This study examines the perceptions and operational assumptions of university representatives with regard to the new higher education policy-making in Kurdistan. It attempts to explore the development and implementation of the policy’s first priority, the aim to bridge the gap between quality and quantity in higher education. A mixed-methods case study research is employed by applying qualitative methods in a series of interviews carried out with nine faculty members from a University in the Kurdistan Region. The interviews were followed by a survey of a representative sample of 305 faculty members from all faculties of the university, with responses from 148. Both research methods explored the implementation of quality assurance initiatives under the quality teaching reforms. The aim is to identify what type of quality culture in higher education is being encouraged and if it will enable higher education to serve as a bridge for Kurdistan to the global knowledge economy.

This study examines the perceptions and operational assumptions of university representatives with regard to the new higher education policy-making in Kurdistan. It attempts to explore the development and implementation of the policy’s first priority, the aim to bridge the gap between quality and quantity in higher education. A mixed-methods case study research is employed by applying qualitative methods in a series of interviews carried out with nine faculty members from a University in the Kurdistan Region. The interviews were followed by a survey of a representative sample of 305 faculty members from all faculties of the university, with responses from 148. Both research methods explored the implementation of quality assurance initiatives under the quality teaching reforms. The aim is to identify what type of quality culture in higher education is being encouraged and if it will enable higher education to serve as a bridge for Kurdistan to the global knowledge economy.

Submitted by Noeme Timbo (noeme.timbo@metodista.br) on 2017-01-24T12:34:21Z No. of bitstreams: 1 LuisCardoso2.pdf: 15271687 bytes, checksum: fbb921b60818c1f04bf9dc096513b8ec (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-01-24T12:34:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 LuisCardoso2.pdf: 15271687 bytes, checksum: fbb921b60818c1f04bf9dc096513b8ec (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-07-26 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This thesis on Education aims to investigate the process of constitution of the identity of the Methodist University of Piracicaba in the movement of construction of its Academic Policy (PA). The research is part of the field of the Brazilian University studies, having as its case Unimep, institution of private, confessional nature, with public and community spirit. The PA, approved in 1992, at the time constituted a sui generis case in the Brazilian University field, the methodology of its construction and the radical definition of its foundation and reason of been University, based on the ethics of “building of citizenship as collective heritage of the civil society”. In construction a historical narrative of Unimep, the building of its Academic Policy and other policies that around its integrator axis gravitating, the research sought to explain and understand the process and institutional movement (the institutionalization of the University), as well as its incidence in the constitution of the identity of Unimep. The method used in an exploratory way was based on the Grounded Theory. The data were obtained from the documents of the institutional historical archive and intensive semi-structured interviews with protagonists of the movement of the Academic Policy. The survey results came from a historical analysis of Unimep and found that in its establishing and development since the IEP Isolated and Integrated Colleges, founded in 1964, until the end of the first phase as a University in 1978, it went through different stages, all of them, however, crossed by the prevailing ideology in the historical context of the country, with lack of democracy, authoritarian and centralized management, with very low critical and collective participation. However, the movement of the academic community advanced and evolved in the opposite direction to the official management, demonstrating counter-ideological, marked by nonconformity and dissatisfaction with the status quo. The contradictions were made explicit and culminated in crises experienced in 1978 and 1985. In the administration and resolution of these crises, the resistance of the teachers and student’s movement played a key role, relying on the following steps with the support and political will of the new rectories, in such way that the University made significant jumps in the formation of its identity. Especially the construction of its Academic Policy (1989-1992) Unimep experienced a process of institutionalization and has established itself as University counter-ideological and counter-reproductivist, of democratic, collective-participatory character, based on the search for the inseparability of teaching, research and extension, which marks its pedagogical project. Particularly its identity, made over time in its historicity, was synthesized in the process and movement of the Academic Policy, which advocates quality in the education and quality policy, based on the ethics of “building of citizenship as a collective heritage of the civil society” as its utopia and reason for being. The grounded theory emerging arrived, therefore, to a triad of core analytical categories, with conceptual power, explanatory-understanding of the phenomenon of the “construction of the Academic Policy and the establishment of the identity of Unimep”, by the confluence and combination of the “nonconformity” of the academic community, of the “collective-participatory-dialectical method” and of the ethics of “construction of citizenship” as its deepest evaluative expression / A presente tese de Doutorado em Educação objetiva investigar o processo de constituição da identidade da Universidade Metodista de Piracicaba no movimento de construção de sua Política Acadêmica (PA). A pesquisa se inscreve no campo dos estudos da Universidade brasileira, tendo como seu caso a Unimep, instituição de natureza privada, confessional, com espírito público e comunitário. A PA, aprovada em 1992, à época constituiu-se em caso sui generis no campo universitário brasileiro, pela metodologia de sua construção e a definição radical de seu fundamento e razão de ser Universidade, pautada na ética valorativa da “construção da cidadania enquanto patrimônio coletivo da sociedade civil”. Ao traçarmos uma narrativa histórica da Unimep, da construção de sua Política Acadêmica e demais políticas, que em torno do seu eixo integrador gravitam, a pesquisa buscou explicar e compreender o processo e movimento institucional (a institucionalização da Universidade), bem como sua incidência na constituição da identidade da Unimep. O método utilizado, de forma exploratória, baseou-se na Grounded Theory – Teoria Fundamentada nos Dados. Os dados foram obtidos de documentos do arquivo histórico institucional e de entrevistas semiestruturadas intensivas, com protagonistas do movimento da Política Acadêmica. O resultado da pesquisa partiu de uma análise da história da Unimep e constatou que na sua formação e desenvolvimento, desde as Faculdades Isoladas e Integradas do IEP, fundadas em 1964, até o final da primeira fase como Universidade, em 1978, ela passou por diferentes etapas, todas elas, porém, atravessadas pela ideologia vigente no contexto histórico do país, com ausência de democracia, gestão autoritária e centralizadora, de baixíssima participação crítico-coletiva. Contudo, o movimento da comunidade acadêmica caminhou e evoluiu numa direção contrária ao da gestão oficial, evidenciando-se contraideológico, marcado pelo inconformismo e insatisfação com o status quo. As contradições se explicitaram e culminaram em crises, experimentadas em 1978 e 1985. Na administração e solução dessas crises, a resistência do movimento docente e discente teve papel fundamental, contando nas etapas seguintes com o apoio e vontade política das novas Reitorias, de modo que a Universidade deu saltos importantes na formação de sua identidade. Sobretudo pela construção de sua Política Acadêmica (1989-1992), a Unimep experimentou um processo de institucionalização e estabeleceu-se como Universidade contraideológica e contrarreprodutivista, de caráter democrático, coletivo-participativo, pautada na busca pela indissociabilidade do ensino-pesquisa-extensão, o que marca seu projeto pedagógico. Particularmente sua identidade, constituída ao longo do tempo, em sua historicidade, sintetizou-se nesse processo e movimento da Política Acadêmica, a qual preconiza qualidade do ensino e qualidade política, fundamentada na ética de “construção da cidadania enquanto patrimônio coletivo da sociedade civil” como sua utopia e razão de ser. A teoria fundamentada emergente chegou, portanto, a uma tríade de categorias analíticas centrais, com poder conceitual, explicativo-compreensivo do fenômeno da “construção da Política Acadêmica e da constituição da identidade da Unimep”, pela confluência e conjugação do “inconformismo” da comunidade acadêmica, do “método coletivo-participativo-dialético” e da ética da “construção da cidadania” como sua expressão valorativa mais profunda.

Submitted by Jordan (jordanbiblio@gmail.com) on 2018-07-27T16:01:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISS_2015_Crisanvania Luiz Gomes.pdf: 1332807 bytes, checksum: f1d85805ed4c384793dfb8b8b9914522 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Jordan (jordanbiblio@gmail.com) on 2018-08-02T12:52:23Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DISS_2015_Crisanvania Luiz Gomes.pdf: 1332807 bytes, checksum: f1d85805ed4c384793dfb8b8b9914522 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-02T12:52:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISS_2015_Crisanvania Luiz Gomes.pdf: 1332807 bytes, checksum: f1d85805ed4c384793dfb8b8b9914522 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-09-11 / Este estudo toma como quadro analítico as mudanças ocorridas no campo da educação superior brasileira, a partir dos anos 2000, naquilo que se convencionou chamar de políticas expansionistas. Desta feita, todo o esforço de pesquisa aqui empreendido, amparado numa perspectiva crítica, tomou como objeto de estudo a inserção da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso no âmbito das políticas expansionistas, em seu ciclo mais recente, com o objetivo de apresentar e analisar as alterações em sua dinâmica a partir desta inserção, com destaque às dimensões do ingresso (ingresso vagas, ingresso, formato seletivo) e permanência (permanência matrícula, taxa de diplomação, programas de fixação do estudante). A aproximação com a temática exigiu, de partida, uma imersão na bibliografia especializada de modo a conferir maior densidade às análises, permitindo, ainda, um melhor delineamento do objeto de estudo. Outro procedimento metodológico que cercou a realização desta pesquisa de caráter qualitativo, apoiada em dados quantitativos envolveu, além do levantamento bibliográfico, a utilização de fontes documentais. A realização deste estudo buscou dar conta do seguinte questionamento: as medidas expansionistas mais recentes, adotadas pela UFMT, têm provocado a tão propalada perda significativa de seu corpo discente? Merece cautela a análise dos resultados obtidos dada a complexidade que envolve os processos de ingresso e permanência de estudantes numa instituição de ensino superior aos quais não pode ser atribuído um único fator que altere sua dinâmica. / This study was developed since an analytical framework about the changes in the Brazilian higher education field, from the 2000s, being conventionally called expansionary policies. In this research, all the effort here undertaken, had support in a critical perspective, taken as study object the inclusion of Mato Grosso Federal University under the expansionary policies in their most recent cycle, in order to present and analyze the changes in its dynamics from this insertion, specially about the dimensions of the entree (entree seats, entree, selective format) and permanence (registration permanence, graduation rates, student attachment programs). To start, the approach to the theme demanded an immersion in the professional literature in order to give more density to the analysis, that also allows a better design of the study object. Another methodological procedure that surrounded the realization of this qualitative study, based on quantitative data, involved in addition to the literature, the use of documentary sources. This study intented understand the following question: the most recent expansionary measures adopted by UFMT have caused the much-touted significant loss of its student group? It deserves careful analysis of the results given the complexity surrounding the entry process and student permancence in a higher education institution on which can not be refered a single factor that changes its dynamics.

Esta dissertação busca analisar as particularidades do trabalho do(a) assistente social na universidade pública brasileira. A universidade vem sofrendo os rebatimentos das mudanças impostas pelos processos de reestruturação capitalista e de internacionalização da economia em ampla expansão desde o final do século XX e a Política de Educação Superior vêm apresentando submissão às regras e ditames do mercado. Nesse sentido, o presente trabalho procurou identificar as transformações da universidade pública brasileira na contemporaneidade; a análise da dinâmica da política de educação na área da educação superior; as particularidades do trabalho profissional no âmbito da política de assistência estudantil, já que essa é uma das principais requisições apresentadas aos assistentes sociais inseridos nesta área de atuação. Para tanto, tomou-se por referência de estudo a experiência da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro que já possui uma marca histórica de desenvolvimento de ações na área de assistência ao estudante. Por essa razão, este trabalho buscou examinar, através de uma pesquisa documental e entrevistas semi-estruturadas realizadas com as profissionais da UERJ que atuam com ações de assistência estudantil, as novas configurações e particularidades para o processo de trabalho do(a) assistente social neste contexto. Os dois grandes eixos de análise que evolveram essa pesquisa foram: as condições e particularidades do trabalho do(a) assistente social no âmbito da política de educação superior na UERJ; Programa ou Política de Assistência Estudantil na UERJ? Os principais resultados dessa pesquisa apontaram que existem diferentes processos de trabalho nos quais se inscreve a atividade do (a) assistente social e esses processos são organizados a partir da função política, ideológica e econômica do Estado no formato da prestação de serviços sociais. Diante do contexto de redução dos direitos sociais conforme preconizado pela agenda neoliberal, a Política de Assistência Estudantil afirma-se no espaço universitário público, fazendo interface tanto com a Política de Educação quanto com a Política de Assistência Social, e, portanto, compartilha das mesmas características das referidas políticas, a saber: ações pontuais, seletivas e focalizadas. Apesar da existência de uma Política Nacional de Assistência Estudantil PNAES, a prática da Assistência Estudantil no âmbito estadual encontra limites para a sua operacionalização e apresenta necessidade de articulação com outras Políticas, que devem ser apreendidas a partir de uma noção ampliada de Assistência Estudantil. Desta forma, verificamos que o processo de trabalho do(a) assistente social na universidade pública não prescinde das determinações que incidem sobre o mundo do trabalho e das condições objetivas que particulariza a educação superior. / This dissertation explores the particularities of the work of (a) social worker in Brazilian public university. The university has been suffering the aftermaths of the changes imposed by the processes of capitalist restructuring and internationalization of the economy in broad expansion since the late twentieth century and the Higher Education Policy have presented a submission to the rules and dictates of the market. Accordingly, this study sought to identify the transformations of the contemporary Brazilian public university, the analysis of the dynamics of education policy in the area of higher education, the peculiarities of professional work under the student assistance policy, since this is one of main requests presented to social workers entered this area. Therefore, it has become a benchmark study of the experience of the State University of Rio de Janeiro that already has a milestone development activities in the area of assistance to the student. Therefore, this study aimed to examine through documentary research and semi-structured interviews with professionals who work with UERJ actions of student assistance, the new settings and circumstances for the worker process (a) social worker in this Examples. The two main areas of analysis that evolved this research were: the conditions and circumstances of the work of (a) social worker within the higher education policy in UERJ; Program or "Student Assistance Policy" in UERJ? The main results of this research show that there are different work processes on which is inscribed the activity of (a) social worker and these processes are organized function from political, ideological and economic state in the form of social services. Given the context of reduction of social rights as advocated by the neo-liberal agenda "Student Assistance Policy" states in space public university, interfacing with both the Education Policy with the Policy as Social Work, and therefore shares of the same characteristics of those policies, namely: specific actions, selective and targeted. Despite the existence of a National Student Assistance - PNAES, the practice of Student Assistance at the state finds limits to its operation and shows the need for coordination with other policies, which must be seized from an expanded notion of Student Assistance. Thus, we find that the worker process (a) social worker in a public university does not obviate the determinations that affect the world of work and the objective conditions that particularized higher education.

Submitted by Marilene Donadel (marilene.donadel@unioeste.br) on 2017-12-21T19:38:15Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Andressa_Antunes_2017.pdf: 3963784 bytes, checksum: 68b1e71f8e44490f40b9296e05f9edf8 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-12-21T19:38:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Andressa_Antunes_2017.pdf: 3963784 bytes, checksum: 68b1e71f8e44490f40b9296e05f9edf8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-25 / The main theme of this research is the Social Service, with emphasis on the expansion movement of undergraduate courses in the State of Paraná and, in particular, in long distance learning (LDL). The question that guided the research was: how do we express the expansion of undergraduate courses in Social Work in long distance learning on demand for professional registration of social workers in the Regional Council of Social Service – CRESS 11ª Region/PR? This guiding question had as general objective to analyze how the demand for the professional registration of social workers is expressed through the implementation of undergraduate courses in Social Work in the LDL, in the particularity of contemporary capitalism, in a context of university counterreformation. Based on historical and dialectical materialism, the investigation process was based on exploratory research, and the set of bibliographical and field research, through the identification of social workers with active enrollment in CRESS/PR between the years 2005 to 2015 – 5931 records –, made possible the accomplishment of successive approximations with the studied object. From the data collection it was possible to identify in which Academic Training Unit (ATU) each social worker carried out the graduation in Social Work. Another set of data that compose the dynamics and structure of the studied object, as well as constitutes as an element of successive approximation with it, concerns the reconstruction of the movement of offer of undergraduate courses in Social Work in the State of Paraná. This reconstruction was performed from the registration of professionals with active enrollment in CRESS/PR, using the Registration e-MEC, as source of data colletion, where all the Higher Educations Institutions and respectives courses are registered throughout Brazil. Despite the fact that the majority of social workers enrolled in CRESS/PR between 2005 and 2015 come from the undergraduate degree in the presential modality, there is a real tendency that, as soon as possible, social workers qualified to practice the profession, be mainly from the undergraduate level in the LDL modality. The research identifies the origin of the respective ATUs in the relationship between nature – public and private – as well as the modality of teaching – presence and LDL. It concludes that the current higher education policy is strategic in the process of capitalist accumulation, constituting a new niche market, impacting the struggle and resistance of the Brazilian Social Work Professional Political Ethical Project in defense of education as a right. / O tema central desta pesquisa é o Serviço Social, com ênfase no movimento de expansão dos cursos de graduação no Estado do Paraná e, em particular, na modalidade de educação a distância (EAD). A questão que orientou a investigação foi: como se expressa a expansão dos cursos de graduação em Serviço Social na modalidade de EAD na demanda por inscrição profissional de assistentes sociais no Conselho Regional de Serviço Social – CRESS 11ª Região/PR? Esta questão norteadora teve como objetivo geral analisar como se expressa a demanda pelo registro profissional de assistentes sociais a partir da implementação dos cursos de graduação em Serviço Social na modalidade de EAD, na particularidade do capitalismo contemporâneo, num contexto de contrarreforma universitária. Tendo como fundamento o materialismo histórico e dialético, o processo de investigação esteve baseado na pesquisa exploratória, sendo que o conjunto da pesquisa bibliográfica e de campo, através da identificação do total de assistentes sociais com inscrição ativa no CRESS/PR entre os anos 2005 e 2015 – 5931 registros –, possibilitou a realização de aproximações sucessivas com o objeto estudado. A partir desta coleta de dados foi possível identificar em qual Unidade Formadora Acadêmica (UFA) cada assistente social realizou a graduação em Serviço Social. Outro conjunto de dados que compõe a dinâmica e estrutura do objeto de estudo, bem como se constitui como elemento de aproximação sucessiva com o mesmo, diz respeito a reconstrução do movimento de oferta dos cursos de graduação em Serviço Social no Estado do Paraná. Tal reconstrução foi realizada a partir do registro dos profissionais com inscrição ativa no CRESS/PR, sendo utilizando o Cadastro e-MEC como fonte de coleta de dados, onde ficam cadastradas todas as Instituições de Ensino Superior e respectivos cursos em todo o Brasil. Não obstante ao fato de que a maioria dos assistentes sociais registrados no CRESS/PR entre os anos 2005 e 2015 seja proveniente da graduação na modalidade presencial, há uma tendência real de que, tão logo, assistentes sociais habilitados ao exercício da profissão sejam, majoritariamente, oriundos da graduação na modalidade de EAD. A pesquisa identifica a procedência das respectivas UFAs na relação entre natureza – públicas e privadas –, bem como a modalidade de ensino – presencial e EAD. Conclui que a política de educação superior em curso é estratégica no processo de acumulação capitalista constituindo-se num novo nicho de mercado, impactando a luta e resistência do Projeto Ético Político Profissional do Serviço Social brasileiro na defesa da educação como direito.

Cette thèse s’intéresse à la construction de carrières des chercheurs et universitaires effectuant de la recherche dans un « petit » pays, le Niger. Cette étude cherche en particulier à comprendre les principaux déterminants des choix de carrières et les moyens mobilisés pour réaliser leurs études et poursuive leur activité de recherche. Cette recherche est fondée sur une enquête qualitative réalisée au Niger au sein de trois institutions où se déroulent des activités de recherche : l’Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey (UAM), l’Institut National de Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN) et le Laboratoire d’Etudes et de Recherche sur les Dynamiques Sociales et le Développement Local (LASDEL). Au moyen d’entretiens semi-directifs et de récits de vie auprès de plus de 15% des chercheurs et universitaires nigériens, cette étude met en relief leurs trajectoires, leur leurs expériences, leurs points de vue sur leur profession.Les principaux résultats de cette recherche montrent que l’Etat nigérien, à travers sa politique de programmation menée jusque dans les années quatre-vingt avait promu la formation d’une grande quantité de jeunes ver l’enseignement supérieur. Ces personnes ont poursuivi le travail de recherche qu’ils avaient, à quelques exceptions près, réalisé lors de leurs études à l’étranger. Ainsi, alors que l’Etat s’intéressait avant tout à former des enseignants pour l’Université en les envoyant se former à l’étranger, en finançant leurs bourses et choisissant l’institution dans laquelle ils devraient exercer leur métier à leur retour, la recherche prenait racine au sein de l’Université. Après la crise de la dette et des programmes d’ajustement structurel, l’Etat a du abandonner cette forme de soutien dirigée avant tout à renforcer le personnel employé dans les administrations publiques, les écoles et l’université. La bourse ne devient plus synonyme d’emploi et moins encore d’orientation vers l’enseignement supérieur ou la recherche.Pourtant la situation dramatique de l’université changera de manière importante. C’est à cet instant aussi que, grâce à la lutte syndicale menée par les universitaires, l’Etat nigérien porte de nos jours un grand intérêt à la recherche et se concentre l’UAM qui bénéficie désormais de financements nationaux de recherche. Même si ces derniers ne sont pour l’instant pas suffisants, ils permettent de créer de véritables projets de recherche. La thèse examine les conditions de ce changement.Il découle aussi de cette étude que recherche se développe, en dépit des difficultés auxquelles est confrontée, et manifestement augmente si on en juge par les publications en croissance. / This thesis is investigating the construction of scientific careers of researchers and academics in Niger, a « small » scientific country. We try to understand the main determinants of career choices et means used to do their studies and continue in performing research. Our investigation is based on qualitative field work done in Niger in three institutions : Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey (UAM), Institut National de Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN) and the Laboratoire d’Etudes et de Recherche sur les Dynamiques Sociales et le Développement Local (LASDEL).With interviews and life stories in a sample that represents around 15% of researchers of the country, we examine their trajectories and professional experiences, as well as their opinions on the institutions and research activities in the country.The main research results show that the State of Niger, through its programming policy until the early eighties had promoted training of a great quantity of young people in foreign countries towards higher education, in order to create its own public service. These persons continue their research activities in the same disciplinary domains they were trained, when returning in Niger. When programming existed, the State chose the domains and the institutions in which they would pursue their professional activity. In this way research slowly took roots in the national institutions and the university. After the crisis and structural adjustment programmes, the State had to abandon this programming activity. Scholarships were no more a means to secure a job and didn’t guarantee one would find a position into the higher education system or research.Nonetheless, the very bad salaries and working conditions have changed, largely because of the pressure of the professional union of university personnel. Today the State of Niger is paying close attention to the working conditions of the university and attributes also funding to research, and even if these funds are insufficient, they permit to undertake some research, often in close collaboration with foreign partners as is evidenced by the growth of scientific publications.

Higher education institutions in the Unites States (U.S.) are under stress. Universities and colleges in the U.S. face competing demands marked by steeply declining state and local appropriations and increased competition for research dollars and prestige. This stress is felt most acutely at high and very high research universities who must face these funding challenges while at the same time must serve a multiplicity of missions and stakeholders. This study examines factors that influence institutional performance at high and very high research universities in the U.S. These high and very high research universities, as classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching under the 2010 Basic Classifications, represent doctorate granting institutions with the highest levels of research activity. Drawing from systems theory and neoliberalism, the study employs a non-experimental quantitative research design using secondary analysis of data collected primarily through the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM), and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The data was analyzed for the years 2008 through 2012. Given a competitive environment marked by decreasing resources, the findings suggest that universities, whether public or private, will continue to pursue strategies and policies that will favor entrepreneurial activities with clear revenue implications as well as attracting top students in an effort to increase institutional performance. The need for further research into institutional factors and performance models is identified as well as the need for comprehensive institutional data. The concept of policy alignment is introduced as a way to cope with demands at all levels of policy. To the extent that high and very high research universities continue to face a competitive environment with decreasing state and federal resources, greater understanding of institutional factors that can impact revenues will become important as competition for revenues increase. Performance models such as the one explored in this study can help universities, policy makers, and stakeholders make decisions and set policies that can bolster the institutions’ activities given environmental challenges.

University branch campuses play a vital role in today’s higher education field. Branch campuses help facilitate the delivery of knowledge, development, and learning opportunities to populations that may not have any other prospect in regard to pursuing their educational goals. Branch campuses have also become a new way for institutions of higher education to collaborate and work together to serve students’ interests. Yet, despite enrollment growth across thousands of higher education branch campuses that exist in the United States, the literature on branch campuses is scant. Furthermore, branch campuses, like their main campus counterparts, have a responsibility to ensure that their students are successful and reach their learning objectives. One of the ways in which branch campuses are promoting student persistence is through the use of High Impact Practices (HIPs). HIPs have helped shape education policy at colleges and universities since they were first introduced a decade ago. While there is still active debate on their effectiveness, they have become an established part of the curriculum as colleges and universities invest in resources to implement and institutionalize these practices. Given the lack of literature examining HIPs at university branch campuses, this phenomenological study sought to examine what branch campus students experience in relation to HIPs, and how these experiences influence student persistence. Additionally, this study uncovered other experiences that influence the persistence of branch campus students and assists in providing a fuller understanding of the branch campus student experience.

<p>Regional integration is being proposed as a means to development in Southern Africa. As a part of the formal agreements regarding this cooperation, a Protocol on Education in the Southern African Development Community region has been signed. This research set out to compare the higher education systems of two Southern African countries and to examine the extent to which this Protocol has had an impact on national policies and practices. The research sought to investigate this by means of exploring the extent to which the Protocol has provided an institutional frame which is guiding the development of higher education policy in each of the two countries. The findings of the study indicate that the Protocol, rather than providing leadership in the area of education policy, is to a large extent a symbolic document, reflective of norms already existent in national policy in the two countries studied.&nbsp / &nbsp / &nbsp / &nbsp / &nbsp / &nbsp / </p>