How can universities align bricks with modern learning?

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to explore modern learning (ML) scenarios in Dutch higher education towards 2030 and corresponding consequences for facility management (FM) and corporate real estate strategies (CRES) of universities of applied sciences (UAS). Design/methodology/approach The designing an accommodation strategy model is used to retrieve the match between demand and supply in real estate of Dutch UAS for both present and future. Application of this model resulted in a scenario-planning session with six education experts to determine future demand in education towards 2030. Subsequently, corporate real estate (CRE) managers of nine Dutch UAS were interviewed concerning this subject (one per UAS). Findings The results show that CRES of Dutch UAS is only partly aligned to consequences of ML scenarios towards 2030. Most UAS have real estate portfolios that are only partially flexible, so changes in qualitative and quantitative demand due to ML scenarios are not easy to adapt to. The consequences for FM and real estate of the ML scenarios “institute learning” and “mass customization” seem manageable for Dutch UAS, whereas the other ML scenarios, namely, “navigator” and “natural learning”, would create major portfolio problems. Originality/value There is an ongoing interest in developments in higher education combined with FM and CRES and its alignment with the corporate vision. Previous studies into modern ways of learning mainly focused on the past and present. However, this study is explorative and explores possible future ML scenarios. These scenarios can contribute to awareness amongst UAS in The Netherlands and abroad regarding their long-term vision. Moreover, these scenarios will help Dutch UAS facility and CRE managers to develop a more future-proof strategic real estate strategy aligned with the corporate vision.

Drivers of facility management strategies used in multi-tenanted office buildings in Ghana

“…Out of the 57 respondents who manage their buildings in-house, 53 (93%) are engaged in activities that are property management related, whereas the remaining 6% (3 owners) are into core competencies that do not relate to property management. The findings made concerning the impact of core competencies on the choice of FM strategy concur with previous findings of Adhikari et al (2019), Van Sprang et al (2019); Toe (2015); Olusegun et al (2015); Amos and Gadzekpo (2016); Kroes and Ghosh (2010); Ikediashi et al (2015), Ikediashi (2014) and Tannor et al (2021). In a recent study on FM in shopping malls in Ghana, Tannor et al (2021) found that 90% most of the shopping mall owners outsourced FM because they were into activities that do not relate to FM and wanted to focus on their core competencies.…”

“…Prior to this study, Holmén et al (2017) found that when construction firms or property developers undertake FM in-house, it offers the strategic advantages of reducing uncertainty and risk associated with owning and operating the property and offers long-term technological quality for customers. There are other studies that have previously associated the in-house strategy with the strategic benefits of risk reduction and profit and flexibility (Ikediashi et al , 2015; Ikediashi, 2014; Amos and Gadzekpo, 2016; Adhikari et al , 2019; Van Sprang et al , 2019). For instance, in Ikediashi et al (2015), the in-house approach to FM was found to be better for certain FM services such as oxygen supply and water supply in hospitals because these services are very essential to health-care delivery and could be a huge risk when not closely monitored by the hospitals.…”

“…Ikediashi (2014) and Ikediashi et al (2015) see this advantage of outsourcing as “strategic” because it allows public hospitals in Nigeria to focus on their core competencies of quality health-care delivery while leaving cleaning, catering, plant maintenance and other non-core competencies in the hands of third-party FM service providers. Studies such as Van Sprang et al (2019) and Amos and Gadzekpo (2016) identified the flexibility to enter into short-term contracts for specific services without much difficulties to be one of the strategic advantages of outsourcing. In the study by Amos and Gadzekpo (2016), certain FM services were identified as non-core to the institutions of higher learning samples, thus these institutions found it more strategic to outsource such services under short-term contracts.…”

Who should clean the university? The in-house outsourcing decision from a student perspective

“…However, this can also be seen in terms of short-and long-term objectives (Abdullah et al, 2011), whereas management services can be seen as short-term objectives supporting longterm objectives. A viewpoint also shared by Van Sprang et al (2019) and Abdullah et al (2019). Before deciding on how to organise the service, Usher (2004) also points out that there are different pros and cons tied to the decision.…”

Agency problems in facility management (FM) outsourcing in the Ghanaian retail sector

“…In institutions of higher learning, Amos and Gadzekpo (2016b) and Kroes and Ghosh (2010) found that information technology (IT), cleaning, landscaping and maintenance of buildings and plants are not core competencies of the institutions, thus outsourcing such services to third-party agents who specialize in them offers the principal (educational institutions) the strategic advantage of remaining focused on their core competencies of education. Other authors such as Van Sprang et al (2019) and Amos and Gadzekpo (2016a, 2016b) provided a different dimension to the strategic advantages of outsourcing by suggesting that it offers the principal the flexibility to enter short-term FM contracts that can be terminated once the service delivery is complete. In some literature, the strategic advantages that come with engaging an agent to provide FM services were said to have the potential to increase productivity and operational capabilities of the principal as well as satisfaction for its users because of the quality of FM services that are undertaken by the expert agent (Tannor et al , 2022b; Agburu et al , 2017; Amos and Gadzekpo, 2016a, 2016b).…”