ICT as a tool for building social capital in higher education

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in building social capital and human capacity, in terms of knowledge sharing, targeted training and developing education initiatives in higher education institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

The critical organizational form in the information age is networking. This new organizational principle is manifested through the processes of internationalization and global academic cooperation, which have become inevitable strategies for every higher education institution in order to be competitive in a global education market. The focus of this paper is on such positive practices implemented at Zagreb School of Economics and Management (ZSEM). Since its foundation in 2002, a systematic use of new technologies in education has been encouraged, which in turn has provided the basis for major advances in development. Today ZSEM has around 1,400 students and about 150 courses with an integrated e‐learning system, while currently 7 per cent of students take part in various types of international exchange.

Findings

The effective use of ICT, such as synchronous and asynchronous methods of distance learning, enables higher education institutions to reach out students, teachers and researchers in foreign countries without physically moving them. Besides improving communication and exchange of information followed by opportunities for cross‐cultural learning, effective ICT implementation enables expansion of social and economic networks and strengthens institutional and academic ties by thus building social capital. Availability and use of new technologies in education process is closely linked with globalization of education markets and student and professor mobility.Research limitations/implications – The current work has involved one institution utilizing a wide range of courses. Implications are that the approach could be positively transferred and used with other institutions and across countries.

Originality/value

This work is one of the few that has examined ICT as a tool from the perspective of its application for building social capital in higher education. The work presented investigates in‐depth this provision in a specific institution.

Citation

Aleksic‐Maslac, K. and Magzan, M. (2012), "ICT as a tool for building social capital in higher education", Campus-Wide Information Systems, Vol. 29 No. 4, pp. 272-280. https://doi.org/10.1108/10650741211253868