1,216 research outputs found
A comparative study of Australian social work research
The quality and quantity of social work research is not simply a matter of academic inquiry, it has real-world implications for practitioners, policy makers, and the community. Internationally, research assessment exercises being undertaken in university sectors are shaping notions of research productivity, quality, and impact. This paper advances empirical understandings of the nature of social work research in Australia, through an interdisciplinary and cross-national comparative analysis of performance data reported in the research assessment exercises Excellence in Research for Australia 2012 and 2015, and the UKâs Research Excellence Framework 2014. It found that compared to other social science disciplines, social work in Australia is a mid-level performer in terms of quantity and above-average in terms of quality, but when compared to social work and social policy research in the UK, quality is rated less highly. It argues for more transparent criteria to assess quality within peer-review research assessments and careful consideration of ways to document and evaluate research impact that are relevant to the discipline, capable of capturing the many and varied ways that research can influence policy and practice over time
The challenge of enterprise/innovation: a case study of a modern university
In the prevailing economic and political climate for Higher Education a greater emphasis has been placed on diversifying the funding base. The present study was undertaken between 2012 and 2014 and addressed the implementation of an approach to the transformation of one academic school in a medium-sized modern university in Wales to a more engaged enterprise culture. A multimethod investigation included a bi-lingual (English and Welsh) online survey of academic staff and yielded a 71% response rate (n = 45). The findings informed a series of in-depth interviews (n = 24) with a representative sample of those involved in enterprise work (support staff, managers, senior managers), and those who were not. The results provided the platform for the âS4E modelâ for effective engagement with enterprise: (1) Strategic significance for Enterprise, (2) Support for Enterprise, (3) Synergy for Enterprise, and (4) Success for Enterprise. The outcomes of the research and the recommendations from it have potential to inform practice in other academic schools within the university and, in a wider context, within other Schools of Education regionally, nationally and internationally. Its original empirical exploration of enterprise within education studies is a significant contribution to that body of knowledge
Less time to study, less well prepared for work, yet satisfied with higher education: A UK perspective on links between higher education and the labour market
This paper explores graduatesâ views on the relationship between higher education and employment. It draws on a major European study involving graduates five years after graduation and highlights similarities and differences between UK graduatesâ experiences and their European counterparts. Specifically we address questions raised in the study about subjects studied and their relevance to entry into the labour market, if the academic level obtained was appropriate, whether graduates, with hindsight of five years, would choose the same subjects or the same institution again, and if they were satisfied with their current job. Such specific questions relate to broader perspectives such as the perceived value of higher education study in relation to initial employment and future life histories. These have to be seen in the context of cultural differences in higher education systems at the time of the research and, perhaps increasing convergences in light of the Bologna agreement
Evaluating the impact of career management skills module and internship programme within a university business school
This study evaluates the impact of an intervention on business school graduatesâ employability comprising of a curriculum-based career management skills (CMS) module and an industrial placement year. The study uses data from the destinations of leavers of higher education survey to examine the employability of different groups within the cohort (no intervention, CMS module only and CMS module plus structured work experience). It finds that structured work experience has clear, positive effects on the ability of graduates to secure employment in âgraduate levelâ jobs within six months of graduation. Furthermore, participation in the CMS module also has a clear, positive effect upon the ability of participants to secure employment
How Do Aspirations Matter?
This paper explores the complex roles of aspirations in relation to human
development, drawing upon the capability approach. The paper examines the
notion of feasibility of aspirations and the impact feasibility judgements have on
aspiration formation and aspiration realisation, in terms of both capabilities and
functionings. In particular this paper extends existing theory by building on
Hartâs (2004, 2012) dynamic multi-dimensional model of aspiration and Hartâs
(2012) aspiration set. The theorization builds on empirical work, undertaken in
the UK, seeking to understand pupilâs aspirations on leaving school and college at
age 17-19 as well as reviewing wider empirical and theoretical literature in this
field. The discussion contributes to capability theory by extending
understanding regarding first, the way that aspirations are connected to
capabilities and functionings, secondly, the processes by which aspirations are
converted into capabilities and thirdly, how certain capabilities become
functionings. The paper reflects on the criteria that inform choices about the
cultivation and selection of different aspirations on individual and collective
bases. )n concluding the paper the question of âhow do aspirations matter?â is
addressed. Ultimately an argument is made for the need to âreclaimâ a rich
multi-dimensional concept of aspiration in order to pursue human development
and flourishing for all
Exploring the Oversight of Risk Management in UK Higher Education Institutions: The Case of Audit Committees
We explore how audit committees (ACs) oversee risk management in UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), using semi-structured interviews, attendance at AC meetings and documentary analysis. We find that the ACâs oversight seems constrained by a fixation on the process of risk management, an over-reliance on risk registers, and varying levels of emphasis on operational risks. Theoretically, the ACâs oversight reflects different shades of symbolic and substantive activities designed to maintain the HEIâs legitimacy and that of its governing board, hence providing a symbolic representation. We raise concerns as to the ACâs ability to monitor effectively the HEIsâ risk management practices
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