Chapter 2 Striving for Research Excellence by Understanding Institutional Rationalities

A Case Study within the Bachelor of Automotive Engineering

In: Sustaining the Future of Higher Education
Authors:
Leo Buning
Search for other papers by Leo Buning in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Peter Schuur
Search for other papers by Peter Schuur in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
, and
Frans de Vijlder
Search for other papers by Frans de Vijlder in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close

Purchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):

$40.00

Abstract

The relatively new experience during the last two decades with applied research at Dutch universities of applied sciences opens up opportunities to introduce research excellence to these. A key issue here may be the institutional rationalities of professionals operating in the communities of education, industry and research – the adaptive learning triangle. By understanding the rationalities of these professional communities, a new perspective may emerge to promote research excellence at a university of applied sciences.

Previous research on this topic is dominated by university-industry cooperation. Typically, in these institutions the underlying idea is that educational activities sustain the research process. At universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands, teaching is the predominant activity, and research seems to be a somewhat separate world. However, research is indeed conducted and a focus on research excellence may help to enhance education with state-of-the-art topics emerging from the cooperation with industry.

This chapter elaborates on institutional rationalities emerging from a case study concerning the Bachelor programme in Automotive Engineering of the School of Engineering and Automotive at HAN University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. We focus on the playing field of the professional within the communities spanned by the adaptive learning triangle. The objective is to address the issue of enhancing research excellence in the curriculum of the Bachelor programme in Automotive Engineering, by understanding the institutional rationalities of the three professional communities involved.

Our research shows a compelling distinction in the mindset of the education and research communities in the School of Engineering and Automotive versus that of the industry community, such as in the: (a) economic field (cost coverage versus shareholder value); (b) research paradigm (knowledge dissemination versus exploiting intellectual property); and (c) time dynamics (short time to market versus a set four-year study programme).

  • Collapse
  • Expand
Introduction Sustainability of Higher Education in Uncertain Times
Chapter 1 Sustaining the European Higher Education Area
Chapter 2 Striving for Research Excellence by Understanding Institutional Rationalities
Chapter 3 When Excellence Meets Relevance
Chapter 4 Student Driven Innovations
Chapter 5 Experiences of Academic Leadership in Ireland 2008–2014
Chapter 6 Using Innovative Observation to Improve Teaching and Learning
Chapter 7 Using Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) for Building Youth Consciousness on Democracy in Everyday Life (DIEL) in India
Chapter 8 Linkages between Academic Culture and Management in Polish Higher Education
Chapter 9 Exploring the Impact of Student Mobility and Extracurricular Engagement on Academic Performance and Graduate Outcomes
Chapter 10 Can the New COVID-19 Normal Help to Achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4?
Chapter 11 The Roles of Higher Education Managers in Germany
Chapter 12 The Incomplete PDCA Cycle in the Research, Development and Innovation Activities at a Finnish UAS
Chapter 13 Organisational Change in Student Affairs

Metrics

All Time Past 365 days Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 253 46 1
Full Text Views 2 0 0
PDF Views & Downloads 1 0 0