Search Results for
"Higher education"

Purpose: This study investigates the determinants of digital competencies (DC) of students and professionals in accounting. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 278 valid questionnaires were collected from 145 accounting students and 133 professionals to test the relationship between some characteristics of learners through the t-test and two-way ANOVA test. Findings: The results showed a difference in DC between students and professionals. Whereas the characteristics of students do not influence their DC, gender and the number of short courses significantly affect their DC. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) should be provided in accounting programs as core competencies. Research limitations/implications: A sample size that is not too large and does not include learners and professionals in the central and northern areas is problematic. Practical implications: The key findings support the development of policies for digital transformation in accounting. Originality/value: Accounting is one of the professions that must keep up with the changes in the world, which is in the process of rapid digitalization. Hence, this study is valuable for accounting practitioners, higher education institutions and managers to enhance DC continuously. © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Purpose: This article reviews the intercultural adaptability (IA) development models for students in South Korea and China in response to the growing internationalisation of higher education. The article provides significant implications for Confucian heritage culture (CHC) countries and others that wish to enhance in higher education. Design/methodology/approach: This scoping review systematically investigates the literature on different IA development strategies for students in higher education across these two Asian countries. Findings: South Korea has promoted the self-growth model reflected in internationalised programmes such as English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI), an international learning environment with an increasing number of international students and student exchange programmes. Through these initiatives, domestic students’ identity and intercultural learning dynamics are enriched in an intercultural learning environment. Meanwhile, China has adopted the “Outward-oriented” higher education internationalisation model to attract international students to study in Chinese universities and entice Chinese returnees through its International Talent Training Programmes. In this strategy, international students are exposed to Chinese language and cultural knowledge development programmes, and Chinese students are motivated to learn the English language and cultures through interactions with their international peers. Originality/value: Student IA development models in CHC countries remain underexplored. This article responds to the need of higher education institutions in Asian countries that wish to access and learn from effective IA models from other CHC countries. The study makes a valuable contribution by putting forward significant recommendations for developing students’ IA in CHC countries. © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Purpose: This study aims to examine the integration of AI in student engagement and its benefits in the learning environment. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed a quantitative research method, analyzing data from a sample of 720 students. The econometric data analysis used the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. Findings: The results show that facilitating conditions and performance expectations positively affect students’ attitudes toward AI, whereas the negative impact of perceived risk is statistically weak and only marginally significant at the 90% level. On the other hand, the main findings are that attitudes significantly influence the use of AI, which consequently increases students’ productivity, performance, and self-efficacy. Research limitations/implications: Through the integration of new variables in the TAM and UTAUT models, steps are suggested for institutions to take to increase the acceptance and efficiency of AI. Originality/value: This study introduces a novel approach to AI integration within higher education, presenting an innovative model that significantly enhances the discourse on AI’s tangible impacts on educational processes. © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Purpose: This study seeks to assess the impact of three factors related to graduates’ situation in the labor market on their satisfaction with university education. The dimensions are: (1) the gender of the graduates; (2) the institutional features of the institution attended, such as the selectivity of the university, and (3) the work experiences of young graduates once employed. Design/methodology/approach: Responses from a sample of 718 graduates from 11 Chilean universities surveyed in 2021 were used to estimate the association between sociodemographic and institutional characteristics and satisfaction. The data analysis was carried out in two steps. First, nonlinear principal component analysis (PCA) assessed the variance shared by the three ordinal variables measuring satisfaction. In the second step, ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis assessed the relative contribution of the independent variables to scores on the satisfaction variable. Findings: The main results emphasize the relevance of two main influences on satisfaction with their university education. These were the selectivity of the university and the graduates’ experiences in the labor market. Graduates from the most selective universities tend to show a higher level of satisfaction with their university education. Satisfaction is also highest among those graduates who rapidly entered the workforce and secured employment closely aligned with their degree. Originality/value: This is the first study in Chile on the satisfaction of graduates conducted in a representative number of universities. © 2025, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Purpose: The study aims to examine conceptualisations and perceptions of key stakeholders involved in the tripartite relationship of a higher Degree Apprenticeship (HDA) – apprentice, employer and higher education institution (HEI) – and how these contribute towards the successful outcomes of a Leadership and Management Senior Leader Degree Apprenticeship (SLA Level 7). The potential of these HDAs to contribute towards progression pathways is essential for integrated learning programmes, as they support strategic business goals and future economic growth. Design/methodology/approach: Group concept mapping (GCM) is used to analyse conceptualisations and perceptions of that relationship. Data were collected using group discussions, analysed using multivariate statistical methods and debriefed with participants. Findings: HDAs support personal and professional development for senior leadership progression. Three main tensions were identified; the employer–HEI relationship should be contextually matched for work-based learning (WBL), mentors should be trained by the HEI, and soft skill development for demonstrating leadership capability and executive behaviours must be a requirement. Research limitations/implications: The scope of the study conducted was during a change and update of HDA standards and qualification credit requirements for the SLA. Practical implications: There is still a need to improve the delivery of WBL, addressing practice-theory issues across the workplace and academic learning environments. Originality/value: This paper provides an alternative method for examining the impact of the tripartite relationship on the delivery and outcomes of the SLA. © 2025, Emerald Publishing Limited.

This chapter explores the integration of simulation-based learning in entrepreneurship and business education through a case study of the 'Business Simulation-Games' course offered at the University of Piraeus. Developed to address the growing need for practical, experiential learning, the course leverages business simulations to provide students with hands-on experience in managing real-world scenarios. The chapter highlights how the course fosters critical skills such as strategic decision-making, risk management, adaptability, and teamwork, all while following Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle. Key components, including course design, the use of simulation tools, and reflective learning practices, are examined in detail. The chapter also addresses challenges related to technology, pedagogy, and student adaptation, as well as the strategies implemented to overcome them. Finally, the chapter offers practical recommendations for educators interested in adopting simulation-based approaches to enhance entrepreneurial skill development and improve learning outcomes in higher education. © 2025 by IGI Global Scientific Publishing. All rights reserved.

Workplace learning in vocational education and training (VET) is often claimed to be an important metric to define “high-quality” programs, but outcomes beyond initial employment are not well understood. In this study, we estimate outcomes of upper-secondary-school VET programs with different levels of workplace learning in Australia—solely classroom-based, classroom-based with a workplace learning component, and training with an employment contract (apprenticeship/traineeships). Outcomes of students in each of these vocational programs are compared with outcomes of students who do not enroll up to seven years later. We use data from 2003, 2006, and 2009 Program for International Student Assessment participants who are tracked through an annual survey, adjusting for differences in student test scores, socioeconomic characteristics, post-secondary aspirations, and school and peer characteristics. Our results suggest short-term labor market benefits that disappear by year 7 out from school. However, among those who go onto further study after school, VET with workplace learning is associated with positive outcomes that persist to at least year 7. These include 5 to 10 percentage point higher rates of full-time employment, 7 to 10 percentage point higher reported rates of career job attainment, and 0.14 standard deviation higher job satisfaction. Suggestive evidence indicates that workplace learning may provide job market information and/or employer contacts that help students find good post-secondary pathways in education and training. © 2024 Association for education Finance and Policy.

In the era of globalization, the sewerage industry plays an important role in ensuring environmental sustainability. However, a major challenge is the skills mismatch between university graduates and industry needs. Therefore, this study is significant because graduate skills play a crucial role in meeting industry needs, especially in the sewerage sector. By understanding the level of competence and skills that should be focused on for mechanical engineering graduates and mechanical engineering technology students, the development of job structures related to the sewerage industry can be improved from the outset. This study employs a quantitative approach using the survey method. A total of 189 samples representing the Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia and Universiti Teknikal Melaka were selected using a simple random sampling technique, and their findings were analysed descriptively. All research data obtained was analysed using SPSS software to obtain frequency values, mean scores, percentages, standard deviations, and analyses of differences between the two program groups. The result of descriptive statistics analysis (mean) indicates a high level of the existing knowledge competency, basic skills competency behavioural attitude, and habitual behaviour. Results of Mann-Whitney U test indicate a significant difference in the technical skill levels between mechanical engineering and mechanical engineering technology students with higher technical skills among the mechanical engineering programs. This study is expected to provide useful input for policymakers, educational institutions, and the sewerage industry, and help address the issue of unemployment and skill mismatch in Malaysia as a whole. © 2025, Penerbit UTHM. All rights reserved.

Malaysia has developed TVET programs to nurture a skilled workforce for its industrial sector. Many graduates face challenges in job readiness, impacting their employability in today's evolving technological environment. Outdated skills pose obstacles, potentially leading to unemployment or reduced workplace performance. This study determined the job readiness level of final-year TVET students in the Electrical and Electronics fields across the Malaysia Technical University Network (MTUN), focusing on Industry 4.0 skills. Using a quantitative, descriptive research design and surveys, the study identified essential Industry 4.0 skills using an IR 4.0 skills checklist, evaluated the current job readiness level of final-year TVET students in the Electrical and Electronics fields at MTUN using a job readiness questionnaire, and identified the differences in job readiness levels across MTUN universities. Stratified sampling and simple random sampling techniques were applied in this research. There were 11 IR 4.0 skills considered essential for job readiness in the Electrical and Electronics field from the industry perspective. The ranking of the 11 skills, from top to bottom, is as follows: technical knowledge, reasoning and problem-solving, analytical thinking and technological literacy, big data analytics, communication skills, artificial intelligence, leadership and social influence, curiosity and lifelong learning, quality control, and critical thinking, under the dimensions of People, Process, and Technology. The job readiness level of final-year TVET undergraduate students in the Electrical and Electronics (E&E) field at the MTUN was 3.61, which fell under the category of approaching readiness. The significance value of the Kruskal-Wallis test was 0.012, which was less than 0.05. A statistically significant difference was found in the job re adiness levels of final-year TVET undergraduate students in the Electrical and Electronics (E&E) field across the MTUN. UTHM's overall mean was higher than those of the other three universities. © 2025, Penerbit UTHM. All rights reserved.

As the higher education system in Egypt is currently confronted by a number of challenges, one of which is demographic pressure, there is the need for some new teaching programmes as well as new approaches; in this regard, the British Council plays a pioneering role. This paper has revealed the findings obtained from the participants of the forum organised at Pharos University in Alexandria by the University of Wolverhampton, the objective of which was to discover whether the degree apprenticeship is viable in Egypt. Questionnaires were received from 30 respondents in total, and the main findings were as follows. Although the participants showed their genuine interest and appreciation of the novelty and practicality of the degree apprenticeship, summarising it as "earn while learn", they believed that the main force which would impede its implementation would be the differences between the systems of higher education in the UK and Egypt, as well as certain cultural features, which continue to predominate in Egyptian society. © 2025 Emerald Publishing Limited: All rights reserved.