Studying similarities and differences in higher education organisations based on their websites – comparative methodological approaches and research potential

Abstract

This article discusses the possible ways in which visual research methodologies can be extended and applied to study similarities and differences in higher education institutions (and systems) in the context of the visual and digital turn in social science methodologies. The article focuses on the methodological potential of the institutional website analysis as a fruitful approach in comparative higher education research. The article futher focuses on two specific comparative methodological issues: different purposes of comparisons and different organisational aspects which can be compared. The review of the current state of research based on university websites found that the analyses are largely cross-sectional and focused on issues related to institutional identities and positioning of individual self-identities towards institutions as well as on representations of different types of students. Organisational aspects of structure and hierarchies, disciplinary differences, leadership and management cultures, organisational aesthetics as well studies which focus on the representation of non-student groups of university members, are rare and represent potential research frontiers. Most of the reviewed articles are guided by linear causal explanation logic, while other comparative purposes like a better description, critique and provision of alternative explanations are less present and potentially could lead to a better understanding of higher education.

Markers of entanglement: Survival strategies within the neoliberal university and the promise of carceral futures

“…Contemporary scholarly endeavors have addressed the ways that universities engage in a competition of sorts for students (Barton et al, 2010; Pizarro Milian, 2017). Scholars have sought to understand how universities and specific departments market and promote themselves to constituents (Bartles et al, 2015; Blanco and Metcalfe, 2020; Bolan and Robinson, 2013; Davidson, 2015; Hejwosz-Gromkowska, 2019; Lažetić, 2020; Missaghian and Pizarro Milian, 2019; Pizarro Milian, 2017; Pizarro Milian and Davidson, 2018; Pizarro Milian and McLaughlin, 2016; Puddephatt and Nelsen, 2010; Saichaie and Morphew, 2014). University websites are a key tool of how universities market and brand themselves, hoping to communicate their advantage for a student and their tuition dollars.…”

Gestión de la Educación Superior en entornos inestables: desafíos organizacionales

“…También se sugiere que los investigadores incorporen la investigación comparativa como un enfoque fructífero para lograr resultados predictivos (Lazetic, 2020), ya que tal esfuerzo puede contribuir a la integración de diversas perspectivas de varias partes interesadas.…”

Masters in health professions education programs as they choose to represent themselves: A website review

“…Although still a relatively new and expanding field, website reviews of higher education institutions are recognized as an effective way to learn about a program’s identity, culture, values, administrative and organizational structure, available technologies, among others 7 , 8 . In the HPE program space, this theoretically allows HPE programs to appeal to more individuals, and with a more focused and intentional message than before.…”