Top Team Structures in UK Higher Education Institutions: Composition,Challenges, and Changes

Higher education institutions (HEIs) worldwide have been undergoing significant levels of structural change for a number of years, ranging from minor re-alignments of roles and responsibilities to radical changes such as the creation of new roles and new models of operating. This article discusses some initial findings from a recent UK-focused research project that investigated the challenges and changes associated with the composition of “top management team” (TMT) structures in HEIs. Using the key findings from desk research and empirical investigation in a sample of UK institutions, the article identifies some of the key changes in the roles and responsibilities of the TMT, and identifies examples of good “practice” or “process’ within institutions.

     

Democratising the curriculum or training the children of the poor: school‐based vocational training in Australia

This article examines the views of staff employed in UK higher education institutions (HEIs) about how those institutions are dealing with the impact of recent UK equality legislation and related European employment directives. Assumptions underlying current approaches to equality in UK HEIs are examined, particularly the notion of meritocracy, which advocates job selection and promotion based on normatively and culturally neutral measures of merit. The article is based on a project funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, using qualitative case studies of six English, Welsh and Scottish HEIs. The project data suggest that equality policies for staff and students are in tension with each other, that staff policies may clash with other institutional policies, for example on research excellence or enhancing the student experience, and that the rhetoric of equality policies is not always matched by the day‐to‐day experience of staff. The article suggests that the case study UK HEIs, with their continued focus on meritocracy and excellence, have not yet adapted to the new climate of employee equality legislation and perhaps need to consider a different approach than the meritocratic one.     

Motivating Individuals: Growing research from a “fragile base”

Faculty around the world are experiencing changes in their academic work. While “traditional” universities are responding to demands for greater accountability and increased and timely outputs from research, faculty within new higher education institutions (HEIs) are undergoing a paradigm shift within three concentric circles of change. Not only do they have to alter their own academic practice, but their HEI is also undergoing a revolution at a time when higher education is itself being transformed. The article documents these changes, challenging the assumption that there is a homogeneous or “single academic profession” with a common experience of academic change, and suggests a more complex picture for faculty in new HEIs. There are three sections: (1) overview of the literature on academic work, (2) how faculty in new HEIs are learning to play the research game, and (3) strategies and policies being introduced to encourage and facilitate research.     

For whose benefit? Black and Minority Ethnic training programmes in higher education institutions in England,UK

Inequalities continue to exist in higher education, with Black and minority ethnic (BME) academics less likely to be professors or occupy senior decision-making roles compared to their White colleagues. In order to increase BME representation in senior decision-making roles, specific programmes targeted at BME groups have recently been introduced in higher education institutions (HEIs). This article draws on research carried out on two such programmes in England. By using principles of critical race theory (CRT), I argue that racism continues to play a key role in the lack of BME groups in senior leadership roles and that such programmes benefit HEIs rather than contributing to a commitment to inclusion, equity and creating a diverse workforce. Furthermore, such programmes work for the benefit of HEIs to perpetuate and reinforce White privilege, rather than addressing structural inequalities.     

Internationalisation Network: A Finnish Experience

One of the main issues of internationalisation is networking. The network way of action within higher education institutions (HEIs) represents new modes of the information work. Networks are worth evaluating more precisely in the future, and social network analysis (SNA) is a useful tool for this evaluation. This article describes the network of people working with internationalisation in Finnish universities of applied sciences (UASs). The study combines SNA and knowledge‐sharing between HEIs. The model of knowledge creation introduced by Nonaka and Takeuchi is used in the analysis. On this ground of network evaluation, we study the network structure, relations and roles in the internationalisation network and discuss appearance of trust and competition in co‐operation between HEIs.     

Internationalisation Network: A Finnish Experience

One of the main issues of internationalisation is networking. The network way of action within higher education institutions (HEIs) represents new modes of the information work. Networks are worth evaluating more precisely in the future, and social network analysis (SNA) is a useful tool for this evaluation. This article describes the network of people working with internationalisation in Finnish universities of applied sciences (UASs). The study combines SNA and knowledge‐sharing between HEIs. The model of knowledge creation introduced by Nonaka and Takeuchi is used in the analysis. On this ground of network evaluation, we study the network structure, relations and roles in the internationalisation network and discuss appearance of trust and competition in co‐operation between HEIs.

     

Constructing “world-class” as “global”: a case study of the National University of Singapore

This article investigates the ways in which newly-established higher education institutions (HEIs) position themselves as “world-class” through constructing themselves as “global”. With the escalating “free market” and competitive forces arising from the marketization of education, most universities see a construction of themselves as global universities as a necessity, where the global mark is valued as a signal of quality across markets and thus positions the universities as world-class. This study specifically examines how one very successful emerging university, the National University of Singapore, constructs and promotes itself as a global institution through three strategies.     

Time to reconsider the strategic role of system(s) for monitoring higher education graduates’ careers?

The “employability” paradigm is beginning to be publicly regarded as one of the key developmental paths and “modernisation” principles of higher education institutions. In this context, the article first overviews the existing practices for tracking graduates’ early careers in Europe. Next, it identifies and discusses relevant conceptual aspects for designing system(s) for tracking graduates’ careers and using the results of graduate studies. This includes understanding and interpreting employability, possible societal tensions surrounding higher education when seeking to support the needs of graduates, employers or initiating new “professional projects”, and the development of disciplinary assumptions about career success. Third, based on the results of a national survey among higher education institutions in Slovenia, it explores institutional views related to establishing systems for monitoring graduates’ “employability”. Understanding higher education institutions’ attitudes and capacities towards monitoring the employability of their graduates is important for the success of tracking surveys in terms of their involvement in the collection of data, adapting the research instrument to reflect possible disciplinary particularities and the use of survey results. By combining the institutional perspective with the previously elaborated conceptual framework, the article calls on higher education stakeholders to support the strategic function of career monitoring systems for exploring new professional opportunities of graduates in the context of broader societal and economic developments.     

Mature students’ access to higher education: A critical analysis of the impact of the 23+ policy in Portugal

Increasing mature students’ access to higher education (HE) is a worldwide priority. In Portugal, the 23+ policy which was launched ten years ago opened HE to these students. A critical analysis of eight years’ data on the universe of mature candidates in HE in Portugal shows that this “opening” varies in inverse ratio to the social prestige of institutions and subject areas. The private polytechnics and the soft sciences display a greater receptiveness than the public universities and the hard sciences. This article demonstrates that mature students save the HEIs that are less sought-after by “traditional” students and argues for fairer access to the most prestigious HEIs and programmes.     

Non‐traditional Students in a Traditional System of Higher Education: The German Case of Formally Non‐qualified Students

For many years, higher education systems around the world have been reporting on “new”; and/or “non‐traditional” students which in many institutions represent the majority of all undergraduate enrolments. These students are older, have work experience, study part‐time, carry full‐time adult responsibilities, have to take on full‐time employment, take advantage of open admission policies, and focus their studies on vocational objectives. This article focuses on a small group of German non‐traditional students who enrol through special admission. Their backgrounds, their experiences, their motives, and their expectations will be described. Certain consequences for higher education will be sketched.     

JEFFREY SCHOCHET,TAKING CENTER: A MORAL PORTRAIT

This article, based on field research, considers how an adolescent graduate of a New York Jewish day school constructs his moral identity now that he is in the larger setting of a large public high school in metropolitan New York. Jeffrey Schochet (a pseudonym), the subject of this article, wrestles with moral issues throughout his school day, defying conventional stereotypes about adolescent apathy. This article identifies three moral outlooks, “Permissive,” “Connected,” and “Standard-Bearing.” A “standard-bearer,” Jeffrey upholds a sense of duty, and he seeks to fulfill the traditional social roles of a male in his community. This research stands at the confluence of research on adolescence, moral education, religious education, and American Jewish sociology, focusing on questions of meaning and tradition.     

The World-Class Multiversity: Global commonalities and national characteristics

World-Class Universities (WCUs) are nationally embedded comprehensive higher education institutions (HEIs) that are closely engaged in the global knowledge system. The article reviews the conditions of possibility and evolution of WCUs. Three interpretations are used to explain worldwide higher education: neoliberal theory, institutional theory, and critical political economy, which give greater recognition than the other theories to the role of the state and variations between states. World higher education is evolving under conditions of globalization, organizational modernization (the New Public Management), and in some countries, marketization. These larger conditions have become manifest in higher education in three widespread tendencies: massification, the WCU movement, and organizational expansion. The last includes the strengthening of the role of the large multi-disciplinary multi-purpose HEIs (“multiversities”), in the form of both research-intensive WCUs with significant global presence, and other HEIs. The role of binary sector and specialist HEIs has declined. Elite WCUs gain status and strategic advantage in both quantity and quality: through growth and the expansion of scope, and through selectivity and research concentration. The balance between quantity and quality is now resolved at larger average size and broader scope than before. The final section of the article reviews WCUs in China and considers whether they might constitute a distinctive university model.     

‘Teamwork’ or ‘Working as a Team’? The Theory and Practice of Top Team Working in UK Higher Education

This article focuses on the theory and practice of teamwork in ‘top management teams’ in UK higher education institutions. It is informed by some of the key findings from a recent two‐year research project sponsored by the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education that investigated the different ways in which UK higher education institutions organise their ‘top management’ and ‘senior management’ structures ( Kennie and Woodfield, 2008 ). The authors discuss literature from the corporate and higher education sectors on the meaning of ‘teamwork’ in top teams (e.g. Bensimon and Neumann, 1993 ; Katzenbach, 1998 ; Wageman et al., 2008 ) and relate the findings to the challenges of top level team working in higher education settings. Particular issues discussed include: the terminology related to higher education top teams, areas of decision‐making and time‐management, team orientation and agenda setting, team behaviours and team roles, team performance and evaluation, location, logistical support and resources, and team development. The authors conclude that the challenges of top team working in higher education settings are similar to those found in the corporate sector, albeit nuanced by different organisational cultures, and suggest some key principles to help top teams in higher education institutions improve their ability to work effectively together.     

Improving the Academic Performance of Non‐native English‐Speaking Students: the Contribution of Pre‐sessional English Language Programmes

There is an established, if weak, inverse relationship between levels of English language proficiency and academic performance in higher education. In response, higher education institutions (HEIs) insist upon minimum entry requirements concerning language for international applicants. Many HEIs now also offer pre‐sessional English courses to bring applicants up to the designated language requirement. This paper revisits the research into language proficiency and academic performance using data on all full‐time students (17,925) attending a major UK HEI in the academic year 2011–2012, 4,342 of whom were non‐native English speakers. The findings confirm that while higher International English Language Testing System (IELTS) marks at entry translate into higher grade point averages (GPAs), students who undertake pre‐sessional courses do notably worse in GPA terms than students who arrive with acceptable (for the course) IELTS scores. These findings suggest HEIs (and, by extension, international students) could benefit from a review regarding the appropriateness of current pre‐sessional English language proficiency programmes.     

Consumerisation in UK higher education business schools: higher fees,greater stress and debatable outcomes

For many UK higher education business schools, the continued recruitment of UK, EU and international students is crucial for financial stability, viability and independence. Due to increasingly competitive funding models across the sector, many institutional leaders and administrators are making decisions typical of highly marketised consumer environments. Thus, this paper explores academics’ perceptions of the impact of consumerisation in UK higher education business schools. To achieve this, 22 business school academics were interviewed within three UK higher education institutions (HEIs) in the North of England. Participants had a minimum of three years teaching experience. Data was analysed using template analysis taking an interpretive approach. The findings indicate that academics perceived the introduction of tuition fees to have been the catalyst for students increasing demonstration of customer-like behaviour: viewing the education process as transactional, with the HEI providing a ‘paid for’ service. It is argued that these changes in UK higher education have created tensions between university leaders and academics, creating genuine dilemmas for those with decision-making responsibilities who must balance academic integrity and long-term institutional financial viability.     

A critical review of learning approaches for entrepreneurship education in a contemporary society

The concept of entrepreneurship has evolved significantly in the last decade and is identified as a competence rather than as a skill, comprising many different behaviours, attributes and skills, including empathy, creativity, financial literacy, taking initiatives and identifying opportunities. The Entrepcomp framework outlined by the EU Commission in 2016 highlighted that entrepreneurship focused on all aspects of society, not just business. It defined entrepreneurship as “the value that is created, financial, cultural, or social”. The importance of entrepreneurship as a key facet of life has reinvented how it should be taught, leading to collaborative pedagogical models that facilitate the exchange, flow and co‐creation of knowledge between HEIs, businesses and communities . This article identifies the need for c ollaborative pedagogical models to develop entrepreneurial skills. It explores if a hybrid of design thinking and problem‐based learning can satisfy the needs of entrepreneurship education in contemporary society.     

Standardization techniques for grade‐inflation problems at higher educational institutions of Ethiopia: the case of Addis Ababa

Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) is a measure that is used to display the achievement of college students in Ethiopia. It also serves as a key yardstick in career and scholarship assessment. In recent time there has been a rapid massification of higher educational institutions (HEIs). Many academics believe that the expansion has increased a tendency for grade inflation in Ethiopia. As an objective comparison of the quality of graduates from different HEIs is not easy, this study has attempted to discern the CGPA differentials across sample HEIs in Ethiopia and to derive a new standardization technique for their comparison. The study identifies different grading patterns, not only across college categories but also along various batches of HEIs. To generate the standardization technique, both CGPA and the ESLCE (Ethiopian School Leaving Certificate Examination) are employed to derive the Normalized Index. The index is used to adjust not only the inflated but also the deflated CGPAs. The quality of the index could be further improved by incorporating additional variables and also by validating the method over a large set of HEIs.     

The New Office Technology and Its Effects on Secretaries and Managers

This article examines effects of new office technology on secretaries' attitudes in the UK and Malaysia. Despite research studies on the impact of this technology, there has been a lack of empirical evidence on secretaries working patterns, interactions and communication, and specifically how new office technology has changed working practices in the culture of offices.The sample of this research study comprised secretaries and managers in the UK and Malaysia. The main findings are these: Whilst significant historical and political changes are subtle there are shifts which stand out as important. Both managers and secretaries are using new office technology, regardless of the size of organisations. Both access almost the same information, indicating a possible breakdown in the traditional hierarchical structure of management, making secretaries more powerful with new roles and responsibilities. There are some differences due to historical and political backgrounds between the findings in both countries.     

If management can be learned,can learning be managed? Reflections on HEI‐based management training in smaller firms

This article explores the characteristics involved when higher education institutions (HEIs) engage in management training in smaller firms. Building on previous research on how smaller firms and small firm managers learn and how these learning characteristics relate to the dominating culture in HEIs, the article suggests a tentative framework within which HEI‐based training of SME managers better could be understood and more effectively implemented. Founded on this framework, the article advocates dialogue as a main pedagogical strategy for designing HEI‐based management training programmes; programmes that should also benefit from including consultants as a lubricating interface between the academic world and the smaller firms’ world of practice. The implications drawn from this framework are illustrated by experiences from a pilot management‐training programme for small business managers in northern Sweden.     

A conducive environment? The role of need support in the higher education workplace and its effect on academics' experiences of research assessment in the UK

Little is known about how researchers in higher education institutions (HEIs) experience and respond to support received from their departments. The present study investigated how support for researchers' autonomy (choice and self‐expression), relatedness (through connections with colleagues) and competence (feeling effective in one's work) influenced their attitudes towards an external assessment of research. To do so, we surveyed 598 academics from four HEIs in the UK about their attitudes towards one such external assessment: the Research Excellence Framework (REF), a nationwide assessment of research quality and the subject of debate about research evaluation. Our findings, drawing on self‐determination theory, show that departments can shape responses to the REF: individuals whose psychological needs were supported by their academic departments held more positive, and less negative, attitudes towards the REF. This occurred both directly and indirectly through researchers' recognition that the REF had a more positive influence on their research activities and outputs.