scholarly journals Staff and student perceptions of research structures and services provided by the faculty research offices at a university of technology in South Africa

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Musawenkosi Ngibe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Faculty Research ◽  
Research Support ◽  
Research Office

The higher education landscape in South Africa has undergone significant change and transformation in recent decades, obliging all higher education institutions to be more competitive and provide services of quality to attract and retain students. Since their emergence as universities in the years of 2003-2004 Universities of Technology (UoTs) have been required to engage in research and to improve research output and throughput rapidly despite having their roots in a former colonial and apartheid era in which they were required to play a purely technical role. Importantly, the government funding formula for universities in South Africa is now the same for all public universities (based on publications and throughput) even though traditional universities were always research-oriented. This makes it likely that UoTs will continue to lag behind traditional universities if drastic measures to increase research capacity are not put in place. In order to service the provision of this sustainable research output different measures and research structures have therefore been designed by UoTs to support the increasing pressure to produce M and DTech graduates and upgrade the qualifications of teaching staff. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate the administrative support of research services and structures at faculty level at a selected UoT; to provide insights in terms of staff and student perceptions of postgraduate support and to make recommendations as to how to enhance existing research services and improve research structures to support research functions. The study was a case study of a selected UoT. It used mixed method research to enable the researcher to collect both qualitative and quantitative data from academics and M and DTech students and Faculty Research Office staff members. Questionnaires and interviews were used as data collection instruments. Supported by the Gap Model of service quality and delivery and an adapted SERVQUAL instrument, the study sought to determine staff and postgraduate students' perceptions and expectations of research structures and service quality across four dimensions, namely reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. Analysis of the data revealed that Faculty Research Offices across each of the six faculties were lacking in certain respects in providing research support and development in each of the four identified service dimensions. They were particularly lacking in terms of communicating the nature and details of the research support services they offer. The study concluded that with improved research structures and more skilled personnel all research activities could be incorporated and be facilitated by Faculty Research Offices, taking these functions away from departmental research committees where these exist. It also concluded that by communicating these research services through faculty orientations, workshop sessions, and online forums, academics and students' awareness would be enhanced. This could also have a positive impact on handling research matters and processes, improving the reliability of the research office services and allowing students to associate with the research office on a more regular basis. This study therefore recommended that the identified quality gaps should be attended to in order to improve research services. Further, issues of research capacity development and support and service quality need to be urgently considered by the institution in order in the longer term to be in a position to improve enrolment and graduation rates, increase scholarly publications and contribute to the knowledge society. Inviting research experts and drawing on the greater experience and expertise of their Australian counterparts in the ATN network (with whom SA UoTs have a formal MoU) could lead to further research and development in the area investigated. This should go a long way in ensuring progress and growth in research output within the faculties of the institution investigated and could be of interest to other UoTs facing similar challenges.

scholarly journals MEASURING THE STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF SERVICE QUALITY

2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardi Lucky Kurniawan ◽  
N. Purnomolastu .
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Student Perception ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Quality Of Education ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Chi Square

Like in many other countries, higher education institutions in Indonesia are facing intense competition as the higher education market becomes globalized and competitive pressure intensifies. It is essential that higher education institutions continually monitor the quality of their services and commit themselves to continuous quality improvements in order to respond to the needs of their stakeholders. Measuring service quality in higher education is thus essential In order to provide a comprehensive view of the quality of education, it is valuable to assess not only student perceptions of their educational outcomes but also their perceptions of the manner in which polytechnic education is provided.This study aims at measuring the students’ perception of the service quality of education in a department; identifying differences of the student perception on the service quality based on their academic profiles; identifying which service attributes are more influential in providing service in higher education; and offering recommendation to the management which area(s) still need(s) some improvement.Using the 5-scale questionnaires, the researchers collected the data for the study from graduates of the 5 departments- Accounting, Marketing Management, Secretary Foreign Business Language and Taxation. Pearson Chi-Square and Alpha Cronbach techniques were used to test the validity and reliability before analyzing the data from the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was deployed to find out the mean value of each indicator. This was followed bv Dummy Regression analysis.    JThe findings of the study suggest that faculty plays the most prominent indicator in reflecting the students perception of service quality of department.

scholarly journals An investigation of students’ experience of service quality delivered by administrative staff at one site of a South African comprehensive university

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Mxolisi Walter Ntoyakhe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
South African ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Administrative Staff ◽  
Comprehensive University ◽  
Five Dimensions ◽  
Perceptions And Expectations ◽  
The University

Over the last decade the institutional framework within which most universities in South Africa operate has undergone major transformation forcing the higher education sector to become more competitive in its approach to attracting and retaining quality students. Against this background, service quality has been put forward as a critical determinant of competitiveness. Higher Education Institutions are increasingly placing greater emphasis on meeting students’ expectations and needs. As institutions of higher learning become more student orientated, student perceptions of higher educational facilities and services are becoming more essential. It is clear that there is a need to measure students’ experience of service quality in order to develop innovative academic structures, facilities and services to retain and attract new students. Therefore, this study used a mixed research approach and a nonprobability sampling technique to identify the sample size. The purpose of this study was to investigate the students’ experience of service quality delivered by administrative staff at one site of a South African Comprehensive University. Underpinned by the Gap Model of service delivery and an adapted SERVQUAL instrument, this study sought to determine perceptions and expectations of service quality across five dimensions, namely: tangibles; reliability; responsiveness; assurance; and empathy. Questionnaires were used as data collection instrument to collect data from two hundred and sixty (260) registered students; twelve (12) academic departments, residence and library administrative staff members. Questionnaires were used to gather data from administrative staff of academic department, library and residence; and registered students in one comprehensive university in South Africa. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 was used to analyse the data. Statistical tools that include frequencies, mean scores and tabulations were utilized to present the data from findings. The Wilcoxon signed ranks test was also utilized to further analyse the significance of the gaps. Various gaps between students’ perceptions and expectations indicating dissatisfaction with administrative services particularly among the students were identified. The findings from the study indicated that, a negative service quality gap exists at selected site of Comprehensive University in SA. The findings further suggested that issues such as service quality planning and monitoring, establishing recovery mechanisms for service failures, and student- driven service design and standards need to be high on the agenda at higher education institutions to ensure service quality. All five dimensions of SERVQUAL indicated a negative score or quality gap suggesting that the administrators of selected departments need to urgently close the gaps that exist at their institution; key recommendations were thus made to improve the gaps identified. Frequent interaction between the administrators and the students is recommended for the university as it provides important information on student expectations and perceptions. Continuous employee training to improve the existing skills is also recommended for comprehensive university employees as it can have a good impact on meeting the students’ expectations of the service quality dimensions. The study therefore, concluded that the university needed urgent intervention in terms of developing proper academic support structures, facilities and quality services that would satisfy the needs of students.

A Ranking Framework for Higher Education Institutions

2021 ◽  
pp. 40-61
Author(s):  
Andre Paul Calitz ◽  
Margaret Diane Cullen ◽  
Teresia Watiri Kanyutu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
University Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
University Ranking ◽  
International Orientation ◽  
League Tables ◽  
Ranking Criteria

The use of league tables and rankings (LTRs) as a tool to rank or measure the performance of higher education institutions (HEIs) has grown in popularity. Research indicates that these ranking criteria are often discussed from the standpoint of governments, the HEI management, and the ranking institutions producing these LTR publications. The opinions of the students on the suitable ranking criteria used by ranking institutions are generally omitted. This chapter investigates the applicable criteria for ranking HEIs in South Africa, from the perspective of students. A survey was conducted to determine the most relevant university ranking criteria considered by university students. The results indicate that the students perceive resources and infrastructure, accreditation, international orientation, research output, faculty quality, and teaching and learning as the most relevant criteria for ranking HEIs. Managerial recommendations are provided for HEIs to address the ranking criteria rated important by students.

scholarly journals South Africa University students’ perceptions of key education service quality determinants

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-388
Author(s):  
Soni Sanjay ◽  
Krishna Govender
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
University Students ◽  
Education Leadership ◽  
Higher Education Leadership ◽  
Competitive Environment ◽  
Education Service ◽  
Africa University ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

Understanding higher education (HE) service quality is critical for success in a highly competitive environment, since through a better understanding of the determinants of HE service quality, HE managers and leaders could better manage HE service quality better. A survey was conducted among a purposive judgmental sample of 400 students, from two HE institution campuses in SA, to identify their perceptions of key service quality determinants (KSQDs), and the importance of the KSQDs, by using a semi-structured questionnaire. It was ascertained that students ranked KSQDs as follows: Responsiveness, Assurance, Reliability, Tangibles, and Empathy (RARTE), and in terms of their importance, the KSQDs were ranked as follows: Responsiveness, Reliability, Assurance, Empathy and Tangibles (RRAET). Higher education leadership should take note of the KSQDs and focus their resources on these in order to create an organization that is student-centric.

Development and Testing of an Education Service Quality Model [Abstract]

10.28945/4781 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
William D Senn ◽  
Gayle Prybutok ◽  
Kittipong Boonme ◽  
Victor R. Prybutok
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Latent Variables ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Education Service ◽  
Auxiliary Services

Aim/Purpose: This study builds upon theory to develop and test a parsimonious model of service quality importance, the Higher Education Service Quality Importance (HESQI) Model, for use in standardized, frequent surveys of student satisfaction in higher education service delivery. Background: Educational institutions operating in the higher education marketplace are facing increased competition for students. In order to be competitive in terms of the student services provided, these institutions need a method to evaluate and measure, on a frequent and recurring basis, the quality and performance of their services. Methodology: A survey was developed and administered to a stratified random sample of 1,400 students at a large public university in the southwestern United States. The 56% response rate was comprised of 790 total respondents. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze model constructs and latent variables. Reliability, validity, non-response bias, and common method bias were assessed as part of the research. Contribution: The HESQI is a compact, parsimonious instrument that can be administered in a cost-effective manner for faster, point-in-time checks of student satisfaction with less survey fatigue than larger instruments. Findings Service quality is significantly correlated with student satisfaction. The developed model is capable of explaining nearly 70% of the variance in student perceptions of satisfaction. Recommendations for Practitioners: The developed HESQI instrument addresses the need for a quick and easy measurement instrument to assess student satisfaction in higher education institutions. The HESQI instrument simplifies data collection and analysis and can be used on a frequent and ongoing basis to gain rapid insight into service and quality issues affecting students. Recommendations for Researchers: The development of the HESQI provides an instrument that researchers can use to study the delivery of auxiliary services in higher education. In addition, the methodology used has implications for how to develop and test other parsimonious instrument for use in other contexts. Impact on Society: Higher education is of critical value to societal mobility. As such providing a better experience for those who seek education is important and services are an important part of that experience. The HESQI has an important role in helping to improve that experience because it allows measuring the satisfaction with changes that are made to improve auxiliary services which are important to the overall environment and experience. Future Research: Future research may be carried out to further validate and confirm the research findings and use it in other environments. Also, research may consider a single item instrument in similar environments.

Nurturing research capacity among emerging academics through mentoring : reflections from a pilot at a historically disadvantaged South African university

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 59-83
Author(s):  
Clever Ndebele ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Education Industry ◽  
Historically Disadvantaged ◽  
Higher Education Industry ◽  
South African Higher Education

The need to develop the next generation of academics to replace the aging professorate in South Africa has been on the agenda of the departments of higher education and training for some time, gaining momentum in recent years. The Higher Education South Africa (HESA)'s Publication on the National Programme to Develop the Next Generation of Academics for South African Higher Education (2011) paints a dire situation for the higher education industry with regards to the attraction and retention of academic staff. Key challenges identified in the report include the aging profile of academics, poor remuneration of academics, the current postgraduate pipeline and expansion of the higher education sector. Using the Communities of Practice (CoPs) theoretical framework, this paper unpacks an initiative by a professor at a South African university to develop research capacity among emerging academics through a collaborative mentorship programme with five emerging academics. The major findings of the study include, among other things, development of the mentees identity as both academics and researchers, a boost in the mentees research profiles and the development of a community of practice. The study recommends that supervisors and promoters should be supported financially by historically disadvantaged institutions or the National Research Foundation to mentor and nurture emerging academics from historically disadvantaged backgrounds and that such mentorship initiatives be formalised and incentivised as a token of appreciation for both mentors and mentees.

Mentorship and Sustainable Research Output

2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reetha Nundulall ◽  
Nirmala Dorasamy
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Traditional Teaching ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Research And Teaching ◽  
Research Mentorship ◽  
The University

Higher education institutions (HEIs) in South Africa are facing challenges arising as a result of the shift from traditional teaching activities to a combination of research and teaching. Increasing emphasis on research, an integral part of this transformation of higher education, has required HEIs to develop and implement capacity development strategies to enable those new to research to engage in research output; and mentorship is a strategy that is enjoying increasing popularity. This article explores the challenges faced in the implementation of a formal research mentorship programme (REMP), using the University of Johannesburg as a case study. A quantitative approach was adopted to obtain the perceptions of academic staff of REMP as a strategy for building research capacity. The findings reveal that whilst the REMP is strongly favoured by academics as a means of guiding novice researchers, key factors need to be addressed to ensure its success. This article examines the challenges for both mentors and mentees and suggests actions to help mentorship programmes make sustainable contributions to the development of research capacity.

scholarly journals Student perceptions of a proposed generic e-Learning template aligned with the Engineering Council of South Africa accreditations template

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolaas Luwes ◽  
Leanri Van Heerden
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Student Feedback ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Sample Group ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
E Learning

The Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) audits engineering programmes every four years to grant accreditation to higher education institutions. During this audit, ECSA requests evidence of the four year instruction in a specific format. The problem is that lecturers each have their own e-learning layouts according to preference. This paper proposed and implemented a genereic e-learning template that is aligned with the ECSA specificaions for ease of archiving necessary evidence for the audit. It is however important to evaluate student feedback on this genereic format so that the main porpose for elearning as a learning tool is not missed by utilising it as a backup method. An exploratory study was employed to gather student perceptions on the new generic e-learning template. Four electrical engineering subjects’ students were used as the sample group and Google Forms was used to collect the data in an online questionnaire. Of the 36 students who responded to the questionnaire, 94% would recommend that all subjects adopt this generic e-learning template and 89% felt that having all their subject menus the same will make it easier to locate items. Due to the results of this study, the generic e-learning template will be adopted by all engineering subjects at the Central University of Technology, Free State with the addition of an introduction that explains the purpose and procedure of ECSA accreditation.

scholarly journals Freshman African engineering student perceptions on academic feedback – A case study from Digital Systems 1

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rangith Kuriakose
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Dropout Rate ◽  
Digital Systems ◽  
Engineering Student ◽  
Constructive Feedback ◽  
High Dropout Rate ◽  
Data Collection Instrument

Providing effective and quality feedback to students in higher education has been identified as an integral part of quality teaching by many researchers in the field of education.  However, student perceptions vary drastically as to what they perceive academic feedback to really be. Therefore, this paper aims to present freshman engineering student perceptions of academic feedback from an African perspective. The reason for targeting this group is due to their high dropout rate in higher education in South Africa (around 60%). Quantitative data was collected from freshman engineering students enrolled for a module termed Digital Systems 1 at the Central University of Technology in South Africa. A questionnaire was used as the main data collection instrument featuring 21 close ended questions. The results presented in this paper indicate that almost two-thirds (65%) of the respondents believe that a “grade” written on a test script does not constitute academic feedback. The majority of the respondents (76%) expect some kind of academic feedback regarding their work, either in writing or orally from their lecturer. A good majority (86%) of students perceived that getting written comments on their assessments would encourage them to approach the lecturer to seek further clarification. A key recommendation of this study is to find a mechanism or technique of providing constructive feedback to all enrolled students, even in large classes. This needs to be done from the outset of the module in order to reduce the current high dropout rates among freshman engineering students.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document