Quality assurance(QA)has been introduced and developed into Vietnam for almost 15 years.The importation of such a concept from other countries with different cultures may result in resistance in some ways.This study e...Quality assurance(QA)has been introduced and developed into Vietnam for almost 15 years.The importation of such a concept from other countries with different cultures may result in resistance in some ways.This study explores QA arrangements at three institutions of higher education(HE)in Vietnam,a Confucian heritage country,as perceived by academic leaders,QA practitioners,and academics to respond to QA policies from the government.The methodological approach taken in this research is a multiple case study.A qualitative approach was used to explore QA practices at three institutions.Data collected from documentation and in-depth interviews were analyzed for patterns and themes.It was found that centralism and large power distance of a Confucian collectivist country such as Vietnam significantly influenced the government’s attempts to reform HE for quality improvement.Culturally appropriate measures from the bottom level with long-term strategies should be considered to assure and improve quality,including the shift to decentralization in HE.展开更多
Higher education institutions have an essential role in sustainability.They are key agents in the education of future leaders that will contribute to the successful United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)im...Higher education institutions have an essential role in sustainability.They are key agents in the education of future leaders that will contribute to the successful United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)imple-mentation.The geography of SDGs this implementation is very heterogeneous,but it is clear that higher education institutions contribute decisively to creating a mindset that facilitates the dissemination of SDGs principle.This perspective paper analyses the impacts of higher education on sustainability and the challenges and barriers as-sociated with this process.Higher education contributes decisively to the SDGs implementation,but especially to Goal 1(end poverty in all its forms everywhere),Goal 3(ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages),Goal 5(gender equality),Goal 8(decent work and economic growth),Goal 12(responsible consumption and production),Goal 13(climate change)and Goal 16(peace,justice and strong institutions).As a transfor-mational agent,the higher education sector has a tremendous impact on students’habit and contribution to a prosperous society.However,to establish the required change in education,sustainability principles need to be at the heart of higher institutions strategy(e.g.,curricula,modus operandi)and is key to be incorporated in the organisational culture.Only by leading by example,the external influence in the society will be possible(e.g.,implementing SDGs key aspects such as gender quality,reduce waste reduction and energy consumption).For this to be a reality,different communication methods with students are needed(e.g.,different student academic levels).Nevertheless,critical challenges need to be tackled in the institutions inside and outside the institution environment,such as incorporating sustainability principles,political environment and stakeholders’interest.展开更多
Over the past decades,higher education governance and university management have become increasingly complex worldwide in a context of unprecedented expansion and diversification.Driven by both external and internal p...Over the past decades,higher education governance and university management have become increasingly complex worldwide in a context of unprecedented expansion and diversification.Driven by both external and internal pressures,higher education reforms in different nations have often been reported to follow a similar pattern:shifting from the control model to the supervisory model in nearly all aspects of their relationship with universities.While such a trend in Chinese societies has been well documented in the literature,few people have been able to identify the sticking point of higher education governance there.As a result,the concept of a doomed cycle continues to linger obstinately,viewing power delegation as leading to market disorder which,in turn,leads to tighter control.This article points out the neglect of Confucian political culture and its importance for studies of higher education governance reforms in Chinese societies.It aims to demonstrate that Western theories of and approaches to governance and autonomy in higher education cannot be simply applied to other societies of highly different historical and cultural traditions.By so doing,it attempts to shed some light on debates over governance and autonomy in higher education in a much wider context.展开更多
This paper is based on a study of three Confucius Institutes in Canada.The research aims to explore the nature of operations at Confucius Institutes,ranging from the selection of partnering Chinese universities,to the...This paper is based on a study of three Confucius Institutes in Canada.The research aims to explore the nature of operations at Confucius Institutes,ranging from the selection of partnering Chinese universities,to the program planning at each individual site.Specifically,it focuses on the perceived impacts of the Confucius Institute partnership on the Canadian hosting institutions.Data was collected through interviews with key administrative staff from three Canadian universities.The theoretical framework of constructivism from international relations theory and concepts drawn from the literature on the internationalization of higher education were used to analyze the findings.Key issues revealed from the data include the host’s perception of Confucius Institutes as China’s cultural diplomacy and soft power strategy,the progression of partnerships between Canada and China over time,and university autonomy.展开更多
文摘Quality assurance(QA)has been introduced and developed into Vietnam for almost 15 years.The importation of such a concept from other countries with different cultures may result in resistance in some ways.This study explores QA arrangements at three institutions of higher education(HE)in Vietnam,a Confucian heritage country,as perceived by academic leaders,QA practitioners,and academics to respond to QA policies from the government.The methodological approach taken in this research is a multiple case study.A qualitative approach was used to explore QA practices at three institutions.Data collected from documentation and in-depth interviews were analyzed for patterns and themes.It was found that centralism and large power distance of a Confucian collectivist country such as Vietnam significantly influenced the government’s attempts to reform HE for quality improvement.Culturally appropriate measures from the bottom level with long-term strategies should be considered to assure and improve quality,including the shift to decentralization in HE.
文摘Higher education institutions have an essential role in sustainability.They are key agents in the education of future leaders that will contribute to the successful United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)imple-mentation.The geography of SDGs this implementation is very heterogeneous,but it is clear that higher education institutions contribute decisively to creating a mindset that facilitates the dissemination of SDGs principle.This perspective paper analyses the impacts of higher education on sustainability and the challenges and barriers as-sociated with this process.Higher education contributes decisively to the SDGs implementation,but especially to Goal 1(end poverty in all its forms everywhere),Goal 3(ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages),Goal 5(gender equality),Goal 8(decent work and economic growth),Goal 12(responsible consumption and production),Goal 13(climate change)and Goal 16(peace,justice and strong institutions).As a transfor-mational agent,the higher education sector has a tremendous impact on students’habit and contribution to a prosperous society.However,to establish the required change in education,sustainability principles need to be at the heart of higher institutions strategy(e.g.,curricula,modus operandi)and is key to be incorporated in the organisational culture.Only by leading by example,the external influence in the society will be possible(e.g.,implementing SDGs key aspects such as gender quality,reduce waste reduction and energy consumption).For this to be a reality,different communication methods with students are needed(e.g.,different student academic levels).Nevertheless,critical challenges need to be tackled in the institutions inside and outside the institution environment,such as incorporating sustainability principles,political environment and stakeholders’interest.
基金This work is part of the General Research Fund project entitled“(Re)Conceptualizing Chinese Education:China’s Educational Traditions and Their Modern Transformation”(17602017)supported by the Research Grant Council,Hong Kong Special Administrative Region,China.
文摘Over the past decades,higher education governance and university management have become increasingly complex worldwide in a context of unprecedented expansion and diversification.Driven by both external and internal pressures,higher education reforms in different nations have often been reported to follow a similar pattern:shifting from the control model to the supervisory model in nearly all aspects of their relationship with universities.While such a trend in Chinese societies has been well documented in the literature,few people have been able to identify the sticking point of higher education governance there.As a result,the concept of a doomed cycle continues to linger obstinately,viewing power delegation as leading to market disorder which,in turn,leads to tighter control.This article points out the neglect of Confucian political culture and its importance for studies of higher education governance reforms in Chinese societies.It aims to demonstrate that Western theories of and approaches to governance and autonomy in higher education cannot be simply applied to other societies of highly different historical and cultural traditions.By so doing,it attempts to shed some light on debates over governance and autonomy in higher education in a much wider context.
文摘This paper is based on a study of three Confucius Institutes in Canada.The research aims to explore the nature of operations at Confucius Institutes,ranging from the selection of partnering Chinese universities,to the program planning at each individual site.Specifically,it focuses on the perceived impacts of the Confucius Institute partnership on the Canadian hosting institutions.Data was collected through interviews with key administrative staff from three Canadian universities.The theoretical framework of constructivism from international relations theory and concepts drawn from the literature on the internationalization of higher education were used to analyze the findings.Key issues revealed from the data include the host’s perception of Confucius Institutes as China’s cultural diplomacy and soft power strategy,the progression of partnerships between Canada and China over time,and university autonomy.
