Academic Leadership and Governance of Professional Autonomy in Swedish Higher Education

Puaca, Goran

doi:10.1080/00313831.2020.1755359

Cited by 14 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…The so-called autonomy reform from 2011 is one example (c.f. Puaca, 2020). While more discretion was granted to universities, the reform also increased demands for quality assurance and results-based management, including audits and intensified national evaluations (Segerholm et.…”

Section: The Swedish He System and Internationalisation Policies In B...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Reading the Internationalisation Imperative in Higher Education Institutions: External Contexts and Internal Positionings

Alexiadou

Rönnberg

2022

High Educ Policy

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Sweden has actively pursued internationalisation policies at national level, in parallel to the pursuit of internationalisation strategies of individual universities. This article focuses on university responses towards internationalisation, and the interplay between external higher education environments and institutional positioning. We draw on empirical qualitative research in two of Sweden's largest universities, to examine institutional responses to internationalisation, expressed through documentary material and interviews with 32 senior leaders. Our findings suggest that the global research environment acts as a strong discursive driver for internationalisation actions, manifested in the strategic partnerships pursued by the two institutions. An equally powerful driver, is the national higher education sector as a context of constant comparisons and competition but also as a source of collaborative learning and exchange. The two universities exhibit strategic autonomy in their reading of the internationalisation imperative, and in constructing their actions and responses, although these are significantly framed by size and geography. In the Swedish higher education landscape, these two dimensions constitute a constraining physical and discursive context, underpinning the links between a global, internationalised environment, and the universities' self-image and positioning.

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Section: The Swedish He System and Internationalisation Policies In B...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Reading the Internationalisation Imperative in Higher Education Institutions: External Contexts and Internal Positionings

Alexiadou

Rönnberg

2022

High Educ Policy

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“…In the second category, professional autonomy was also considered in studies related to teacher education, and in this area, the need for interaction and ensuring successful intercultural communication in the classroom is revealed, creating a unique environment supporting self-realization and autonomy in which the teacher assumes the role of coordinator, collaborator, advisor, mediator, inspiring supporter -a role that stimulates the possibilities and creativity of students and helps ensure quality education (Han, 2014;Fallah, Gholami, 2014). Researchers emphasize that developing teachers' professional autonomy requires further education, including learning new skills for implementing innovative and creative methods (Puaca, 2020).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Professional Autonomy as a Cornerstone for Effective Professional and Social Activity

Oļesika¹,

Rubene²

2023

To Be or Not to Be a Great Educator

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Current challenges in the labor market associated with rapid globalization, digitalization, and skills gaps, cause features such as a learning community, opportunities for collaboration, student self-efficacy, social skills, coherent intercultural communication, and self-realization to play a significant role in students’ professional development. Successful interpersonal and social participation in society as well as skills such as independence, self-confidence, decision-making, openness to change, and responsibility, which are emphasized in the definition of professional autonomy, are also fundamental to their development. To prepare university students for the labor market, it is necessary to consider the above and develop students’ professional autonomy to close the gap between students’ theoretical learning and the development of practical professional pursuits. Despite the importance of professional autonomy, its concept in educational sciences is not sufficiently defined and described, as it lacks a theoretical basis. For that reason, this research aims to study the etymology of professional autonomy, the typology of professional autonomy, and how professional autonomy is measured in higher education by conducting a systematic literature analysis. The results of this study reveal divergent definitions of professional autonomy, the scope of its concept, and explain the applicability of tools for measuring professional autonomy in higher education. Additionally, it identifies three levels of professional autonomy: general, collegial, and individual.

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“…Autonomy for academic employees is described as the employee's freedom to exercise his/her ability free from leadership control to act independently in relation to the environment (Enders et al, 2013). Leadership of the employee is often seen to shape the level of autonomy that academic employees are likely to experience in their work environment (Puaca, 2021). Academic employees value autonomy for various reasons, but primarily the employees value what having the autonomy signifies for them and their careers.…”

Section: Autonomymentioning

confidence: 99%

The functioning of academic employees in a dynamic South African higher education environment

ChaaCha

Oosthuysen

2023

Front. Educ.

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IntroductionThe higher education sector is experiencing changes in the profile of employees and stakeholders. Current employees are expected to function effectively and efficiently in institutions to achieve individual and organisational goals. The functioning aspect of the capability approach presents the opportunity to investigate how academic employees function in the current work environment. The study aimed to investigate the functioning of academic employees in the current work environment. Understanding how academic employees function in their current work environment provides the opportunity to develop relevant talent management practices to motivate, retain, support, develop, and lead academic employees.MethodsA qualitative research approach and a critical realism perspective was utilised to explore social relations in the sample environment. Purposive sampling was employed to identify appropriate participants for the study. Nine online semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the participants.ResultsThe findings of the study show that academic employees function effectively when they experience support and relationships at work as well as when autonomy and technology are available among various aspects of work. Talent management strategies require proactive reviewing to meet academic employees’ needs to enhance performance.DiscussionHuman resource practitioners and leaders in the institution have the responsibility to explore the functioning of academics in their environment to understand how they can enhance their performance and develop and retain these employees to meet institutional goals. The study adds some insights to the current literature related to the functioning of academic employees using the capability approach. The institution can develop new mechanisms to enhance the performance of these employees in a dynamic environment through talent management practices.

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Academic Leadership and Governance of Professional Autonomy in Swedish Higher Education

Cited by 14 publications

References 33 publications

Reading the Internationalisation Imperative in Higher Education Institutions: External Contexts and Internal Positionings

Reading the Internationalisation Imperative in Higher Education Institutions: External Contexts and Internal Positionings

Professional Autonomy as a Cornerstone for Effective Professional and Social Activity

The functioning of academic employees in a dynamic South African higher education environment

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