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The purpose of this paper is to present design principles for holistic design of online degree programmes (ODPs) in higher education (HE). The study adds to previous research on online programme design by examining how the digital competence and pedagogical strategy of a HE organisation can inform holistic ODP design.

This paper presents a case study placed in the context of a Finnish applied HE organisation. Design-based research (DBR) process is used to create holistic design principles for new ODPs. Theoretical framework for the study is digitally competent organisation (Kampylis et al., 2015) and pedagogical strategy is innovation pedagogy (Kettunen et al., 2013).

Design principles for pedagogically informed holistic design of ODPs are presented as a three-tiered model comprising organisational, pedagogical and ODP layers. Each layer includes various principles for holistic design to integrate an organisation's pedagogical strategy in a digitally competent context to create quality ODPs.

The paper presents a case study from a HE organisation in Finland, but results are applicable to a wider global audience.

As a contribution to practitioners, this paper presents a three-tiered holistic design of ODP in HE organisation, where the design principles are categorised in organisational, pedagogical and ODP design layers. In addition, suggestions to managers, instructional designers and educators are made for the holistic design of ODPs.

Building the sense of community in ODPs and offering continuous support in pedagogy and technology are valuable for the well-being of the staff, students and the wider society.

The paper draws relationships between holistic design of ODPs, digital competence and pedagogical strategy. The paper provides managerial and operational viewpoints to managers, administrators and educators of HE organisations that plan to create new ODPs with a holistic focus on the educational organisation, its pedagogical strategy and digital competence. Recommendations for further development, possible applications and research of ODP education are made.

This paper aims to investigate the confidence of foundation degree (FdSc) and top‐up degree students in using and applying research methods within a sport and exercise discipline.

Closed questionnaires determined FdSc (n=24) and top‐up degree (n=21) students' confidence in five domains of research methods: using research literature, designing research studies, analysing data, interpreting research findings, and presenting research findings. Confidence was rated using a seven‐point Likert scale anchored by “most confident” (1) and “clueless” (7).

FdSc and top‐up students were most confident in using research literature and presenting research findings, respectively. Both FdSc and top‐up students were least confident in data analysis. Compared to FdSc, top‐up students were less confident in data analysis (FdSc: 3.4±0.29 vs top‐up: 4.38±0.39, p<0.01), interpreting research findings (FdSc: 2.99±0.39 vs top‐up: 3.62±0.42, p=0.02) and presenting research findings (FdSc: 2.90±0.17 vs top‐up: 3.33±0.15, p<0.01).

These data outline a need to address the teaching of research methods within FdSc and top‐up degrees in order to enhance student confidence.

Research methods are a defining feature of higher education degrees yet remain a challenging subject for many lecturers and students. Progression through FdSc and top‐up programmes provides an interesting transition with regard to research methods due to more diverse student cohorts and different research experiences. Limited insight into the experience and confidence of students studying for sport related FdSc or top‐up programmes, with regard to research methods, is currently available.

This study aims to report on how programme directors address sustainability within engineering education at Swedish universities and engineering colleges.

The study was performed as a survey with follow-up interviews around the following core questions: to what extent do programme directors possess a deep understanding of the subject of sustainable development? Which are the core competencies in sustainable development that programme directors identify as important for their engineering students to acquire during their basic training? To what extent are those competencies integrated into engineering education today and what kind of support do programme directors receive from their department to integrate these competencies into the curriculum?

Programme directors believe that learning for sustainable development is important mainly based on their personal convictions. However, out of 10 potential learning objectives extracted from the literature, only four-six are implemented in degree programmes. Learning objectives and activities are not always aligned, as students are required to learn about interdisciplinary collaboration without working with students from other faculties. The programme directors receive some support from the department, but they express a need for additional support. Examples of support that they suggest are faculty training, efficient teaching material and incorporation of sustainability in the quality assessment instruments for degree programmes.

This study is the first comprehensive, national survey of what programme directors think about sustainability in higher education. Their views are important in the attempt to accelerate the integration of sustainability in higher education curricula.

This paper describes, with examples, the writing of aims and intended learning outcomes for a broad range of engineering degree programmes at various levels including undergraduate masters. The relevance and helpfulness, to this process, of the engineering benchmark statement are discussed in the context of the range of other attempts at setting out standards for engineering degrees over several decades, mainly by professional bodies. The discussion also includes the implications, for delivery and assessment, of setting threshold standards, and the importance of clear presentation of intended learning for the successful introduction of PDP.

Describes the early stages of university executive education, including MBA and non‐degree executive development programmes, and gives examples of early in‐house executive education. Examines the current university EMBA and speciality programmes and today’s in‐house facilities. Sets out advantages and disadvantages of the two approaches, and considers a customized approach ‐ a movement towards jointly designed executive education, combining university and in‐house features. Looks at the future of executive education, the two most important trends being the effects of global competition and evolving corporate needs, and discusses future executive programmes ‐ university, in‐house and cutomized. Highlights the implications of recent developments in technology, and suggests that the underlying theme for tomorrow’s executive education is the likelihood of more company involvement.

In recent years, gambling among university students has received significant focus as it may be viewed as an attractive and exciting form of income whilst studying. Given this, stakeholders in protection from gambling-related harm need to better understand student gambling behaviours. This understanding should include students on sports-based programmes given their closer connection to sporting events, and a heightened sense of competition among such often gendered cohorts. This study aims to provide greater insights into gambling behaviours among these cohorts.

The present pilot study comprised 210 university students on sports-based and non-sport-based programmes. Participants self-reported frequencies of gambling activity and expenditure via an online survey.

Results showed a significantly greater frequency of female student non-gamblers on non-sports-based degree programmes and a high frequency of male student gamblers on sports-based degree programmes (p = 0.02). Sports-based students also reported significantly higher scores on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) than non-sports students (p < 0.01). Finally, gambling expenditure (p < 0.01) and regularity (p < 0.01) were significantly lower among students studying non-sports degree programmes.

The findings of the present study provide evidence to warrant further investigation into gambling perceptions and behaviours among students on sports-based programmes, with a view to assessing the potential need for targeted awareness, tailored support and how both can most effectively be provided.

The recruitment of undergraduate students within English universities is of vital importance to both the academic success and the financial stability of the organisation. Despite the primacy of the task, there has been a dearth of research looking at related performance and how to ensure that the process is optimised. The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree of variation both within a university and between different universities. The reliance that individual programmes and/or universities place on the Clearing process is key; given its uncertainty, resource demands and timing shortly before students take up their places.

The Nomogramma di Gandy diagrammatical approach utilises readily available data to analyse universities’ performance in recruiting students to different programmes, and the degree to which they each rely of the Clearing process. Inter-university performance was investigated on a whole-student intake basis for a sample of English universities, representative of type and region.

The study found that there were disparate patterns for the many programmes within the pilot university and also disparate patterns between different types of universities across England. Accordingly, universities should internally benchmark their programmes to inform both strategic and tactical decision-making. Similarly, Universities and Colleges Admissions Service benchmarking inter-university patterns could inform the overall sector.

The approach and findings provide lessons for analysing student recruitment which could be critical to universities’ academic and financial health, in an increasingly competitive environment.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between different organisational development programmes (360-degree feedback; Coaching; Job assignment; Employee assistance programmes; On-the-job training; Web-based career information; Continuous professional development; External education provision) and employees’ career development. The implications of the moderating effects of gender on the relationships between these eight organisational programmes and career development are assessed.

To examine hypothesised relationships on eight organisational programmes and career development, this paper computed moderated regression analyses using the PROCESS macro (3.5), for a two-way analysis of variance (Hayes, 2018). The data collected are based on a survey sample of employees (n = 322) working in Scotland.

Two main findings arose from this empirical study. First, there are significant direct relationships between seven out of the eight organisational development programmes and their influences on employees’ career development. Second, gender is a significant moderator for four of the programmes’ relationship with career development, namely, coaching, web-based career information, continuous professional development and external education provision. However, gender failed to moderate the four other programmes’ (i.e. 360-degree feedback, job assignment, employee assistance programmes and on-the-job training) relationship with career development.

This paper concludes that closer attention should be given to the organisational design of these development programmes and consideration of potential gender differences in employees’ perception of their importance for career development in their organisation. To date, the majority of research in the literature has concentrated on the impact of training on career development, so this study contributes to the body of knowledge on a set of organisational development programmes and their effect on career development moderated by gender.

The export of accountancy education to South East Asia has grown rapidly for a number of Australian universities. This study describes the experience of one university in establishing both a twinning degree programme and a completely off‐shore degree programme in accountancy. Using a case study methodology, the perceptions, experiences and actions of those managing such off‐shore programmes are related. The philosophy underlying off‐shore programmes, together with the pedagogical approaches used, are discussed. Initial concerns about dealing with the anecdotal stereotype Asian student have been addressed, and the Asian students have, in general, achieved comparable results to the Australian students. Some modifications to the degree programmes have been made to allow for local differences but the fundamental principle of offering the same degree as that offered in Australia has been strictly adhered to.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the positive academic and professional outcomes for students who undertake degree apprenticeships which use strength-based approaches in their curriculum and assessment. The design and implementation of programmes of work-based study which focus on an individual’s inherent talents are a new lens for higher education (HE), one that enables institutions to see diverse groups of students fulfil their potential and gain academic qualifications. Strength-based degree apprenticeships offer an effective way to align the needs of industry with the ambitions of individuals who wish to gain university level qualifications whilst in the workplace.

The research adopted a mixed-methods approach. Semi-structured interviews with stakeholders in industry and HE were undertaken and thematically analysed. Student data were analysed quantitatively for students in the degree apprenticeship programmes which incorporate a strength-based approach to learning and assessment.

The findings from this study highlight that the degree apprenticeships’ strength-based curriculum and assessment have spearheaded its success. On average, degree apprentices attain 10 per cent higher grades than students undertaking the same programme through the traditional degree route. Moreover, the module design and tailored support has contributed to over 91 per cent of apprentices graduating with a 2:1 or above.

This research is exploratory in nature, focusing on one university’s experiences and outcomes regarding a strength-based approach curriculum and assessment on degree apprenticeships.

The findings describe how the knowledge exchange and culture of the HE sector has shifted, and the university’s efforts to make progressive relationships with employers. Moreover, this paper describes the challenges in designing curricula and assessing students based on the strengths and skills required for their employment, rather than university mandated learning outcomes. The findings of this paper could influence a strength-based framework for the development of degree apprenticeships in the UK.