Department of Education, Unit Catalogue 2006/07

ED50203 Strategic issues in higher education

Credits: 9

Level: Masters

Modular: no specific semester

Semester: 1

Assessment: CW 100%

Requisites:

Aims:
* To provide participants with a systematic and critical understanding of macro strategic developments affecting higher education
* To gain an understanding of how present developments have evolved from different traditions, philosophies and histories of higher education
* To gain a critical overview of a range of theoretical frameworks used to analyse the relationship between external macro forces and the responses developed by higher education institutions
* To provide participants with relevant knowledge and skills to identify the relevance of macro strategic issues for higher education in general and for their own institutions
* To introduce participants to the growing literature and knowledge base on strategy and policy in higher education
* To enable participants to reflect on and enhance their own professional roles in higher education.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this unit participants will be able to:
* Demonstrate an in-depth and critical understanding of the nature and processes of macro strategic developments affecting higher education
* Apply insights gained from analytical frameworks and empirical research to demonstrate a detailed understanding of the significance of the above for higher education
* Analyse, compare and evaluate strategic responses developed by different types of universities in different national systems
* Identify key gaps in the knowledge base for higher education policy and strategy
* Identify and analyse the major implications of the macro strategic developments described above for participants own national, institutional and professional contexts.
Skills:
Intellectual:
* the history and philosophy of the university as a chartered organisation (T/F/A)
* the structure and organisation of the university (T/F/A)
* synthesise information from a number of sources in order to gain a coherent understanding of theory and practice (T/F/A)
* demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems (F)
* apply strategies for appropriate selection of relevant information from a wide range of sources and large body of knowledge (F/A)
* deal with complex academic issues both systematically and creatively (T/F)
* evaluate research and a variety of types of information and evidence critically, also making informed judgements in the absence of complete data (T/F/A)
* analyse, evaluate and interpret the evidence underpinning practice critically and initiate change in practice appropriately (T/F/A).
Professional:
* enhance their professional practice in higher education for example through analytical planning (F)
* better contribute to professional debate in the field of higher education (T/F/A)
* act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional level. (F)
Practical/key:
* communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences (T/F/A)
* evaluate their own academic and professional performance (F)
* utilise problem-solving skills in a variety of theoretical and practical situations (T/F)
* manage change effectively and respond to changing demands (F)
* continue to advance their knowledge and understanding (F)
* manage time, prioritise workloads and recognise and manage personal emotions and stress (F)
* understand career opportunities and challenges (F)
* develop new or higher level skills, for example in IT.(T/F)
Content:
To achieve the aims stated above, the unit will address the following areas; some of these will be individual sessions while others are likely to be themes combined in one session or appearing across more than one session:
* Autonomy and accountability in higher education
* Institutional mission, positioning and identity in a diversified higher education environment
* Macro issues in the funding of higher education
* The relationship between research and teaching in higher education
* The growth of virtual and borderless education
* Widening participation and thee development of mass systems of higher education
* The emergence of private and corporate universities
* The role of market mechanisms and new managerialism in higher education
* The development of higher education stakeholders and students as clients
* Emerging systems of quality assurance.

University | Catalogues for 2006/07