussed in the present article, adding a new dimension to the understanding of emotional and social facets in the lives of women from so-called ‘traditional’ societies who seek higher education.     

对我国高等教育财政性经费投入比例偏高的审视

在我国三级教育财政性经费投入中,高等教育所占的比例一直较高,这是由中国特殊国情所决定的。近年来,随着高等教育实行收费制度,三级教育生均财政性教育经费比值逐步趋向合理,同时也对高校和大学生家庭产生诸多负面影响,考虑到我国未来各阶段适龄教育人口的变动趋势,当前及未来一段时间内,国家对高等教育投入应当保持相当的水平,以保障高等教育质量。     

The Work Content of Resource Room Guidance Personnel at Universities and Colleges in Taiwan

Abstract

School resource room guidance personnel handle services to students with disabilities in institutions of higher education in Taiwan. This study conducted a survey of the kind of work performed by university and college resource room guidance personnel, and used a questionnaire to investigate 244 such personnel. This questionnaire contained ‘background variables’ and ‘five major aspects of work’ sections; the five major aspects of work were ‘reporting diagnoses’, ‘recruiting and examination services’, ‘individualized support plans’, ‘barrier-free services’ and ‘assistance with activities’. The findings indicated that differences existed in the work situation of guidance personnel of different ages, years of service, school type, night shift, work evaluation and incentive mechanisms and handling services apart from special education. No significant differences were found in gender, marital status and educational attainment. Based on these findings, the researchers made recommendations about resource room guidance personnel and their work situation at universities and colleges in Taiwan.     

Pathway to success: using students’ insights and perspectives to improve retention and success for university students from low socioeconomic (LSE) backgrounds

In an increasingly complex landscape of diversification and massification, universities are grappling with challenges of student attrition. This paper presents findings from a project investigating how students from low socio-economic backgrounds at a regional Australian university perceive challenges and supports associated with retention and success. Twenty-seven students received intensive one-to-one support from a Faculty-embedded ‘academic advisor’, and reflected on this support, their overall student experience, and strategies to enhance student success. Students identified a range of challenges that they experienced across an academic year (personal circumstances, lack of preparedness for university study, timely access to support, course/programme difficulties) and what worked well for them (academic advisor, University support services, growing confidence in self as competent student, peer support). A range of strategies for enhancing student success were identified by students, namely consistency across teaching design and delivery, transparency of delivery modes, mandatory orientation, access to a dedicated academic advisor, and increased peer connectedness. The applicability and viability of the proposed strategies within current higher education settings are explored.     

Effects of a college access program for youth underrepresented in higher education: A randomized experiment

This article describes EXCEL, a program that encourages youth underrepresented in higher education to enroll in higher education, specifically at the sponsoring university. Eighty-three eighth grade students with GPA of B and above and standardized test scores at grade level or above were randomly assigned to the program or to a control group. The program guaranteed a scholarship to the sponsoring university and provided enrichment activities throughout high school. Program students were more likely to enroll at the sponsoring university than were control students. However, program and control students enrolled in higher education at rates that did not differ significantly. No differences were detected in self-esteem or high school GPA. Program students desired more education than control students. The results suggest that scholarship incentive and support programs that target average to above average achieving students in the eighth grade may not raise the overall number of aspiring minority youth attending college, but may be useful to specific universities to raise their minority enrollment.     

我国城乡大学生择校差异的实证研究

根据对我国大陆31个省市175所普通高校4.7万名2007级大学新生的调查发现：农村子女就读一般公办本科院校和公办高职高专院校的较多,而＂211＂高校和独立学院中城市子女占多数;与农村大学生相比,城市大学生对其所读大学达到＂满意＂的比例更高;择校时,城市大学生更看重＂父母、家人或其它亲属的影响或建议＂,而农村大学生更看重＂学费和生活费用因素＂。因子分析的结果表明：影响农村大学生择校的有＂高校自身的特征＂、＂外人的影响＂、＂地缘和学缘＂和＂高校招生宣传信息＂等4个主要因素,而影响城市大学生择校的3个主要因素分别是＂高校自身特征＂、＂地缘、学缘和特殊项目＂及＂外人的影响＂。     

The performance evaluation of corporate universities

The aim of this paper is to illustrate the phenomenon of corporate universities from the perspective of the evaluation of their performance. Corporate universities have a hybrid nature that can be referred to both as a business unit and as a higher education institution. Having reviewed the literature on corporate universities and performance evaluation of these kind of entities, we present the results of a survey on Italian corporate universities. Results shows that an appropriate framework for the evaluation of corporate university performance need to distinguish among the different types of corporate universities that are actually in place according to their mission and degree of openness to the external environment.     

高考移民现象的再认识——从分配公正的视角

高考移民出现的根本原因在于现行高教资源分配的严重失衡。重构高教资源分配制度不仅必要而且可行。区别不同情况分别制定不同的策略,促使高教资源在地区之间达致公平为根本改进之道:对人均高考资源较少的地区,加大招生力度;对人均资源丰富,高考分数低的地区控制招生人数,扩大当地高校外地生源的比例。     

Asymmetries in progression in higher education in Taiwan: Parental education and income effects

A unique data set on Taiwan was employed to investigate the socioeconomic family backgrounds of students attending universities. Our empirical study found that individuals attending university are more likely to come from better-educated families than are those who do not attend university. Students attending public universities, which receive higher government subsidies, tend to come from wealthier families. Furthermore, our results show that the relationship between the size of the government subsidies and family background is not purely progressive. Students attending normal universities/teacher training colleges received the highest subsidies but tended to come from the least-educated families. Students attending the top five public universities come from the most affluent families of Taiwanese society.     

谈职技高师学生的综合素质养成教育

近年来，职技高师对学生的综合素质养成教育进行了初步的研究与探索，并在实践中取得了一定成效。职技高师培养目标的特殊性决定了学生的综合素质养成教育有着与其他高校不同的要求。本从职技高师学生的师德素质、专业技术素质、创新精神和实践能力培养等方面，对学生综合素质养成教育中的一些问题进行了初步思考与探讨。