Academic inbreeding is a phenomenon that has been studied mostly from the standpoint of its association with research productivity. The focus has been on knowledge creation outputs and outcomes, while little to no attention has been given to the association of academic inbreeding with knowledge creation strategies and processes in academia. This article focusses on the latter, confirming that academic

This article uses the example of Germany to elaborate on the historical development, the current practice, and recent debates on employability. Employability as an outspoken aim of higher education was only established in recent decades due to the introduction of Polytechnics, the expansion of higher education, and the Bologna‐Process. Despite the diversity of the higher education sector (e.g., universities;

Graduate employability is an economic concept that strives to link higher education and employment. Economics of education and labour market theories contribute to its definition and provide arguments on its drivers and barriers. However, available studies have focused on human capital theory, which addresses the resources with which graduates should be endowed but overlooks the insights from other

Although it is well‐established that female participation in study abroad programmes is higher than the male participation, less is known about how this gap has changed over time. Using student‐level data from the nationally representative surveys of three European countries (France, Germany and Italy), this paper begins by examining changes in the relationship between gender and participation in study

In the last three decades, the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in employability skill development has been emphasised in UK national policy. Within the same time frame, internationalisation has emerged as a key strategy in higher education (HE), nationally and globally. However, the connection between the internationalisation of higher education and developing graduate employability is

This paper explores integrity dilemmas experienced by Russian academics in the context of building a world‐class university. Interviews with professors and managers of major research universities in Moscow provide critical insights into the organisational and attitudinal incongruities generated by a coercive state—a challenge that Russia has been unable to rise above following the collapse of the Soviet

This article provides a critical discourse analysis of how career is discussed on elite graduate recruitment websites. Building on previous work from Handley (2018, https://doi.org/10.1177/0950017016686031) and Ingram and Allen (2019, https://doi.org/10.1177/0038026118790949) this article draws attention to how career is constructed, first, as something which graduates consume and, second, as a ‘liminal

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, universities worldwide are going into ‘emergency mode’—radically transforming education by switching to online and e‐learning education. In the face of these emergent changes, many academic teachers who are unwilling to use e‐learning or who lack the appropriate competences are suddenly being forced to teach via electronic devices and the Internet. But how will this COVID‐19

Currently, we are at the beginning of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where the rapid developments in genetics, artificial intelligence, robotics, nanotechnology, 3D printing and biotechnology are growing rapidly. It is expected that the majority of the children entering primary school today might end up working in jobs that do not yet exist. In such a fast‐changing employment landscape, the ability

Diverse influences on national higher education (HE) systems result in variability in organisational cultures in academic workplaces. We implemented the competing values model of organisational culture to explore the departmental cultures at Czech public universities and the workplace perceptions of academics from different cultures. The participants (n = 2,229) completed an electronic questionnaire

Early Warning Systems (EWS) in higher education accommodate student counsellors by identifying at‐risk students and allow them to intervene in a timely manner to prevent student dropout. This study evaluates an EWS that shares student‐specific risk information with student counsellors, which was implemented at a large Dutch university. A randomised field experiment was conducted to estimate the effect

Current literature on higher education (HE) performance only considers the production of graduates and not graduate employment. The latter needs to be factored into the HE production model as it not only measures the true impact of HE institutions (HEIs), but also provides policy implications on how resources should be allocated. Furthermore, the current literature on HE does not incorporate student

Australia has shifted its student mobility agenda since 2014 with a commitment to see learning abroad in the Indo‐Pacific region, rather than in traditional destinations such as anglophone countries, as a ‘rite of passage’ for Australian students' future life and career. While there has been rich literature on the impact of outbound student mobility from Australia to anglophone countries, critical

Graduate employability is now typically conceptualised in terms of the extent to which the capacities of individual students match the available employment opportunities. As a result, higher education is increasingly seen as an investment in a project of the self for economic reward. This theoretical study draws on critical realist perspectives to problematise existing understandings of employability

Studies on academic inbreeding have mostly focused on institutional inbreeding and its negative effects, whereas little research has explored its causes. We identify current explanations of the macro‐, meso‐ and micro‐level factors that sustain academic inbreeding as well as research gaps. We address a main research gap regarding what macro‐level factors contribute to academic inbreeding, by analysing

The aim of this paper is to analyse the relationship between academic inbreeding in Portugal and research collaboration, using co‐authored publications as proxies. As previous research has shown that inbreeding is detrimental for research collaborations, it is hypothesised that academic inbreeding will lead to smaller research networks and, consequently, to fewer co‐authored publications outside the

This study analyses the challenges facing Asia's academy based on major findings from the international survey which was implemented in seven selected Asian systems in 2012–2013. The study argues that the academics in these participating teams were concerned with demographic issues, academics' deteriorating working conditions, building both capacity and excellence in their academics, unsatisfactory

Technology is changing the way teaching and learning take place. The main purpose of this study is to investigate tertiary students' attitude towards integrating information technology (IT) in higher education. Using stratified random sampling, 180 questionnaires were distributed to students from six tertiary institutions in Mauritius. Exploratory Factor Analysis followed by multiple regression analysis

The study examines the relationship between Quality of work life (QWL) and job performance among the faculty of technical institutions in the state of Punjab, India. Data collected from a sample of 445 respondents through a structured questionnaire have been put to data analysis with the help of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 20). Four factors that are associated with QWL (i

Over the last few decades, the active promotion of or government acquiescence in a surge of private higher education (PHE) has become a common phenomenon globally. This study examines the specific contributions and pitfalls of private higher education institutions (PHEIs) using questionnaires, interviews and documentary analysis as data gathering tools. The findings reveal that private higher education

Technology, and Web 2.0 in particular, has been the focus of many universities’ efforts to respond to 21st‐century learners’ demands and the volatile nature of the modern workplace. Web 2.0, with the numerous benefits it presents, seems to fit the needs of a socially connected and information‐led society, but its integration in educational settings remains an intricate process. This paper examines

The article analyses the strategies of Hungarian higher education interest organisations against the encroachments on academic freedom by Viktor Orbán's governments. We contrast the 2012–2013 and 2017–2019 protest waves and find that innovations in strategy came from new organisations in both periods, whereas established ones were rather passive or opted for the status quo. However, in the second period

It is widely recognised that academic freedom and university autonomy in Turkey are currently under pressure. Many scholars have produced articles discussing the Turkish predicament, linking it to the recent authoritarian and populist turn of the country. This paper offers a different interpretation, arguing how academic freedom and institutional autonomy have been approached and practised in Turkey

There is a growing consensus in political science research that higher education systems are classifiable into stable distinct types that reflect dominant trends in government partisanship. There is also a large body of higher education research that argues that higher education systems are changing and converging upon a neoliberal type, which is not yet reflected in the political science literature

Internationalisation is an important component in the transformation of higher education globally. Since 2007, the Malaysian higher education system has had a strong focus on internationalisation in positioning Malaysia as a hub for higher education. Malaysia is a member of the ASEM Education Process (AEP) and an active participant in several initiatives focusing on mobility and quality assurance since

This paper evaluates the determinants of the value of investment in higher education (absolute expected returns from higher education) among students of Russian universities, accounting for variations in the socio‐economic development of different Russian regions. Based on the longitudinal study, ‘Trajectories in Education and Careers’, it shows that the average salary in a region is positively related

Organizations including universities are operating in an increasingly volatile environment and they are in a state of constant change. To survive and thrive in this ever‐changing environment, building the capacity to adapt is essential. The basic purpose of this research was to identify and propose basic dimensions that help to envisage the adaptive capacity of public universities. To study universities

The study focuses on the issue of gender discrimination in pay among university faculty in Russia, a country with an exceptionally high share of female faculty in higher education. Using a comprehensive and nationally representative survey of university faculty, we found that although women in academia earn considerably less than men, gender inequality among university faculty is lower than in the

Searching for an academic position is known to be a stressful and often ambiguous process for applicants. During this transition from doctoral students to assistant professors, applicants seek any additional means to increase their chances of securing an academic appointment. This research draws on data gathered from a sample of recently hired business school professors for tenure‐track positions in

This paper examines students’ perspectives on the main transitional challenges experienced when commencing higher education. It explores which students are most affected by the transition and is the first paper to provide an overview of student recommendations to help improve the transition in an Irish context. The study involves large‐scale surveys and focus groups across four higher education institutions

Virtual proctoring technology is credited with increasing the accessibility of exams by enabling students to participate in exams at any time and place. In this field experiment, students were randomly assigned to virtual proctoring or traditional on‐campus examination to evaluate the effect, nature and timing of implementation barriers for online proctoring in higher education. The results show that

Instructional leadership demands educational leaders to become intensely involved in improving teaching and learning. While extensive research found this approach to be beneficial in school settings, it was insufficiently explored in higher education. Therefore, the current study explored how Israeli higher education leaders perceive their leadership role in relation to teaching and learning. Participants

Research has noted an increase in negative workplace behaviours in the higher education sector between leaders and staff. A component of this change has been attributed to the managerial shift associated with faculty leadership roles. Positions such as dean are now sometimes filled via evidence of management experience when traditionally these roles were awarded to senior academics. This paper argues

The emergence of Industry 4.0 has inspired education to undergo a transformation and change its delivery lens. To adapt to the expectation of Industry 4.0, Education 4.0 has built a new interface for each stakeholder. The roles of these stakeholders have been remodelled, which in turn profoundly influences the way a new‐age learner learns. The seamless union of the vision of Industry 4.0 and Education

Focus groups were conducted to explore prospective students' perceptions of tuition fees, maintenance loans and how these impact their decision to engage with higher education. Views on rebranding of the term ‘tuition fees’ to ‘student/graduate contributions/tax’ and the introduction of differential fees for different courses were explored. Concerns around high living costs of being at university featured

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

This article argues that, as tutors, we are bound not only by the rules of contract law (i.e., to avoid breaching the terms of that which was agreed to), but also by our duty of care, and the principles of human rights law that protect the right to education. We must strive to avoid negligent acts and any potentially harmful practices or policies. Looking to recent litigation, we are bound also to

The purpose of this study was to identify and categorise factors that hinder Korean college student‐faculty interaction. Twenty‐one college students who had advising experience with faculty were interviewed. Concept mapping was used to collect, organise and interpret qualitative data through quantitative techniques. These factors were recorded on index cards, and 21 participants returned and sorted

In Germany enrolment in majors is of considerable interest to academic departments, because their budget depends on the number of enrolled students. Besides observed factors, we presume that unobserved latent variables influence the major‐choice decision of students. Using stated preferences data from a discrete choice experiment among students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration

Die Balance zwischen der adäquaten Beschreibung der Besonderheiten von Untersuchungsfällen, und der 2 | KOSMÜTZKY eT al. 1 | INTRODUC TION: CHALLENGING THE PATHS OF (QUALITATIVE) COMPAR ATIVE RESE ARCH International comparative research is one of the key methodologies within the field of higher education research and has become a growing type of research in recent years (Cantwell, 2020; Dobbins, Knill

Government‐sponsored student loans have emerged over the decades as a primary method of financing post‐secondary education across most North American jurisdictions. Despite this, the empirical literature examining the correlates of repayment difficulty and default in Canada has remained stagnant in recent years. This study taps into an underutilised data source—the 2013 National Graduates Survey—to

Interrogating the White Paper 3 of 1997 which upholds academic freedom, institutional autonomy and public accountability, I make the case for justice through higher education using public accountability. I argue that the higher education system in South Africa is capable of fulfilling such a role in the context of extreme injustices but not without a critical engagement of the extent and causes of

The idea of a ‘third space’ located between academic and professional domains has proven useful in exploring changing academic and professional roles in higher education, including in online learning. However, the role of technology in accounts of third space activity remains under‐explored. Drawing on research into the introduction of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) at three UK higher education

1Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK 2European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Human Capital and Employment Unit, Ispra, Italy 3Mohn Centre for Innovation and Regional Development, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway 4University of Edinburgh Business School, Edinburgh, UK Abstract There

The academic profession is as heavily internally divided as never before. In this cross-national comparative study, a sample of European academic scientists (N=8,466) from universities in 11 countries is used to analyze three stratification types in higher education. They are termed ‘academic performance stratification’, ‘academic salary stratification’, and ‘international research stratification’

This paper problematises the concept of social mobility through an exploration of it in relation to Higher Education policy in England. Based upon a content analysis of a number of key policy documents from distinct eras, it identifies definitions and understandings of social mobility within them, exploring how such references have changed over time, and critiquing the differences between the imagined

The aim of this study is to explore women academic's identity work in the context of the Global South (Indonesia). This is done by examining how the interplay between macrolevel social, cultural and political influences and micro‐processes produce moments of compliance and resistance. To this end, the following research question is posed: What is the nature of identity work among women academics in

Leadership development (LD) activity and its effectiveness has not been explored rigorously across changing university settings globally. As Higher Education settings change radically throughout the world, Higher Education professionals are operating in more uncertain environments, and leaders are taking increasingly complex and diverse approaches to their leadership roles. LD activities therefore

Employing the Twenty Statements Test and a framework of self-motives (self-esteem, self-efficacy, authenticity), this paper examines the self-concept of Ukrainian doctoral students while means-ends decoupling takes place at the state level. The latter implies that the practices of state policies are disconnected from the state's core goal of creating public welfare. Data are taken from a survey of

This paper addresses the homogeneous/heterogeneous dilemma regarding formal arrangements of university central governance structures. Most topical studies argue that these structures are becoming homogeneous across countries and prove it by adopting purposive sampling techniques. Yet, other scholars stress heterogeneity within countries. This paper aims to clarify this dilemma through a multi-level

Should universities require students to attend? Academics disagree. One side in the discussion of university attendance policies has tried to dismiss any association between attendance and student performance, insisting that students have a fundamental right to choose what and when to attend. By merging student record data and course attendance data for three cohorts of final-year undergraduate students

With increasing student migration for Higher Education to Karnataka, it is important to understand the reasons which influence the migrants. Studies have indicated various push and pull factors for migration. This paper identifies career opportunities, value for education, brand equity, living conditions and others as pull factors of student migration using exploratory factor analysis. Further, the

In today’s global and knowledge-based economy, universities play an ever greater role both in determining individuals’ labour market success and in generating research than ever before. Tertiary enrolments have soared across all continents; moreover, very large number of students now study outside their countries of origin. Universities now operate in an environment characterised not just by globalisation

LCSS Leibniz Center for Science and Society, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany Abstract In recent years, more and more international comparative research has been conducted in internationally and geographically spread project teams and international research networks, and comparative research has become a fundamentally collaborative effort. Accordingly, research in such projects has to cope with

A large number of countries worldwide have established quality assurance mechanisms in Higher Education, ranging from the long-engrained system (United States) to more recent developments in Europe, Latin America and other regions. This study explores the way Higher Education institutions, as examples of autonomous organisations, respond to a new set of regulatory policies. The analysis of the regulatees

Deputy and pro vice chancellors (DVCs and PVCs) are core members of the executive team and play a pivotal role in university management. Nevertheless, they have rarely been the subject of empirical investigation. This study addresses this research gap, utilising a census to examine the size and remit of the DVC and PVC cohort in English pre-1992 universities and map its evolution since 2005. It shows

In the 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education, California in the United States famously combined the principles of excellence and access within a steep three-tiered system of Higher Education. It fashioned the world's strongest system of public research universities, while creating an open access system that brought college to millions of American families for the first time. Since 1960, the Master

This article reviews changes in British university governance over a period of nearly a century. During this time there have been considerable changes in the way universities have distributed authority in governance although the legal frameworks, statutory and legislative, have remained largely unchanged. The article shows that there were distinct phases in the internal balances within governance structures

The article introduces this special issue of Higher Education Quarterly in which results of a research project on 'European Flagship Universities: Balancing Academic Excellence and Socio-economic Relevance' are presented and discussed. The Flagship project aimed at contributing to a better understanding of the relationship between university reform agendas, with their underlying ideologies, and university

This article discusses changes with respect to university governance structures in six comprehensive universities in Europe. We present an analytical framework on the basis of which we conduct a comparative analysis of the university governance structures along four different dimensions: (a) the internal democratic nature of the governance structure, (b) the external involvement in university governance