Tracing accountability in higher education

Macheridis, Nikos; Paulsson, Alexander

doi:10.1177/0034523721993143

Cited by 18 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 78 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Accountability is a concept often seen in the context of higher education (Macheridis and Paulsson, 2021). While many definitions circulate, the authors note that a common definition of accountability in higher education is as follows: accountability “is a systematic method to assure that those inside and outside the higher education system […] are moving toward desired goals” (Leveille, 2005, p. 10).…”

Section: Towards a Framework Of Responsibilization And Accountabilizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Greening higher education? From responsibilization to accountabilization in the incorporation of sustainability in higher education

Macheridis

Paulsson

2021

IJSHE

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose This study aims to investigate how sustainability has been incorporated – or mainstreamed - in a school at one university through techniques of responsibilization and accountabilization. Design/methodology/approach Inspired by the extended case study methodology, the authors participated, observed and analyzed two audit-inspired processes, whose aims included ensuring that sustainability was integrated into the educational process. Findings By following two audit-inspired processes, the authors show how teachers were asked to respond to open-ended survey questions and by doing so emerged as responsibilized subjects. Although the teachers were given lots of space to interpret the concept of sustainability and show how it was translated into the programs and courses offered, the teachers were made accountable as established organizational hierarchies were reproduced when responsibilization was formalized through techniques of accountabilization. Research limitations/implications The analysis moves beyond the instrumental epistemologies characterizing much of the positivist-oriented research in higher education. As with all studies, the authors study also has methodological limitations, such as involving a single higher education institution. There is a general need for more empirical research in this area in order to build theory and to understand whether the concepts of responsibilization and accountabilization can also be applied in other higher education contexts. Practical implications The study shows that higher education administrators engage in processes of responsibilization and accountabilization through formalized processes of interpellation, as documents and self-assessment exercises tie teachers to organizational contexts. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study that introduces the concepts of responsibilization and accountabilization as social relationships in higher education governance.

show abstract

Section: Towards a Framework Of Responsibilization And Accountabilizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Greening higher education? From responsibilization to accountabilization in the incorporation of sustainability in higher education

Macheridis

Paulsson

2021

IJSHE

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Although several business schools have adopted the Principles of Management Education as a strategy of integrating sustainability in their operations, there is a growing perception that actual practice is still lagging behind (Maloni et al, 2021;Macheridis & Paulsson, 2021;Kohl et al 2022). According to Kohl et al (2022), the voice of business schools is still lacking in the development of national and international sustainability conventions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Status of Sustainability Management Education in African MBA Programmes: A Web-based Research Approach

Muposhi,

Shamhuyenhanzva

2024

Aust. J. environ. educ.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Emerging evidence suggests that business schools in Africa are lagging behind in promoting sustainability education. Grand challenges that point to a limited focus on transformative sustainability education such as environmental pollution, conflicts, inequalities and unemployment still persist in African economies, with the profit motive remaining central to businesses’ operating philosophy. Informed by the clarion call for business schools to be key drivers of sustainability education, this study reviews the African master of business administration (MBA) curricula with the objective of assessing the status of sustainability management education. The content of the MBA curricula of 42 African business schools accredited with the Association of African Business Schools was analysed using a web-based research approach. The findings indicate that the concept of sustainability has not been sufficiently embedded into the African MBA curricula. The values and mission statements of the majority of business schools were found not to be aligned with the principles of sustainability education. It was also found that shareholder value oriented modules constitute the core curriculum of the majority of MBA programmes reviewed. An incremental elective approach was found to be the most dominant strategy used by African business schools to incorporate sustainability education in the MBA curricula. An integrative approach of embedding sustainability education focusing on re-orientation of the business schools’ values, mission, curriculum, systems, operations and governance is recommended. The increased use of experiential learning is also recommended as an effective teaching pedagogy for equipping MBA students with practical aspects of sustainability education.

show abstract

“…funding, prestige, tenure or career advancement) (Dougherty and Natow, 2019). This system has developed into an accountability process with a clear objective of quality control, autonomy and performance (Macheridis and Paulsson, 2021;Huisman, 2018). Consequently, there has been a shift from a quality discourse focused on improvement to one focused on fostering control, competitiveness and comparability (Stensaker, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Academics' perceptions regarding performance evaluations and the consequences for their professional and personal activity

Mula-Falcón,

Caballero

2023

JARHE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

PurposeImproving and assuring the quality of higher education has become a key element of policy agendas worldwide. To this end, a complete accountability system has been developed through various evaluation procedures. Specifically, this study analyzes the perceptions of university teaching staff on the impact of performance appraisal systems on their professional activity, health and personal lives.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a nonexperimental descriptive and causal-comparative design using a questionnaire that was completed by a sample of 2,183 Spanish teachers. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics and comparisons of differences.FindingsThe results show that, according to teachers, the evaluation criteria undermine the quality of their work by encouraging them to neglect teaching, increase scientific production and engage in unethical research practices. Their views also emphasize the social and health-related consequences of an increasingly competitive work climate, including increased stress levels. Finally, significant differences are observed regarding gender, professional category and academic discipline, with women, junior faculty and social sciences teachers expressing particularly strong views.Originality/valueThe originality of this study lies in the application of a method that contributes to the international debate through a national perspective (Spain) that has so far received little attention.

show abstract

Tracing accountability in higher education

Cited by 18 publications

References 78 publications

Greening higher education? From responsibilization to accountabilization in the incorporation of sustainability in higher education

Greening higher education? From responsibilization to accountabilization in the incorporation of sustainability in higher education

Status of Sustainability Management Education in African MBA Programmes: A Web-based Research Approach

Academics' perceptions regarding performance evaluations and the consequences for their professional and personal activity

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About