University-led STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) outreach forms one potential avenue to address the continuing decline of tertiary student enrollments. Yet to-date the impact of these programs is not well understood, due to an historical emphasis on "delivering the goods" that obscures debate on which outreach…

A key challenge for higher education practitioners is to identify how to construct more engaging online environments that promote key learning skills and encourage self-directed learning. This paper discusses a study that investigated how online university courses could be designed to be more engaging. The study employed a design-based research…

In the shifting environment of higher education, characterised by financial constraints, institutional competition and governmental steering, universities adopt a new stream of missions. In Japan, internationalisation and the acquisition of a global outlook have become a key strategy. The trend is endorsed through competitive public funding…

Institutions of higher education are increasingly compelled to produce evidence that illustrates their contribution to society. In this age of demonstrating value, self-assessment is critical for urban and metropolitan universities. This study will explore the design and implementation of a landscape analysis--phase one of an in-depth…

This paper reports findings from a recent study of Australian Aboriginal higher education student experience. Reported here are extracts from a set of case studies of staff, specifically those working in Indigenous Centres, involved with these students in both teaching and support capacities. These participants provided a rich set of qualitative…

Purpose: This study aims to examine six South African universities with a particular focus on the quality of teaching and learning. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative case study approach was adopted and data were mainly generated by means of open-ended questionnaires. The questionnaire was circulated to approximately 1,800 students and 746…

How can universities ensure that strategic aims to integrate research and teaching through engaging students in research-based experiences be effectively realised within institutions? This paper reports on the findings of a qualitative study exploring academics' perceptions of the challenges and barriers to implementing undergraduate research.…

The fiercely competitive HE market has led HEIs to invest significant resources in building a distinct identity. An HEI's location forms an inherent part of its identity and the uniqueness of location offers an opportunity to differentiate. However there has been limited examination of how location is used by HEIs and little consideration of how…

In recent years there has been increased discussion of the subjective, emotional and sociological factors influencing student choice of university. However, there is a dearth of information exploring what constitutes these feelings. This exploratory paper uses the conceptual model of the servicescape to provide insight into the emotional factors…

European University Association is an institution which guides not only European but all universities in their efforts to improve their quality within the context of Bologna Process. In this study Institutional Evaluation Reports prepared by EUA for all higher education institutions that applied to be evaluated between 2013 and 2015 were examined.…

Cyberbullying is a growing phenomenon, causing concern among students, parents, and professionals in the educational community. Although no federal law specifically addresses cyber-harassment in higher education, institutions have a legal obligation to address all claims of harassment, regardless of the location or platform in which the harassing…

Our main objective is to analyze the different ways in which people involved in the Mexican intercultural education subsystem conceive interculturality. This subsystem is still emerging and we refer to the specific case of Veracruz. We point out the discursive elements implied in the construction of definitions as well as the linguistic screens…

Employing a glonacal (global, national and local) heuristic as a theoretical lens, and a qualitative analysis with interview data, this study highlights how Chinese faculty members interpret the definitions and implications of pursuing world class universities (WCUs) and struggle with the multiple dimensions of their academic lives across global,…

Purpose: Higher education institutions are regarded as forerunners and pioneers of sustainability. However, it is to question whether they actually fulfill their role model function. This paper aims to reveal whether selected universities in Australia and Austria meet the reporting expectations about their activities on sustainability in very…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the process of internationalization of higher education (HE) in the United Arab Emirates by examining the development of its HE system, and analyzing the components and results of internationalization. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopts a qualitative research methodology to analyze…