Purpose: This research paper aims to assess the proficiency of tertiary education providers in engaging with online learning environments, especially in the context of the post-COVID-19 transition. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of online learning platforms, it is essential to understand how educational institutions have adapted and evolved in their approach to virtual education. The central research question explores how Continuous Professional Development (CPD), Technological Infrastructure (TI), and Support Systems (SS) collectively influence educators’ proficiency in online teaching (POT). Study design/methodology/approach: A comparative study was performed, comparing data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic with post-pandemic data from higher education institutions in Uzbekistan. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 education facilitators representing both public and international educational institutions. This purposive sampling approach allows for a holistic exploration of the experiences, challenges, strategies, and preparedness of these facilitators during the transition to online learning. Manual qualitative data classification and content analysis were employed to understand themes in respondent experiences and identified actions. Findings: The study reveals the significant role of CPD, robust TI, and effective SS in enhancing the Proficiency of tertiary education providers in engaging with Online Teaching. These elements were found to be significant determinants of how well institutions and educators adapted to the shift to virtual education. The research offers valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and students, aiding in decision-making processes within academia and guiding the development and implementation of effective online teaching strategies. Originality/value: This study contributes to the existing literature by providing an in-depth understanding of the adjustments education facilitators make in response to the pandemic. It emphasizes the importance of ongoing preparation for online learning and highlights the role of digital workplace capabilities in ensuring successful interaction in virtual educational environments.
The internationalization of higher education began to take shape during the period of the Republic of China. This trend manifested in various forms and encompassed a rich array of activities, including the construction of teaching staffs, the exchange of international students, and the presence of overseas scholars giving lectures in China. Between 1899 and 1945, Japanese institutions sent nearly 200 academic overseas students to China. With the establishment and improvement of the internal system of universities in the Republic of China, these students were able to study and interact with Chinese scholars. The forms of communication were diverse, the content was rich, and the channels were smooth, making the process lively and interesting with distinct characteristics of the era. Consequently, this group became both participants and witnesses in the internationalization process of universities in the Republic of China. However, the full-scale Anti-Japanese War disrupted the internationalization of universities, causing it to deviate from its normal trajectory. Some Japanese academic overseas students who had previously studied in China became instruments of Japanese imperialism’s cultural invasion and educational colonization. These students played a significant role in promoting the “alternative internationalization” of universities in the Republic of China. In short, examining the involvement of Japanese academic overseas students providing us a unique insight into the general situation and processes of internationalization at universities in the Republic of China during different historical periods.
Accounting education highly affects the level of Professional Accounting Education offered in a country by academic institutions, thus determining the job market competitiveness of accounting professionals. The purpose of this paper is to determine the relationship between accounting education and accounting practices in Sri Lanka. The data for this study is obtained through a well-structured questionnaire among the Finance Managers of listed companies in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). The sample size of the study was 165 Finance Managers, and of them, 122 responded to the questionnaire. This study is significant to the Sri Lankan context due to scant research in the respective research area. The results depict a moderating positive relationship, while effectiveness of accounting education determines the role and performance of accounting professionals in Sri Lanka.
The article analyzes the process of formation of research universities as one of the elements of a strong innovation economy. The formation of a new university model is a global trend, successfully implemented in English-speaking countries. In Russia, the educational system is not yet ready to ensure the country’s effective competition in the innovation market. The Strategic Academic Leadership Program “Priority-2030” is designed to carry out the functional transformation of the entire infrastructure of human capital reproduction in a short period of time in Russia. The article presents an analysis of the main conditions for the development of a university with a research strategy, as well as an assessment of the implementation of this strategy by Moscow Polytechnic University. The methodological basis of the study was formed by qualitative methods: included observation and benchmarking of universities’ activities, which allowed to generalize the current global trends and best practices in the field of education. For the analysis we used the data of monitoring the activities of higher education organizations, data of official statistics, as well as data from reports and presentation materials of universities and online publications participating in the “5-100” and “Priority-2030” programs. The results of the study may be useful for researchers and practitioners engaged in the transformation of the Russian higher education system.
Vision statements are seen as important factors that come before the development of strategies. They excel at encapsulating the strategic direction of a company, clearly defining its scope, boundaries, and the process of creating value. Vision statements function as comprehensive frameworks that guide the development of several strategic elements, including mission, strategic capabilities, strategic intent, objectives, goals, core values, standards of behavior, and business models. However, research on this subject remains scanty, particularly within academia. Therefore, this study examined the impact of university vision on staff effectiveness, building on transformational leadership theory and strategic leadership theory. The study adopted a positivist research philosophy. The research employed a cross-sectional study design. This study employed a descriptive research design. Questionnaires were devised by the researcher to collect data from a randomly selected group of 186 academic personnel from the four colleges in a private university using stratified sampling. The data obtained was subject to validity checks using composite reliability, the average variance extracted (AVE) estimate, and the Cronbach Alpha coefficient. The findings reveal that the vision of the university had a significant but weak impact on the effectiveness of staff. Based on the findings and conclusions, the study suggests that the university’s organizational vision should be consistently improved and effectively conveyed to staff members to direct their efforts toward achieving the university’s vision.
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