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1 – 10 of over 50000Yu-Ching Kuo and Sheng-Ju Chan
The science policy has been at the core business of contemporary nations, and determining how to establish a constructive contract between the wider society and the…
Abstract
Purpose
The science policy has been at the core business of contemporary nations, and determining how to establish a constructive contract between the wider society and the science/academia community has become a continuous challenge and major task. The purpose of this paper is to draw on Bush’s (1945) classical works and other scholarly stances in an attempt to reveal how research funding discourses and practices in Taiwanese universities have taken shape and been implemented.
Design/methodology/approach
Against this broader context, the authors examine the main elements of official documents and significant statistical evidence from recent years.
Findings
In summary, basic research investment has comparatively underperformed while the business sector has contributed relatively higher expenditures to the university sector at the international level. A strong state-led approach has been identified as the key characteristics of research funding policy for industrial development/economic growth or social problem solving. Although not making an effort to “save the nation,” the state has been dominant in steering the direction of priority areas and issues for university research in order to achieve better international competitiveness and, in turn, nation building.
Research limitations/implications
The authors examine the impact of the interplay between science’s social contract with society and rhetorical devices on the institutionalization of the university research funding policy framework in Taiwan. The exploration of this interplay leads the authors to elaborate tensions between the government, industry, universities, and research communities in Taiwan. As in other contexts, the race between social accountability and academic autonomy has evolved to be a significant element of these tensions in Taiwan. For better reflecting the public needs or social demands, a greater autonomy for the science community is desirable and favorable for long-term development.
Originality/value
The science policy is a rarely addressed but critical issue for the past two decades. Along with the increasing demand on value for money publicly funded research, societal accountability, and the international competition caused by league tables and cutting-edge technology innovation, this paper draws on classical and current mainstream discourses of science’s contract with society by investigating into Taiwanese research funding in the higher education sector. All findings are highly original for theoretical and practical implications.
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Using the Education Queensland Reform Agenda to illustrate examples and approaches to education reform, this article discusses education reform for at‐risk youth. It argues that…
Abstract
Using the Education Queensland Reform Agenda to illustrate examples and approaches to education reform, this article discusses education reform for at‐risk youth. It argues that the characteristics of modernity, the rise of Mode 2 Society, and the power asymmetries associated with the emergence of the politico‐economic will contain the reform ambitions of the Education Queensland and other education reform agendas. It is proposed that the State adopt a transgressive and complimentary set of reform strategies including the adoption of distributed governance, making available meaningful school performance data, encouraging experimentation and facilitating broad stakeholder, community and neighbourhood engagement in school planning and operations. The article argues that measures such as these will assist to mobilize trust, minimise social fragmentation, generate and regenerate community resources, build cohesion, foster the socio‐cultural‐self‐identities of ‘at‐risk’ youth and will assist youth to achieve full participation in a robust and vibrant democracy.
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This paper compares the learning experiences of full‐time PhD students in 28 Education Departments and 31 Chemistry Departments in British universities. A questionnaire composed…
Abstract
This paper compares the learning experiences of full‐time PhD students in 28 Education Departments and 31 Chemistry Departments in British universities. A questionnaire composed of two major dimensions of the learning experiences, supervision and research environment for doctoral students, was distributed to about 2,200 students. It is found that Chemistry departments are seen as offering better doctoral education as perceived by students than Education departments on most counts, especially regarding academic culture of facilitation, intercultural facilitation of research for foreign students and research facilities in research environment for doctoral students. Supervision is perceived to be more satisfactory in Chemistry than in Education especially in aspects of supervisor’s knowledge, supervisor’s research workload, supervisor’s student‐load and supervisor’s helpfulness in finding funding. A theoretical framework of the Teamwork and Individualist research training structures to discuss the possible causes of these findings is offered. It is proposed that disciplinary diversity in effectiveness of doctoral education is engendered by the two distinct research training structures.
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The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework that systematically captures the ambiguity of different understandings about science, the university and its relation to society…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework that systematically captures the ambiguity of different understandings about science, the university and its relation to society, while conceptualising sustainability. Following Corley and Gioia (2004, p. 174) on identity ambiguity and change, it seems pivotal to better understanding the ambiguity of sustainability in relation to academic cultures and university models to manage the transition more effectively.
Design/methodology/approach
The nature of this paper’s objectives as well as the wide thematic scope leads to the need of exploring a broad knowledge base. This was best addressed by an exploratory literature review with data collection from primary and secondary sources. The data was interpreted through a hermeneutic analysis and resulted in the inductive development of first categories and goals (further referred to as category development). In addition, a multi-method approach further adjusted the categories and raised their empirical validity and social robustness.
Findings
Implementing sustainability involves dealing with a double bound ambiguity due to organisational and individual identity reasons. Five fields of ambiguity were developed to systemise the conceptualisation of a sustainable university along contradictory understandings of science, the university and sustainability. These fields offer a framework to qualitatively assess the degree of sustainability in higher education institutions. Arguments for and against sustainability in universities have been categorised around five criteria and associated to the fields of ambiguity. The finding indicates that meaning in organisational change management for sustainability can be considered both, a potential driver and barrier for a sustainability transition in universities.
Research limitations/implications
This paper exclusively focussed on the internal perspective and left aside any external factors that influence the sustainability transition, such as political measures to stimulate sustainability in higher education. In addition, the operational dimension of a sustainable university has been neglected, which is by all means a necessary and important aspect. The interrelation of the identified goals has not been discussed.
Originality/value
This paper focusses on the conceptualisation and understanding of sustainability within the institution, an often-forgotten but fundamental aspect of implementation. The fields of ambiguity are designed to be applied for assessing the “degree of maturity” of a sustainable university. The fields reveal the different understandings about the role, the mission and the governance of universities, stemming from competing preferences about goals and their assumed relations by various stakeholders of a higher education institutions. The five fields are not an attempt to resolve the hidden contradictions and tensions in a sustainability transition, but to state them clearly to anticipate resistances and conflicts that hinder the development of a shared understanding.
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Marius Lanskoronskis, Lineta Ramoniene and Petras Barsauskas
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the influence of university research management on institutional competitiveness, international visibility and fund‐raising.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the influence of university research management on institutional competitiveness, international visibility and fund‐raising.
Design/methodology/approach
The research findings are based on analysis of leading universities in six European countries: Belgium (Flanders), Denmark, Czech Republic, Finland, The Netherlands and Germany. For the analysis, two criteria are chosen – institutional way of work and core partnerships. This summary is compared with theoretical background for innovative research management and the conclusion is made that these two issues are much in line.
Findings
The findings suggest that majority of leading universities in the analysed countries actively realize principles of the Triple Helix and Mode 2 Science. This is realized through innovative managerial structures and strong orientation to practical implication of research production. The findings summarise the main forms of institutional work and discuss core partnering issues.
Research limitations/implications
A limited number of universities are chosen and data are mainly collected from secondary sources such as institutional documents, web site information or corporate presentations. This is why it is difficult to evaluate how some formal declarations are realized in practice.
Practical implications
The findings may serve as a framework for considering changes in university research management structure or seeking increase of institutional competitiveness, international visibility and effective fund‐raising
Originality/value
The paper compares theoretic discussions on innovative research management through cooperation and specialization with existing practices in leading universities and provides summary and examples universities are taking to increase institutional effectiveness.
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This paper aims to investigate a workforce policy response to the ageing workforce, emerging social and demographic trends, ongoing and rapid change, the growth in complexity and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate a workforce policy response to the ageing workforce, emerging social and demographic trends, ongoing and rapid change, the growth in complexity and the changing nature of work.
Design/methodology/approach
The main method for constructing this paper is analysis of selected texts rather than the more conventional empirical studies. The approach is that of scenario construction, guided by the criteria established by Nowotny et al. Evidence is gathered of emergent trends that affect management practices and structures now and in the foreseeable future. These trends are identified and woven into a commentary that links them in a focus on the priorities for Australian organizations.
Findings
The findings from this research suggest that “command‐based” management structures of the bureaucracy, given emergent trends, present as an impediment to organizational success. Rather, a workforce policy reform agenda for both understanding and managing noted historical conditions in a coherent way is proposed.
Practical implications
The conclusions of this paper are significant for large organizations faced with the dynamism of the modern era and the difficulties associated with emerging demographic and social trends. They suggest a workforce policy reform agenda for both understanding and managing these historical conditions in a coherent way.
Originality/value
This paper deals with a topic that is exercising policy makers in all the developed economies. It offers practical advice to assist the development of workforce policy to better manage emergent trends.
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Erik Lindhult and Karin Axelsson
The purpose of this paper is to clarify the methodological logic of coproductive research approaches like action research, collaborative research, interactive research and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to clarify the methodological logic of coproductive research approaches like action research, collaborative research, interactive research and participatory research in a way that can clarify its effectiveness and scientific qualities in high quality knowledge production, and show the way that it can be integrated with institutionalized textbook science.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper clarifies the character of coproduction as research methodology concept, the logic of coproductive research approaches, and its characteristics compared to quantitative and qualitative methodology. A model for characterizing research approaches from leading textbook social science is developed to specify the character of coproductive research approaches and support integration in mainstream research methodology discussions.
Findings
The paper develops a research methodology framework for coproductive logic and approaches to research, to support the integration of this type of approaches in mainstream research methodology.
Research limitations/implications
The developed model of coproductive research approaches is not empirically described. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test and further develop the model in relation to cases and designs of research projects.
Practical implications
The paper is helpful for guiding the design of coproductive research in practice, i.e., in research project development or in research methodology education.
Social implications
The development of coproductive research approaches supports making science relevant and useful for solving pressing problems and improving social conditions. It also is enabling stakeholders to participate in research and development processes, thus the democratization of research and knowledge production.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to integration of the family of coproductive approaches in mainstream research methodology discussion through the development and elaboration of a framework for organizing the description and development of coproductive research approaches. The aim is that the framework is valuable for both academics, practitioners and students in designing coproductive research projects.
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Proposes the adoption of six strategic objectives around which to build a workforce policy architecture for the future.
Abstract
Purpose
Proposes the adoption of six strategic objectives around which to build a workforce policy architecture for the future.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing from a review of the literature, this paper investigates a workforce policy response to emerging social and demographic trends, forecast workforce shortages, ongoing and rapid change, the growth in complexity and the changing nature of work.
Findings
A workforce model that supports organizational growth and development, characterised by attributes that are associated with knowledge society work is proposed. These include: trends that alter the balance of the social structure; social and human capital growth; lifelong learning; a policy emphasis on the self; workplace flexibility; and the development of an organizational identity as a preferred corporate employer.
Practical implications
The outcomes of this paper are significant for large Australian public sector organizations.
Originality/value
This paper provides an integrated workforce management framework for dealing with emergent trends. The findings in this paper are of value to Australian public sector human resource executives.
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In the UK there is currently a national consultation on the structure/adoption of an academic credit framework for higher education. The purpose of this paper is to argue that the…
Abstract
Purpose
In the UK there is currently a national consultation on the structure/adoption of an academic credit framework for higher education. The purpose of this paper is to argue that the principles underlying such a framework, when applied in the context of a workplace research project, can facilitate debate between the academic disciplines and work‐based learning practitioners.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper argues that the workplace project, when designed and structured according to credit principles, offers a valuable point at which to interact with academic colleagues from the disciplines, and to engage them in debate regarding the academic validity of work‐based learning. The case made here is that workplace research projects (which will have an element of familiarity to colleagues) and academic credit practice (where learning recognition is not contextualised but level of achievement is fundamental) can offer a way to engender that debate.
Findings
The lack of academic confidence in work‐based learning has been consistently experienced by academics introducing work‐based learning in the UK and Australia, and they are very much aware of the need to overcome it. There is a challenge to the structure and basis of higher education is taking place in a sector which, until recently, was functioning effectively in an élite tradition.
Originality/value
The paper indicates a way to address the academic issues raised by full recognition of workplace learning and engage with them by using the “language” of credit practice, which can accommodate both new and established academic practice.
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The chapter evaluates the value of practice-based teaching and learning on a UK postgraduate unit and describes the development of conceptual models for the student practice-based…
Abstract
Purpose
The chapter evaluates the value of practice-based teaching and learning on a UK postgraduate unit and describes the development of conceptual models for the student practice-based experience.
Methodology/approach
Student experience is explored through the use of an in-depth case study. Student understanding is explored through an exit survey of students.
Findings
Student experience of the unit was positive and negative. Positive experiences stem from good client communications, a motivated student team, and the buzz of a real project. Positive experiences appear to lead to a perception of pride in outcomes and personal transferrable skills. Negative experiences stem from the lack of life experience, language difficulties, client unavailability, lack of subject knowledge, and literature gaps which left students feeling ill-equipped to deal with the international group context. Negative experiences lead to stress and poor group development.
Research limitations
The study is based on a single simple case. The methodology has sought to reduce problems with internal validity and bias. The data collection and analysis methods are repeatable and we encourage other academics to test our conceptual models and conclusions.
Originality/value
Conceptual models for positive and negative experience are proposed.
The study suggests there is a balance to be sought between providing a positive student experience and practical learning. Practice-based learning adds significant value to the student in terms of improved understanding of hard and soft tools, but may need to be based upon positive and negative experience.
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