Behind Quality, there is Equality: An Analysis of Scientific Capital Accumulation in Social-democratic Welfare Regimes

ABSTRACT Trade-offs between quality and equality are at the forefront of multiple debates in higher education, and one conceptual tool to approach societies’ adjustment in resolving these trade-offs is the welfare regime typology. Relying on the theory of academic capitalism and using research production as a proxy for quality in higher education, this study analyses how social-democratic welfare regimes resolve the trade-off between comparatively high levels of academic research production, access to higher education and equal citizens’ living conditions. Interviews with 56 system actors suggest that equality is perceived to contribute to academic freedom, public investments in research and the expansion of the academic workforce, those features contributing in turn to academic research production. RÉSUMÉ Les compromis entre qualité et égalité sont au centre de nombreux débats en éducation et l’un des cadres conceptuels permettant d’appréhender les trajectoires d’ajustement des sociétés dans leur manière d’atteindre ces compromis est celui des types d’États providence. En s’appuyant sur la théorie du capitalisme universitaire et en utilisant la production de recherche comme indicateur de qualité dans l’enseignement supérieur, cette étude examine comment les États sociaux-démocrates atteignent des niveaux de production de recherche importants tout en préservant l’accessibilité à l’enseignement supérieur et l’égalité entre les citoyens. Des entretiens avec 56 acteurs-clés des systèmes d’enseignement supérieur suggèrent que l’égalité sociale contribue à la production de recherche en ce sens qu’elle protège la liberté universitaire, encourage les investissements publics en recherche et augmente le bassin de recrutement de chercheurs universitaire

The perceived impact of eight systemic factors on scientific capital accumulation

In the global academic capitalist race, academics, institutions and countries’ symbolic power results from the accumulation of scientific capital. This paper relies on the perspectives of system actors located at the institutional, national and international levels to assess the perceived importance of eight systemic factors in contributing to the comparative advantage of social-democratic regimes, namely Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. A deductive thematic analysis performed on 56 transcripts and a one-way repeated-measure ANOVA (and pairwise post-hoc t-tests) performed on 324 questionnaires confirmed the hypotheses regarding the positive influence of academic traditions and internationalization. This study contributes to the development of a varieties of academic capitalism (VoAC) approach to apprehend how political-economies condition higher education systems’ (HES) comparative advantage

Profil des activités internationales des cégeps 2010 /

Troisième éditionTitre de l'écran-titre (visionné le 5 mai 2011

The Processes of Designing and Implementing Globally Networked Learning Environments and their Implications on College Instructors’ Professional Learning: The Case of Québec CÉGEPs

Abstract This study describes the design and implementation processes of globally networked learning environments (GNLEs) in a college environment and discusses how these processes may contribute to instructors\u27 professional learning. A thematic analysis was conducted on five interviews with instructors working in Quebec general and vocational colleges (CEGEPs). The design and implementation processes were mapped out using Fretchling\u27s (2007) logic modeling basic components. Findings suggest that GNLEs in a college context take the form of joint lectures or joint activities. Instructors reported that designing and teaching within a GNLE had led to pedagogical, intercultural and technology-related learning; and that learning was fostered by unforeseen challenges as well as long-standing partnerships. Résumé L’objectif de cette étude est de décrire les processus de conception et de mise en œuvre de milieux d’apprentissage réseautés internationalement (MARI) dans un environnement collégial ainsi que d’analyser leur influence sur le perfectionnement professionnel. Une analyse thématique réalisée à partir de cinq entrevues avec des enseignants de cégeps a permis d’élaborer un modèle logique (Fretchling 2007). Les résultats suggèrent que les MARI implantés dans un collège prennent surtout la forme de cours magistraux ou d’activités pédagogiques conjointes. Pour les enseignants impliqués, le perfectionnement (pédagogique, interculturel ou technologique) résulte des imprévus et des partenariats durables inhérents aux MARI

The perceived contribution of early-career researchers to research production in nordic higher education systems

In the global race for academic prestige, early-career researchers (ECR) play a pivotal role in countries’ research production. The objective of this paper is to analyse the perceived contribution of ECR to research production in Nordic higher education systems (HES). Based on 56 interviews with actors from different organizations in the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish HES, the thematic analysis suggested the contribution of doctoral students and postdocs was essential, yet there was no convergence in actors’ perspective regarding the contribution of other contract-researchers. The global theme “casualisation” linked organising themes and explained the underlying dynamics between ECRs and the research production process

Context matters : conceptualizing research funding policies through the lens of the varieties of academic capitalism approach

Version prépubliée.Research funding policies are both an expression of and a response to the globalisation of the knowledge society and its resulting competitive dynamics. The global dynamics of academic capitalism are, however, mediated by jurisdictions’ political economies, which, in turn, condition research funding policy mixes, policy coordination and policy outcomes. Relying on an integrative review of 75 scholarly documents and 15 OECD reports, this chapter compares research funding policies in 18 OECD countries accounting for three welfare regimes: liberal, conservative, and social-democratic. Ultimately, the review contributes to the consolidation of the emerging theoretical approach of the varieties of academic capitalism and broadens its application to allow for a systematic comparison of how policies and their outcomes are modulated by countries’ specific contexts

Teaching, research and the Canadian professoriate : findings from the 2018 APIKS survey

This paper presents the Canadian findings from the 2018 APIKS study focusing on the teaching-research nexus. The online, bilingual survey was administered to full-time professors at 64 provincially-funded universities in Canada between October 2017 and June 2018 (n=2968). Findings suggest the majority of full-time, tenure-steam professors prefer both teaching and research and are engaged in both throughout the academic year. These findings are considered in light of broader changes in Canadian higher education including enrolment expansion, the increasing valorization of research, the development of new categories of academic labour, and the growth in precarious contract employment

Globally Networked Learning Environments as Eduscapes for Mutual Understanding

Globalization is a geo-spatial process that connects geographically distant actors and that allows global flows of people, ideas and educational activities, to intertwine with local action. Taking advantage of these new "eduscapes", new initiatives have emerged in higher education, such as the globally networked learning environments (GLNEs). GNLEs are built upon close and equal transnational partnerships that allow students and instructors to build a mutual understanding while enhancing the learning experience (Starke-Meyerreing et al., 2008). Using Fox's (1997) concept of authentic intercultural communication, Bennett's (1986) development model of intercultural sensitivity, and Harman's (1988) classification of the intensity of collaboration, this paper assesses the impact of GNLEs on student's intercultural sensitivity and learning outcomes. The findings suggest that there is a relationship between the structure of GNLEs and their impact on students' intercultural sensitivity and learning outcomes. It also seems that power imbalances in terms of language, technology and resources can undermine the success of GNLEs as alternatives to the current globalization "master-discourse"