Assessing the organisational impact of external quality assurance: hypothesising key dimensions and mechanisms

The aim of the article is to provide a framework in which the organisational impact of external quality assurance (EQA) can be assessed. Based on existing studies of the impact of EQA in universities and colleges it is suggested that greater systematisation of how impact is measured is needed for a better understanding of how EQA can be used as a policy instrument. The article identifies key dimensions with respect to the categorisation of organisational impact of EQA. It discussing the possible links between different types and forms of EQA and their relation to organisational change and development. It also provides some reflections on elements of hypothetical mechanisms for organisational impact of EQA.     

Moving Mountains: will qualifications systems promote lifelong learning?

This article aims at providing a check list of possible mechanisms to trigger more and better lifelong learning from within the national qualifications system. It analyses the existing policy responses to the lifelong learning agenda in the countries under study and identifies possible mechanisms within the qualifications system that could impact on the behaviour of the many stakeholders. There are many other ways to impact on lifelong learning but they are not addressed in this article which focuses on the role of national qualifications systems.
Two mechanisms in particular are studied in more detail because they seem to be at the top of the research and policy agenda of many countries: qualifications frameworks and recognition of non-formal and informal learning systems.     

Impact evaluation from quality assurance agencies’ perspectives: methodological approaches,experiences and expectations

Starting from the main objective of external quality assurance (EQA) procedures to assure and improve the quality of higher education institutions and its provisions, the paper examines expected impacts of EQA procedures on institutions from the perspectives of three European quality assurance agencies. First, the paper examines the expected impacts of different standard parts of a typical peer review procedure on higher education institutions and assesses when a procedure is most likely to have an effect on the institution. The second part presents the current practices of the three EQA agencies, AQU Catalunya (Spain), Evaluationsagentur Baden-Württemberg (evalag) (Germany) and the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (Finland) on assessing the impact of their EQA procedures.     

Why context matters: a comparative perspective on education reform and policy implementation

This article explores the significance of context within the process of contemporary education reform and policy-making. It draws upon evidence from a comparative study of educational change and transformation in seven education systems: Australia, England, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Russia, and Singapore. The article focuses on school leadership preparation, training, and development, which has become a policy priority and central improvement strategy in many education systems. The article explores how seven education systems are using this strategy to promote school and system improvement. The article reflects upon the centrality of context in the process of policy implementation and in the broader pursuit of system transformation. The article concludes that more contextually appropriate approaches to educational policy selection are needed and that borrowing approaches from other countries many bring unintended consequences and unfortunate side effects. Further, the article concludes that the process of policy implementation, in context, requires far more attention, if the intended outcomes are to be achieved.     

The variation in academics’ experiences of teaching in an intense study centre compared with their traditional university settings

Abstract

Business and enterprise skills are essential for the future economic prosperity of any country, and many schools and colleges of Further Education in the UK run programmes or courses which specifically develop such skills. This article considers the current practices in the training of business awareness in some European countries and discusses an example of good practice — the Young Enterprise Europe scheme. The article concludes that there are a range of different methods for ensuring the development of business skills used within European countries, but there is no standard practice. The article argues that the Young Enterprise Europe programme could be launched throughout Europe to address such educational business development and proposes a model which is adapted from the Personal Effectiveness Model (Fennell, 1994). However, it concedes that further empirical research should be undertaken to draw more reliable conclusions.     

Different Missions of Community College Systems in Two Different Countries: Community Education in Taiwan Versus Vocational Education in Turkey

Long seen as adaptive, responsive, and flexible higher education institutions in the face of educational, economic, and social changes, the American community college model has been adapted in many parts of the world. However, the extent to which the American community college model could be successfully adapted and implemented depends on the political, educational, and socioeconomic contexts of each country. Therefore, to better understand how the American community college model has been adapted by other countries requires critical analysis of these systems case by case. This article aims to critically analyze how American community college models are adapted in other countries, particularly focusing on the systems in Taiwan and Turkey. The article starts with a literature review on the community college systems around the world and the accompanying challenges that these countries face in the adaptation process. Before presenting the Taiwanese and Turkish community college models in detail, their American counterparts are introduced to provide a theoretical/conceptual context for understanding international case studies. This article concludes with discussions on the commonality and differences of this form of higher education in Taiwan and Turkey and highlights emerging themes that draw attention to community college researchers, practitioners, and policy makers.     

The Doctorate in the Nordic Countries

This article gives an overview of the research training systems in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden with emphasis on the structure, organisation, time span of the degree, completion rates, labour market and internationalisation of postgraduate education. Even though the various national research training systems in the Nordic countries seem to be becoming more similar, there are still differences in their organisational models. In addition, the article compares the Nordic doctoral systems with those of the USA, the UK, Germany and France-the four countries which traditionally have been the most important recipients of Nordic students seeking research training abroad. The model of the US 'graduate school' has been the inspiration and basis for many European initiatives to improve doctoral degree education. In all these countries such schools have been introduced, but often in a modified form and to a limited extent. The main conclusion is that the trend is towards a common international PhD where the content, breadth, length and quality are equivalent.     

印度私立高校与中国民办高校之比较研究

论文主要介绍了印度私立高校与中国民办高校的发展状况,运用管理学中的SWOT分析法进行了比较分析。印度与中国均是人口大国,也是教育大国,在高等教育急需改革与发展的今天,面对很多类似问题。因此,本文基于印度私立教育发展的主要经验,针对我国民办教育发展提出了对策。     

Where in Europe would people like to study? The affordability of higher education in nine Western European countries

In discussions on the accessibility of higher education, student financial support, or rather, the financial position of students, is a key focus. In many countries the affordability of higher education is an issue, particularly within those countries which have proposed to implement or increase tuition fees, or to increase the availability of loans and decrease grants. In this article, nine Western European countries are examined, and their relative position in terms of the affordability of higher education will be explored. As such, it provides insight into the relative impact of different support systems on the financial position of students.     

浅论当代伊斯兰教原教旨主义

伊斯兰原教旨主义作为当今打着“宗教复兴”旗号的一种国际政治力量，它的产生、发展和兴起是与伊斯兰教和伊斯兰教国家的产生、发展息息相关的。它的表现形式各异，其中的极端主义派别以暴力或恐怖手段从事反对异教徒、反对世俗政府的活动，对许多地区和国家的稳定构成严重威胁，从而在世界政治舞台上产生了极大的影响。本文即从伊斯兰原教旨主义历史发展的角度对其产生的原因、现状以及未来发展趋势做一探讨，并对它其中的宗教极端势力在新疆的危害做了阐述和分析。     

互联网使用与孤独感的关系

长久以来,孤独感都被认为与过度使用互联网有关联,对此已有许多学者进行过大量研究.文章对近十几年来国内外有关互联网使用与孤独感关系的研究进行了总结,首先介绍了孤独感的定义,其次梳理了该领域研究中提出的两种相反假设即互联网使用引起孤独感、孤独者更倾向于使用互联网,以及双向关系的可能性;然后探讨了影响二者之间关系的因素:人格及网络服务;最后分析了现有研究的不足并指出未来研究应重视羞怯、依恋、自尊等人格变量及家庭功能、人际信任等因素对互联网与孤独感关系的影响.     

20世纪90年代以来美国大学终身教授制度研究综述

本文对20世纪90年代以来国内外学者有关美国终身教授制度的研究进行了梳理,以期对我国高等教育领域目前所进行的人事制度改革研究有所裨益.     

The “Developing” Achievement Gap: Colombian Voucher Reform

The achievement gap in many developing countries is defined in terms of rich/poor and public/private. The prevailing explanation for the “developing” achievement gap is an underfunded, inefficient, and/or inadequately supplied public school sector. Via an analysis of a Colombian voucher experiment, this article examines the extent to which income-contingent vouchers can narrow the achievement gap and provide a cost-effective method for increasing secondary school enrollments. Despite structural and implementation flaws, which diminish the program's impact on achievement and enrollments, its successes strengthen the argument that implementing an income-contingent voucher program can help narrow the achievement gap in developing countries. To cost-effectively increase enrollments, however, significant modifications and expansions to the program would be necessary—as explained in the conclusion of this article.     

Including Pupils with Special Educational Needs: beyond rhetoric and towards an understanding of effective classroom practice

The future of educational provision for pupils with special educational needs can be seen to be central to educational debate across Europe and the USA. Legislation from many countries has focused upon the means by which the achievement of a more inclusive education system can be achieved. This article suggests that whilst the socio‐political and moral arguments for inclusion have been well established, insufficient attention has been given to the development of an understanding of classroom practices which are conducive to creating an inclusive education system. The moral imperative for inclusion is clear and few teachers would deny that a move towards a more equitable education system should be regarded as a priority. Yet, moves towards the achievement of greater inclusion have been slow. Existing research has demonstrated that under some circumstances inclusion can be efficacious, yet many teachers remain uncertain with regard to its implementation in their schools. This article argues that there is a need to move forward from debating the justification of inclusion and to shift efforts in the direction of an analysis of effective classroom practice to meet the needs of those pupils who are currently presenting the greatest challenges to teachers.     

Research on Gender and Education in the Nordic Countries

Sex has for many years been an important independent variable in educational research, but the serious theoretical discussion of the variable as a dependent variable belongs mostly to the last three decades. A need for a conceptual reorientation has emerged which, for one thing, resulted in the replacement of the concept sex by the concept gender. The article in this section presents and discusses the necessity and the development of this theoretical reorientation in the Nordic countries, which has attracted many researchers and instigated inventive projects. In addition the article gives an overview of Nordic empirical gender research in or related to education: first the studies that opened up the field, then the development that followed. This presentation focuses on different subareas, such as studies of gender and ability, learning and achievement, studies of gender aspects of classroom interaction, studies of single‐sex learning arrangements, action research studies in order to expand the interpersonal and emotional skills repertoire of boys and girls, studies of gender identity. Although differences between the Nordic countries are clear, similarity is the dominant trait. At the end the article comments on recent viewpoints on the likely development of gender policy and outlines basic educational questions within the Nordic educational systems.     

Confronting inclusive education in Africa since Salamanca

ABSTRACT

The move towards Inclusive Education in Africa since Salamanca (1994) has been slow, despite the reduction in enrolment gaps for vulnerable children due to universal primary education in many countries. This article centres on conceptions of Inclusive Education, which have rested primarily on increasing numbers of children with disabilities and special needs in mainstream schools. The article shares some of the key challenges across countries that have limited progress towards Inclusive Education and some achievements, including local thinking towards a broader view of inclusion within a social model and attention to barriers within contexts. It looks specifically at notions of ‘inclusion’ within the African context and the focus on access for the most marginalised which remain problematic in the face of struggling economies and variants of authoritarianism replacing colonial power. Ironically, links to colonial powers are maintained with a continued reliance on international aid and support to move policy agendas forward and to support local communities. The article looks at this tension in the development of policies and practices moving forward and the tension in relation to the African struggle for freedom and ‘ubuntu’, a shared collective humanness and social ethics against oppression to maintain group cohesion.     

Educational Quality Assurance in Universities: an enhanced model

In the last decade or so there has been a proliferation of literature(s) concerning quality assurance (QA) in a variety of contexts. The literatures which have primary relevance to higher education span a range of disciplines or transdisciplines, including management science and development evaluation, organisational behaviour and change, and the study of higher education. While evolution has occurred in approaches to QA in many institutions, piecemeal, non‐systemic or poorly planned and integrated approaches are still common. This paper distils some key ideas from the literatures on QA and higher education culture and practice and proposes a model for educational quality assurance (EQA). The model is evolutionary, in that it (1) is built on and integrates ideas from research, practice and case evidence; (2) integrates key elements of educational environments which influence the quality of climate, process and outcome, but which are often not strongly linked in QA strategies or systems; and (3) has continual quality improvement in student learning at its heart and as its primary goal, with accountability as an important consequence.     

西方国家社会责任会计信息披露制度及其启示

社会责任会计是西方国家于20世纪70年代创立的一个会计分支。现在,西方国家都已不同程度地实施了社会责任会计。借鉴其先进经验,对完善我国社会责任会计信息披露机制具有重要意义。     

Special and inclusive education in the Eastern Caribbean: policy practice and provision

The countries of the Eastern Caribbean have for more than a decade been committed to the implementation of a common educational reform strategy. At the heart of this strategy has been the policy of 'education for all', which includes establishing educational support services for children with special educational needs. In the past, many disabled children and children with learning difficulties have been excluded from the education system in these countries. For many more children, attendance at school has not given meaningful access to educational opportunities. This article discusses research carried out by the authors and reports on the implementation of the Reform Strategy and on the barriers to inclusive education that persist in the region.