Christian Higher Education and Students with Diverse Beliefs: Impacts and Challenges

The ethos, mission, and values of Christian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are usually grounded in a biblical worldview. Increasingly, Christian HEIs are attracting students who do not share the faith espoused by the institutions they attend. This qualitative case study explored the perceptions of six final-year education students with different belief frameworks to those of the Christian HEI they attended. They were interviewed to determine their perceptions of the transparency of the ethos, mission, and values of the HEI, the impact of the HEI on their lives, and the challenges they faced as students. The data revealed some positive impacts and some challenges for both the students and the Christian HEI and identified an overarching factor that moderated the identified tensions. Introductio

The Impact of Avondale College\u27s Ethos, Mission and Values on Six Students not of the Seventh-Day Adventist Faith

The Christian tertiary institutions‟ ethos, mission and values impacts on students not of the particular faith of the Christian educational institution. This study investigated six fourth year education students‟ experiences at Avondale College during their time of study. A review of the literature reveals a strong focus on the role of education in a Christian university, the ethos, mission and values that govern the university, as well as the faculty that maintain the Christian ethos of the university. The literature also highlights the danger of Christian universities and colleges moving progressively towards secularization, and suggests corrective measures to reacquaint with the founding vision and mission of the Christian university. The process of emergent design within the use of the case study as a research method was used to gather data through the use of face-to-face interviews. The data revealed that the students were impacted by Avondale College‟s ethos, mission and values during their time of study, especially through the authentic relationships formed with lecturers. Furthermore, the results indicated that the authentic relationships with lecturers impacted students beyond their academic achievements. It also impacted them in their social, professional, spiritual and intra-personal connections with Avondale College. The study concluded that the ethos, mission and values of a Christian institution are most likely to have an impact on students‟ lives through the authentic relationships they form with their lecturers