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This study examines the academic freedom of academics in Kuwait University. Academic freedom at Kuwait University remains ambiguous, with a lack of understanding in the absence of an institutional definition. This has led to infringement on the rights of academics to freely pursue research and publication. This study attempts to identify Kuwait University faculty members' understanding, and explore the extent of academic freedom available to them in research and publishing. It investigates the obstacles, and recommends ways of improving the space of academic freedom. A mixed approach of quantitative questionnaire distributed to a sample of 384 academics using stratified random sampling, and qualitative interviews were used. Academics offered six different definitions for academic freedom, covering freedom of research and publication, and that of teaching, research, and publication, with differing criteria. Academic freedom was considered by some to be absolute, while others cumulatively added one, two or all three conditions of being limited to specialisation without interference by external parties, taking into account prevailing values in society, and respecting the laws enacted by the State. The obstacles to freedom of research and publication included bureaucracy and lengthy administrative procedures in securing approval of research, and absence of clear policy defining what is sensitive, what can be addressed in research, and what conflicts with the values of society. Limited funding for research projects, lack of reference materials, and equipment, and interference of funding bodies were cited. The limited time allocated for research due to high teaching load, and limited training in research skills and languages, added to lack of sufficient cooperation between researchers in the absence of a coordinating framework. Finally, lack of practical implementation of research and benefit to society, which isolates researchers and research from society's needs. The questionnaire also revealed core differences in responses illustrating weakness in the extent of faculty members' freedom in conducting research, and publishing. The study recommended that Kuwait University move to address the shortcomings revealed by the study instruments, in particular, to formulate a comprehensive definition for academic freedom for academics.

Research into widening participation has considered both the barriers to participation and the experiences of 'non-traditional' students in higher education. However, less attention has been given to the meaning of widening participation and 'non- traditional' students for those working within higher education settings. This study explored the different conceptions of non-traditional students held by staff in a new university through an examination of responses to widening participation policy and the representation and management of diversity in the student population. The study employed a case study strategy which utilised an ethnographic method, with documents, meetings, discussions and a series of interviews being the principal sources of information. It was informed by a critical perspective that drew upon theoretical conceptions regarding the inclusion of minority groups. Key findings related to the divergent perspectives and varying meanings attached to the term 'non-traditional student' and the influence of the 'business case' in the local interpretation of widening participation policy. Different understandings of the need to develop the academic skills of non-traditional students and confusions around dealing with dyslexia were raised. Evidence was also found of contradictory pressures impacting on lecturers' approaches to diversity and attitude to support. Student empowerment was largely found to be based on ideas of economic improvement although there were some examples of lecturers taking what could be viewed as empowering approaches in their teaching practice. Recommendations were made regarding the need for greater specificity when defining students and their support needs. Consideration was also given to the training and staff development required for lecturers to promote inclusivity and fully recognize the positive potential of diversity in the student population.

Background. The increasing societal reliance on emerging technology is demanding much more of those planning a career in the computing profession than technical ability alone. Many contemporary roles require business contact and therefore soft skills are an essential component of capability. However, the association between those who are inherently drawn to a career in computing and low empathizing, high systemizing (LEHS) tendencies could impair their future performance. Therefore, it is important for higher education to both recognize this need and devise strategies to ensure that the required soft skills are developed as early as possible. Aim. To evaluate the ability of virtual world technology, through its characteristics of immersion, identity and interaction, to foster the soft skills identified as presenting the most difficulty for those with a LEHS disposition as part of their higher education experience. Method. A variety of virtual world activities were introduced to an undergraduate applied computing programme in order to target the following areas: coping with changes in routine, verbal and non-verbal communication, the application of play/imagination and the development of social relationships. The study was guided by the students’ position on the Autism Quotient continuum and a range of quantitative/qualitative methods were applied to assess student performance, as well as their perception of the intervention. Result. It was found that achievement was generally improved for all students in areas that involved virtual world activities. Although the soft skills attainment appeared to be delayed in those with LEHS tendencies, it was seen as being more significant than those below the average AQ threshold, with a noticeable impact in areas of extreme difficulty. Conclusion. The achievement, apparent in all computing students, was expedient in terms of educational practicality. However, the study suggests that VW activities could be used as an engaging device to provide a technical solution to the acquisition of non-technical skills, particularly for those exhibiting LEHS traits.

The aim of this project is to uncover new insights and understanding of Higher Education (HE) built environment employability skills. To assimilate the project findings within a built environment employability skills compass model developed as a key output of this project and promulgate the findings to enrich current thinking between stakeholders and apply this new knowledge within university pedagogy and across a wider community. In particular, reporting the opinions and interpretations of stakeholders surrounding their understanding of employability skills for a built environment undergraduate. Conduct research and literature review on the subject of employability skills. Disseminate findings within industry and academia at regional, national and transnational levels. The project uses a qualitative dual methodology was adopted; Firstly a phenomenological methodology encapsulating the rich expressive and emotional language. Secondly spirit of action research methodology facilitating numerous access and departure points within the project investigations. Using preliminary research located within various levels and modes of discreet inquiries, incorporating early reconnaissance field work investigations and group forum interventions. At the heart of the project investigation a series of thirty semi-structured interviews undertaken during 2011-2015 with key stakeholders. Contributions are gathered from a range of key stakeholders; academics, employers, policymakers/politicians, professional bodies, career advisors and graduates predominately but not exclusively within the West Midlands conurbation, with the results identified a disparity and gap in knowledge and understanding surrounding built environment employability skills. In particular, the research located and disseminated novel insights and shared agreements behind how HE curricula can be better informed and how shared ownership can contribute to the design of curricula. Pockets of shared understanding were revealed and an inner core of rich employability skills that external stakeholders believe set individuals apart from others were discovered. The findings have encouraged rich exchanges and increased levels of engagement between academics, practitioners and stakeholders; removing the fear behind ownership and shared responsibility of built environment curricula design. A key output of the project was the creation and development of a built environment employability skills compass tool and the findings situated within the compass have assisted with the modification and enrichment of HE teaching within architecture and the built environment curricula and have provided meaningful impact, evidenced by feedback received from employers who have commented on the increased levels of employability skills that graduates of (2013-15) possess as they leave the University of Wolverhampton into the world of work.

This in-depth study shows how Personal Construct Theory (PCT) can be used to investigate the bipolar constructs of teaching and the role of the teacher held by five university undergraduates from a range of subject disciplines. The approach adopted was developed from that devised by George Kelly (1905 -1967) which was originally applied to psychotherapy. As a phenomenological approach, PCT draws out the perceptions that individuals hold about the world rather than trying to impose a pre-existing theory or psychological framework. In this study, the participants' constructs of teaching and the role of the teacher originally derived from their experiences as pupils in school were elicited. The contention is that when 'real-world' classroom experiences are offered, prior to making career decisions, undergraduates have the opportunity to develop or change their views related to teaching. The study employed PCT pre and postexperience conversations which were analysed for changes in these views and reported as individual case studies. PCT pre and post-experience conversations provide evidence that time spent in a classroom does change the views of undergraduates about teaching and the role of the teacher. In this case, all five participants agreed that teaching was a career they would be pursuing either immediately or in the near future, which represents a significant change for two of the participants who had not previously planned to pursue a teaching career. The study provides evidence that a practical classroom experience (practicum) changes an individual's views of the teaching from a previously held view that teaching was not a career option to teaching becoming a career choice. This study argues that this type of practicum should precede a full-time teacher training course to allow any candidate unsure about embarking on the training to 'try-out' teaching first. This detailed study provides evidence for the validity of the PCT conversation as an effective approach for eliciting personal constructs and identifying any changes around the issues of teaching and the role of a teacher as a result of a school placement.

This research explores practitioners’ professional learning, and revised career expectations, as a result of undertaking the EdD. It considers the nature of professionalism, and the institutional conditions that support its development. A new model for conceptual analysis Ecological Positioning Theory is developed, and used. This hybrid model draws on Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (1979) and Harré and van Langenhove’s Positioning Theory (1999). Ecological Positioning is used to identify the various layers of engagement these EdD students experience in a working context, and articulate the subsequent, and movable, positions within these layers of discourse. Ecological Positioning was used as a framework to prompt semi-structured narratives relating to the macro/exo/meso, and micro-structures inhabited by the practitioners; to assist practitioners articulate their subsequent positions within them, and identify their emotional responses to this positioning. This qualitative data was then themed against the ecological systems identified by the respondents. What emerged in the findings was that for some the psychological contract with their employer (in terms of what is given and what is to be received) had changed, and that these changes were perceived to be impacting across the higher education sector. As a result, the terms of employment, subsequent professional identities of practitioners and ‘what it means to be a teacher and learner’ were also changing. Engagement with the EdD could be viewed as a response to what a higher education practitioner ‘should be’. This research has two main contributions to offer. The first is the presentation, and use, of Ecological Positioning to understand the experiential connections which link the personal, socio-historical and situational contexts in addition to considering the diversity and dynamics of academic life. The second is the time-bound snap shot of the experiences of a specific group of higher education teaching practitioners who, for various reasons, have undertaken an EdD.

There is little research that addresses how the organisational behaviour of universities in Saudi Arabia influences students’ experiences. Additionally, research is scant regarding the impact of university behaviours in Saudi Arabia as it relates to gender, particularly female students. This qualitative case study addresses these gaps in the literature by examining how and in what ways college organisational culture (behaviour) influences students’ learning experiences through their college years in a new, private women’s university in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Semi-structured interviews with campus administrators, faculty members and students were conducted and triangulated with data obtained from campus observations and document analysis. Specific attention was given to students’ perceptions of their academic, social and functional experiences during their college experiences. Data showed that the university reflected more than one organisational structure, which explained many aspects of the university’s administrative style. In general, students and staff seemed to be influenced by the university’s organisational structure and administrative style, as well as other aspects of the university’s culture, which all played important roles in shaping students’ and staff members’ experiences within the college. Findings from this study suggest a positive correlation between collegiality and student involvement. Bureaucratic features as well as political features of the university’s organisational structure seemed to have a mixed relationship with perceptions of research participants. Symbolic features that emphasised shared values, rituals and harmony all seemed to have a clear, positive correlation with students’ and staff members’ experiences. The scarcity of new publications that investigate the influence of higher educational institutions’ organisational behaviours on students, both in general and specifically in Saudi Arabia, highlight a need for further examination of this topic using different methodological approaches. Studying this subject will not only benefit institutions by identifying their strengths and weaknesses, but will also help optimise universities’ efforts to improve the quality of education offered to students. Additionally, more research in this area would benefit students by identifying their needs and perceptions about their academic, social, functional and overall college experiences.

This thesis examines the knowledge, skills and attributes required by middle managers in higher education institutions and the aspirations of academics to move to a management position. Taking a grounded theory approach to the design of the study and the analysis of the findings, 26 middle managers from three 'post 1992' universities in England were interviewed in depth about their positions and their views on the knowledge, skills and attributes required in delivering their roles. An illustrative model was developed from the analysis of the interview data to demonstrate the relationship between the elements identified in the study as essential in the delivery of the middle manager's role. The support and development needs of managers were identified along with the unexpected finding that managers from industry could enter higher education successfully with no prior experience of employment in the sector. In parallel with the interviews, the academic communities of the three universities were offered the opportunity to complete a survey to provide some contextual material on their perceptions of management in higher education and their aspirations to become managers in their future careers. The findings of the study are relevant to human resource departments and senior teams supporting recruitment to academic middle management posts and meeting the development needs of current middle managers.

The landscape of UK higher education has changed significantly in the last five years. A tripling of tuition fees, the uncapping of student numbers, and an explosion in the number of ‘alternative providers’ typify a more marketised higher education sector (Brown and Carasso, 2013). With more providers than ever before competing for students, many with little experience and profitdriven motives, there is a clear danger that quality will suffer. Faced with limited resource and an expanding, fiercely independent sector, the Government sought to protect quality by asking the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) to adopt a risk-based approach. The 2011 White Paper Student at the Heart of the System directed QAA to prioritise their reviews based on “an objective assessment of a basket of data, monitored continually but at arm’s length” (BIS, 2011, 3.19). There is, however, an evident dearth of empirical evidence to support such an approach . The aim of this thesis is to examine the extent to which available data can predict the outcome of quality assurance reviews, and hence prioritise them. To fulfill this aim, the outcomes of all QAA reviews comparable with its current inspection methods were gathered along with all available data that could feasibly form part of a data-driven riskbased approach to quality assurance. Using machine learning, this study shows conclusively that a risk-based approach to quality assurance, as envisioned in the 2011 White Paper, cannot work. There is no connection between the available data and the subsequent outcome of QAA reviews. The final part of this thesis therefore examines the reason why there is no connection between the available data and the outcome of QAA reivews. Three overarching and non-exclusive possibilities are identified. Concerns over the data, the review process, and the definition of ‘quality’ pose significant barriers to the operation of a successful data-driven, risk-based approach. An alternative approach to prioritising quality assurance in higher education is therefore required.