Higher Ed Matters
Asynchronous Session
Higher Education Autonomy and Governance: Comparing Indonesia and the Philippines
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Nelson Cainghog
The restoration of democracy in Indonesia and the Philippines ushered major reforms in many aspects of governance including in the higher education sector. One of which is the increase in the autonomy of public higher education institutions. Despite similar trajectories and circumstances, being both presidential democracies and middle-income countries, there has been no systematic comparison of the higher education systems of both the Philippines and Indonesia. Drawing from major legislations passed in both countries affecting higher education governance, a comparison of the systems is made along three dimensions: organizational, staffing, academic and financial autonomies. Following the definitions used by the European Universities Association, organization autonomy refers to “academic and administrative structures, leadership and governance”. Staffing autonomy refers to “ability to recruit independently, promote and develop academic and non-academic staff” while academic autonomy includes determination of “study fields, student numbers, student selection as well as the structure and content of degrees”. Financial autonomy is about “the ability to raise funds, own buildings, borrow money and set tuition fees.” While there had been significant gains in the sector, policy changes like free higher education in the Philippines potentially threatens autonomy of public higher education institutions. This means that even under a relatively democratic set-up the higher education sector needs to keep on pushing for greater autonomy in performing its crucial role for the country.
Accessibility at the Core: Developing DEI-Checklists for Rutgers University
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Eva Erber, Jessica Mingoia
This paper contributes to the current discourse on accessibility in higher education by discussing a comprehensive set of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) checklists developed for Rutgers University. This project has its roots within an advisory committee for the School of Graduate Studies and aims to reach various instructors all over the University. The study specifically delves into the presenters' exploration of what the development of a set of checklists entails but also what limits there are when creating comprehensible material for a large, diverse institution. We discuss which broad questions and specific requirements need to be navigated when thinking about DEI within the institutional realm of a big, research-intensive institution. Our case study addresses checklists for inclusive instruction, inclusive syllabi design, and inclusive assignments. We share insights into the unique challenges and opportunities encountered whilst developing these checklists, designed to be usable by instructors at all the different schools at Rutgers. Fostering an inclusive learning environment comes with unique disciplinary challenges as well, hence we will discuss our approach to creating checklists that are adaptable to individual needs and disciplines. This paper offers a multifaceted perspective on educational practice by presenting a valuable case study that aligns with supporting instructors navigating diverse learning and teaching environments.
ICTs in the EFL Classroom: What Is (or Isn’t) Part of the Curriculum for Pre-service Primary Teachers at Spanish Universities?
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Francisco Pradas Esteban
The digital age has revolutionized most of the aspects of citizens’ everyday lives and this directly affects educational systems because Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have been integrated into the curriculum at all educational levels. Regarding foreign language learning, many studies support that ICTs contribute to positive development in terms of linguistic competence and foreign language acquisition. In relation to previous research considering the Spanish educational context, very few studies are published in this respect regarding English Foreign Language (EFL) and training for Primary pre-service teachers. This study analyzes the ICT and digital topics that are part of the curriculum for EFL in Primary Teaching Degrees across all Spanish Public Universities. This was done in order to evaluate if ICTs are given the necessary importance with regard to 21st century educational demands with the objective of facilitating foreign language learning. This research follows a descriptive - comparative method to detail what is or isn’t being done at higher education institutions as for EFL primary pre-service teachers training concerning meaningful second language acquisition with the support and benefits derived from the inclusion of new technologies in the curriculum. The main findings shed light on whether university curriculums are coherent with 21st-century educational demands, or if there is a need to redesign them to fill the gap among education, job market requirements and students’ needs.
