Title: The attributes of higher education institution (HEI) considered important by high school graduates in selecting a HEI to enroll in.
Authors: Evelio G. Echavez and Myra P. Gonzales (July 2008)
Abstract: With the increasing number of institutions of higher learning competing for enrollment among high school graduates, many of these institutions have implemented promotion campaigns, strategies and programs for the purpose of attracting students to enroll in their schools. Since most of the new enrollees in higher education institutions, whether private or public, are fresh high school graduates, it would be good to know what attributes of a higher education institution they consider important. This study shows that the fresh high school graduates who enrolled as college freshmen at Baliuag University say that it is important for a higher education institution to produce good graduates as a result of quality education and to have its own campus that is clean and well-maintained, together with the availability of improved facilities.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Improving the Quality of Education
Managing for Society
The Manila Times
March 10, 2009
We oftentimes hear or read commentaries about the deterioration of the quality of education in our country and the mismatch between the kind of graduates being produced by higher education institutions (HEIs) and the needs of industry. I read updates on higher education in the US everyday and I know that these problems are not unique to our country. Having taken up graduate studies in two of our best universities and attended an executive program in one of the business schools in the US, I am witness to the important role that HEIs play in national development.
The various accrediting bodies affiliated with the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) help in providing the motivation and guidelines in improving and sustaining quality education of HEIs. Accreditation in HEIs is akin to the various ISO certifications that businesses voluntarily undertake. Similar to the ISO certification which is voluntary, the system of HEI accreditation is also voluntary. This is the reason why, while the more progressive and quality-conscious HEIs have already attained higher level status of accreditation, others have not started at all. By joining an accreditation process—with the accrediting body serving as third party—an HEI is required to improve all aspects of its operations, including library resources and development of faculty, among others. The college of which I am dean has attained Level III Re-accredited Status with the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities—Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA) for its Business Administration Programs.
HEIs, nowadays, are expected to provide quality instruction, conduct relevant research, and be involved in community outreach programs. First, HEIs are expected to deliver quality instruction to provide their graduates with proper competence, skills and values. To ensure that we fulfill this in our university, we employ faculty members with the right qualifications, and design a faculty development program for them to continue improving their teaching competence and abilities as well as knowledge in their areas of specialization. Likewise, we have forged a strong Industry-Academe Linkage Program with our industry partners through the signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to ensure that they provide our students with the proper exposure in our students’ practicum. We also request some of them to actively participate in consultation meetings called to review curricula and/or course syllabi. On the other hand, we provide training seminars for their managers, supervisors and other staff on important management or business topics, provide consultancy for them whenever they need advice, and conduct research for them upon their request. Using the aforesaid MOA and proper matching between our students’ qualification and our partners’ line of business, we avoid having the possibility of our students going through an inadequate or ineffective on-the-job-training.
Second, in order to expand knowledge and to enrich the lessons that they teach in the classrooms, faculty members are encouraged to conduct research work and make case studies particularly on the problems besetting the business people in our area of service. We use the results of our research in enhancing the type and quality of the service that we provide industry and the community. And lastly, we also involve our students in our community outreach programs, where they are able to use their learning in school to teach/coach people in the community some livelihood programs and how to run their business. This enhances the values and the social responsibility consciousness of our students.
HEIs and the business community should continue to forge a conscious effort to cooperate with each other and to coordinate initiatives so that the end-result of the HEIs’ efforts—the graduates—will find acceptance in worthwhile and productive jobs in the workplace after leaving the academe’s portals.
The Manila Times
March 10, 2009
We oftentimes hear or read commentaries about the deterioration of the quality of education in our country and the mismatch between the kind of graduates being produced by higher education institutions (HEIs) and the needs of industry. I read updates on higher education in the US everyday and I know that these problems are not unique to our country. Having taken up graduate studies in two of our best universities and attended an executive program in one of the business schools in the US, I am witness to the important role that HEIs play in national development.
The various accrediting bodies affiliated with the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) help in providing the motivation and guidelines in improving and sustaining quality education of HEIs. Accreditation in HEIs is akin to the various ISO certifications that businesses voluntarily undertake. Similar to the ISO certification which is voluntary, the system of HEI accreditation is also voluntary. This is the reason why, while the more progressive and quality-conscious HEIs have already attained higher level status of accreditation, others have not started at all. By joining an accreditation process—with the accrediting body serving as third party—an HEI is required to improve all aspects of its operations, including library resources and development of faculty, among others. The college of which I am dean has attained Level III Re-accredited Status with the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities—Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA) for its Business Administration Programs.
HEIs, nowadays, are expected to provide quality instruction, conduct relevant research, and be involved in community outreach programs. First, HEIs are expected to deliver quality instruction to provide their graduates with proper competence, skills and values. To ensure that we fulfill this in our university, we employ faculty members with the right qualifications, and design a faculty development program for them to continue improving their teaching competence and abilities as well as knowledge in their areas of specialization. Likewise, we have forged a strong Industry-Academe Linkage Program with our industry partners through the signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to ensure that they provide our students with the proper exposure in our students’ practicum. We also request some of them to actively participate in consultation meetings called to review curricula and/or course syllabi. On the other hand, we provide training seminars for their managers, supervisors and other staff on important management or business topics, provide consultancy for them whenever they need advice, and conduct research for them upon their request. Using the aforesaid MOA and proper matching between our students’ qualification and our partners’ line of business, we avoid having the possibility of our students going through an inadequate or ineffective on-the-job-training.
Second, in order to expand knowledge and to enrich the lessons that they teach in the classrooms, faculty members are encouraged to conduct research work and make case studies particularly on the problems besetting the business people in our area of service. We use the results of our research in enhancing the type and quality of the service that we provide industry and the community. And lastly, we also involve our students in our community outreach programs, where they are able to use their learning in school to teach/coach people in the community some livelihood programs and how to run their business. This enhances the values and the social responsibility consciousness of our students.
HEIs and the business community should continue to forge a conscious effort to cooperate with each other and to coordinate initiatives so that the end-result of the HEIs’ efforts—the graduates—will find acceptance in worthwhile and productive jobs in the workplace after leaving the academe’s portals.
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