This thesis examines the migrationary processes of graduates leaving their home country and their post-migration experiences and aspirations in a receiving state. Using the case study of England, findings are presented from qualitative research with Polish graduates born between the late 1970s and early 1980s, and who moved to England after 2004. It is argued that this generation of Polish migrants is particularly important given the profound impacts of socio-cultural and economic transformation in Poland, tied to the emergence of capitalism, the preparation for accession of Poland to the European Union (EU) and EU citizenship in 2004, on current debates on the geographies of graduate migration within and beyond Europe. Several important findings are revealed by the research. First, it is asserted that perspectives of migration which focus on structure-agency relations (Halfacree, 1995) need to encompass the economic and political aspects of participants sending state at the time of migration, as well as the historical influences on migration decision-making processes. Second, the discussion shows that graduate migration to another country leads to differing approaches to career and life trajectory development after migration and this thesis conceptualises these using the following typology: Continuers , Switchers and Late Awakeners , with dynamism and slippage across the groupings. Third, the findings expose graduate migrant perceptions of becoming and being highly-skilled, and the role of university preparation, and other forms of post-graduate training and potentially strategic acquisitions of citizenship for labour market confidence to compete and undertake professional jobs in Poland and England. Fourth, the thesis stresses that migration is often a first step in graduate migrants life trajectories and it emphasises the importance of a stepping-stone migration , both socially and spatially, and which is embedded within individuals' life-phases and perceptions of home and place. It is argued that this conceptual and geographic contribution to wider studies of graduate migration across countries may have wider resonance to other graduate migrant groups in Europe and beyond.

Master of Science / Department of Journalism and Mass Communications / Robert C. Pearce / The K-State Alumni Association has the highest percentage of graduates in the Big 12 who are members of the association. As a result, there is a strong network of alumni spanning more than 150,000 living alumni internationally and throughout the United States. This project seeks to utilize the relationship management theory to review current marketing strategies and develop new strategies to increase retention rates of alumni to the association after their one free year of membership, a gift provided to undergraduate students by their perspective college. The focus of the relationship management theory is about building personal relationships, which is in line with the K-State Alumni Association’s mission statement, “Enhancing our Kansas State University family through lifelong involvement.” The recommendations were created to assist the efforts of the Alumni Association to continue to reach out to alumni to meet them where they are at by utilizing media and new programs.

With the influx of state-funded business development programs and organizations, it is of increasing relevance to understand the success and value creation of said programs and organizations. Sweden is one of the states in the world with the highest number of incubators per capita, and has an extensive knowledge network surrounding incubation. However, the success of them is hard to predict at best, owing to different incubator practices and selection processes for different industries, for example. This creates the question of whether incubators are a worthwhile investment strategy to create growth, and how this should be assessed. Prior literature on the field have used a range of different measures, such as survival rate over time, but we are more interested in the long-term growth caused by incubators by their graduated firms. Thus, this study’s purpose is to assess whether Northern Swedish incubator graduates see stronger growth than comparable non-incubated firms over time. The approach taken has been to study the 5-year cumulative average employee and turnover growth rates of firms in IT & non-digital technology in Northern Sweden. Quantitative firm data was analyzed deductively in accordance to hypotheses developed on prior theory on the field. The incubator firm sample had been affiliated with either Uminova Innovation or Arctic Business Incubator (ABI), as the 3rd incubator in Northern Sweden, Bizmaker, had no suitable firms for our study. The comparable reference firms were from all counties related to Northern Sweden, Norrland Land. Analyzing the data revealed a significantly higher turnover growth rate for incubator graduates in the region, as opposed to the numbers of non-incubated firms. Incubated IT firms seemed to have a quicker turnover growth than that of incubated non-digital technology firms as well. However, this was not the case regarding employee growth, where no significant relation was between that and incubation, or lack thereof. The data suggests that incubators create some lasting economic growth, at the very least, but cannot show to great growth in things such as employment, societal growth, and creation of other kinds of value like environmental and social. The suggested course of action for further actors in the field is to expand the study, e.g. by using different time spans, regions and researched types of value. Incubators do seem to have an effect on their firms, but it is difficult to pinpoint and harder to assign a value to in comparison to the resources spent on them.

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo subsidiar a avaliação e, se necessárias, as transformações do currículo do curso de graduação em enfermagem de uma Instituição confessional. Estudo na vertente qualitativa utilizou como método a Pesquisa Ação. A coleta de dados foi realizada em dois momentos. No primeiro, foram entrevistados 19 egressos de uma turma de graduados em 2007 e 15 gestores, empregadores dos egressos, em cenários diversos para apreender a avaliação destes atores sobre o processo formativo vivenciado. No segundo adotou-se a técnica de Grupo Focal para possibilitar o debate, com docentes do Núcleo Docente Estruturante do curso, sobre os aspectos resgatados no primeiro momento. A análise dos discursos dos egressos e dos gestores gerou dois Relatórios Síntese que foram utilizados como temas disparadores para reflexão-ação nos encontros com os docentes e coordenadores. Os dados foram analisados segundo a técnica de análise temática de Bardin que possibilitou abstrair Unidades de Significado quanto à representação docente, relativas aos aspectos apontados por egressos e gestores distintamente. A análise permitiu a composição de quatro categorias semelhantes para os dois grupos: 1 - Perfil do Estudante do Curso de Enfermagem e Perfil dos Gestores na perspectiva dos Docentes. 2 - Avaliação do Currículo. 3 - Aspectos intervenientes no Processo Formativo. 4 - Sugestões para aprimoramento do Currículo. Considerando a percepção dos sujeitos e os pressupostos das Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais para os cursos de Enfermagem, foi construído coletivamente um Plano de Ação que propõe sugestões para aprimoramento do currículo relacionadas à Flexibilização curricular; Redimensionamento dos Conteúdos; Educação Permanente; Valorização da Prática; Adoção de Metodologias Ativas e a Autonomia do Estudante. Considera-se que as propostas contidas no Plano de Ação reúnem aspectos que constituem núcleos de essencialidade no direcionamento de um processo formativo alinhado às Diretrizes Curriculares Nacional para os cursos de Enfermagem. Acredita-se que o ato avaliativo conjugado à metodologia da Pesquisa Ação possibilitou um processo reflexivo com base na realidade que revelou uma ação concreta no âmbito dos sujeitos envolvidos / This research aims at facilitating the evaluation and, if necessary, the curriculum transformations of the nursing college program (RN) at a parochial institution. This study on the qualitative analysis grid used the Action Research methodology. The data collection was accomplished in two stages. In the first, 19 graduates were interviewed out of a 2007 graduating class, and 15 nurse managers, employers of the graduates, in various scenarios in order to learn the evaluation of these individuals on the formative process experienced. In the second, we adopted the Focal Group technique to foster discussion with teachers from the programs academic directing body, regarding program aspects, as well as aspects recovered in the first stage. The analysis of the graduates feedback and the nurse managers generated two Report Summaries, which were utilized as guiding themes for reflection/action in these specific meetings with teachers and coordinators. The data was analyzed according to Bardins thematic analysis technique which made it possible to abstract Meaning Units regarding teaching representation related to the aspects pointed out by graduates and nurse managers distinctively. The analysis allowed the formation of four similar categories for both groups: 1- Nursing Students Profile and Nurse Managers Profile from the Teachers perspective. 2 Curriculum Evaluation. 3 Intervening Aspects in the Formative Process. 4 Suggestions for Curriculum improvement. Considering the subjects perception and the presuppositions of the National Curricular Guidelines for Nursing programs, an Action Plan was built collectively proposing suggestions for curriculum improvement related to: Curricular Flexibility Creation; Content Reassessment; Ongoing Education; Teaching and Practicum Prioritization; Adoption of Active Methodologies, and the Students Autonomy. It is considered that the proposals contained in the Action Plan combine aspects that represent essential orientation in the steering of a formative process aligned with the National Curricular Guidelines for Nursing programs. It is believed that the evaluating action together with the Action Research methodology enabled a reflexive process based on the reality that revealed a concrete action in the realm of the subjects involved.

The increasing number of U.S. college students studying abroad raises policy concerns about student success at school and their future career development. Therefore, this dissertation revisited the education production function, built up a comprehensive conceptual framework, summarized empirical evidence reported in prior studies, conducted research that described the characteristics of U.S. students studying abroad and used quasi-experimental research methods (e.g., propensity score matching and instrumental variables) to study the impact of studying in a foreign country on students’ at-college learning outcomes and post-college labor market returns after graduation. This dissertation is composed of three chapters on the impact of the experience of study abroad on students’ academic achievements, global perspectives at college, and post-college labor market outcomes, respectively. In Chapter I, I examined the study abroad student population and the impact of this international experience on students’ academic achievements. Based on a random sample of college students from the National Survey of Student Engagement, I used a propensity score matching (PSM) approach and found some significant influence of study abroad on student grade point averages. I also identified heterogeneous effects of study abroad program design (e.g., duration, logistics, and curriculum). Chapter II was prompted by the rising public attention to global mindset. Based on data from the National Survey of Student Engagement, I generated an index of global perspectives and found a positive impact of studying abroad. Results suggested that such international exchange increased student global perspectives and intended to better prepare U.S. students with global perspectives in this increasingly global economy and interdependent world. Finally, Chapter III was inspired by the wide array of returns to education literature. Using a nationally representative sample of Bachelor’s degree recipients from the Baccalaureate and Beyond Survey, I examined private returns to education abroad and found that study-abroad alumni are hired more quickly after graduation with higher starting salaries, compared with those who did not have such international experiences. I also found variations across subpopulations and different parts of the earnings distribution. In addition, findings from the above three national representative samples consistently showed that the participation rate of African American students is notably lower than that of the other ethnic groups. The top majors for study abroad students are Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences. In contrast, Health majors are dramatically lower for this group. Natural Sciences, Business, and Engineering majors are slightly lower, but not remarkably so. The proportion attending private institutions in the study abroad group was also higher than the sample average. These results suggested that study abroad in college education has positive impacts on student outcomes: students with study abroad experiences do better in school and fare better in the job market. Therefore, policymakers and college administrators may need to invest more in study abroad programs and take steps to find ways (e.g., study abroad scholarships, peer advice, parental support) to extend international opportunities for more students, especially those demographics that are poorly represented in the study abroad population. Hopefully in the near future, instead of “Can I afford to study abroad?” students will ask: “Can I afford NOT to study abroad?”

Photocopy of typescript. / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

One of the primary objectives of education in the United States is to prepare young people for adult life. They are expected to become a part of the social and civic life of the community, and by working in a vocation to contribute to their own personal welfare and that of the society in which they live.

This study was conducted to determine if employers were inclined to discriminate between two-year and four-year educated accountants in making hiring and promotional decisions. In addition, accounting graduates of two-year and four-year institutions were studied to see if there were differences between these two groups in regard to educational programs taken, perceptions of the benefit received from the courses taken, salaries received, and views concerning employer hiring and promotional practices. This study included three different groups consisting of 39 employers in the private business sector as well as 43 two-year accounting associate degree graduates and 43 bachelor accounting degree graduates. A sample of businesses from the Wasatch-Front Area of the State of Utah was drawn and personal interviews held in order to collect the desired data. Conclusions based upon the significant differences found during the analyses of the data indicated that employers paid four-year accounting educated graduates higher salaries and believed these graduates did not need as much additional education as two-year graduates when education was a criteria used in determining promotions. Employers indicated, too, that four-year accountants were better prepared educationally to handle "detailed and difficult accounting tasks," as well as "accounting theory and principles." There was a difference in the accounting educational programs taken between two-year and four-year accounting graduates. Differences were found in 21 courses, with four-year graduates having had more instruction in 19 of these subjects while the two-year graduates had more exposure in two of the courses. The benefits received from courses taken was also viewed differently by accountants. The four-year graduates earned a significantly higher salary and were given more opportunities for financial assistance in upgrading accounting skill and knowledge. Conclusions based on similar opinions and views revealed that most employers were willing to hire graduates from postsecondary schools without previous work experience and considered graduates from the various postsecondary educational institutions as being adequately prepared to handle the positions to which they were assigned. Most employers also deduced that graduates did need additional education in certain areas and believed that accounting internships would have been helpful. Most companies did not have a policy dictating annual salary increases nor job advancement plans for accounting personnel. Most accountants on the job had been with their current employer between three and four years, and the time spent in their present positions was slightly over two and one-half years. Most accountants believed that an internship experience would have been beneficial to them prior to their entering the work force and would have been willing to work for a company in connection with their school preparation.

In Australia, the employment destinations of new graduates are surveyed annually and descriptions of successful employment have become an indicator of quality within the higher education sector. The expectations that employers hold for graduate generic skills are of interest, therefore, to graduates and the institutions they attended. Communication and thinking are recognised widely as the most important generic skills, however the application of these skills will occur in the workplace where academic skills may not be totally appropriate. In addition, many graduates of Australian institutions; e.g., international students, are likely to be employed by foreign organisations. Therefore, not only is the workplace a very different environment to academia but graduates could be expected to satisfy the expectations of employers working in culturally different environments.This investigation describes the expectations participating Singaporean and Perth employers held for recently graduated business graduates with particular attention given to graduate communication and thinking. The exploratory research used interviews and surveys to assemble contextual descriptions of employer expectations. The interview data was used to construct a questionnaire that was administered across a larger sample of employers to see whether the surveys corroborated the interview findings. Contextual descriptions of the communication and thinking capabilities that the Singaporean and Perth employers expected recent business graduates to possess are provided by this study. Gaps between employer expectations and perceptions of graduate ability are discussed, together with useful graduate characteristics. During data analysis five themes were noted and they have been used to propose a model of employer expectations. Finally, seven recommendations for professional practitioners have been suggested ++ / and a list of employer concerns is provided.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the extent to which graduates from the Bachelor of Nursing (BN) program at the University of Technology, Sydney were adequately prepared for the nursing role in the current Australian health care system. This question was examined by adapting the illuminative evaluation method developed by Parlett and Hamilton (1977), and a meta-evaluation is provided of the model that was developed. Data were gathered from academic staff, clinical facilitators, curriculum and clinical experts and students. Course mileau and documentation were also assessed. The results indicate that graduates from the BN were adequately prepared to fulfil the nursing role. However, during the research a number of critical issues emerged which led to the development of an alternative model of curriculum. Although the conclusions support the continuance of a generic preparatory course, a number of changes to the course are recommended and two areas of future research identified. The first relates to exploring the depth, breadth and extent of knowledge that is required of a beginning registered nurse. The second involves evaluating the curriculum changes proposed here to assess whether this model is able to achieve improved outcomes in graduates / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)