Papers by Kathy O'Sullivan
European Journal of Social Sciences Education and Research, 2018
In order to achieve competitive advantage in both national and international markets, universitie... more In order to achieve competitive advantage in both national and international markets, universities around the world are increasingly adopting strategies for internationalisation. Internationalisation of a university refers to the process of integrating an international, intercultural and global dimension into the purpose, functions and delivery of education and research of the university. It is defined as an ongoing, future-oriented, interdisciplinary, leadership-driven vision that involves many stakeholders working to change the internal dynamics of an institution to respond and adapt appropriately to an ever-changing external environment. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the challenges of a new university to acquire a strong local academic identity and profile to answer the needs of a knowledge-based society driven by globalisation and to highlight the main challenges for the sector in the future. This research found some perceptions of the meaning of internationalisation of higher education in the Chinese context-learning for self-improvement, nationalism-which differentiate Chinese models of internationalisation from those in the West. Moreover, the dominant motivation for internationalisation in the Chinese university is academic development, which is different from the Western universities' more economic rationales. These differences can be attributed to the history of the modernisation of higher education in China, the impact of nationalist revolution on higher education and dual-managerial systems in higher education institutions (HEIs) which involve the Communist Party Committee and the university president.
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Journal of Education, Teaching and Social Studies, 2019
The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to describe the glass ceiling is percei... more The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to describe the glass ceiling is perceived by women in the role of mid-to-senior level academics and administrators in higher education in a Chinese university. This study also sought to understand the characteristics of women in mid-to-senior level positions, as well as the tools and resources necessary for women to obtain such a position in higher education. Drawing on in-depth interviews with eight women in mid-to-senior level academic and administrative positions in one university and informed by constructivist views, the essence of their lived experience helped to inform a broader discourse of women and the glass ceiling. The findings highlight how women's career progression is shaped by cultural norms and conventions.
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The wholesale expansion of English-medium instruction, especially in higher education in China, h... more The wholesale expansion of English-medium instruction, especially in higher education in China, has highlighted the gap between what is said and what the reality is in the classroom. English language proficiency expectations add complexity to a milieu where many teachers began their careers teaching in the one of the Chinese languages and many students come from a school environment where heavy emphasis was placed on rote learning. What, then, has this meant for teachers and students? This paper aims to illustrate the challenges of a mainland Chinese university to acquire a strong local academic identity and profile to answer the needs of a knowledge-based society driven by globalisation. The central aim of this study is to critically explore the perspectives of both English language and subject-specific teachers participating in this English as medium of instruction reform. Opportunities and challenges are identified, with recommendations for future practice being made. Amongst the main challenges identified are a top-down approach to English as a medium of instruction reform and the increasing presence of foreign 'experts' in education in the country. Yet, internationalization of universities presents an opportunity for China to be at the vanguard of higher education reform.
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A major challenge for both building and sustaining successful universities is considering how uni... more A major challenge for both building and sustaining successful universities is considering how university governance can foster innovation, facilitating universities to be prominent players on a global higher education stage. A recent case study of a young Chinese university, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), illustrates how drawing on the greatest resource at a university's disposal, namely, its students, is central to this endeavor, by allowing for a model of shared university governance to play a key role in stimulating education innovation. The path to education innovation is discussed, indicating the challenges and opportunities involved with university governance in an ever-changing Chinese societal context. At the same time, several dramatic changes have taken place in higher education globally, also impacting on China's higher education. Among the new developments is the growing effect of internationalization on higher education activities, policies and planning. Its diverse and unprecedented effects make it one of the major forces shaping higher education in the 21st century. One of the main issues facing the sector is its innovation capacity and the ability to use this for the transformation of the higher education landscape, through effective university governance. How are students part of this? Among the themes that have emerged from this study are leadership, execution of clearly-defined institutional goals, funding, development of a strong academic and institutional culture, and recruitment of talented academic staff and students. Recommendations are made to deal with the challenge of transforming organizational culture, especially given the recent focus on internationalization. This study illustrates how becoming a world-class university, at the frontier of education innovation, can happen when government, universities
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Management Education: An International Journal, 2016
Many organizations in various context around the world are restructuring their measurement system... more Many organizations in various context around the world are restructuring their measurement systems for planning and management, aiming to accurately reflect today's increasingly fast-paced environment. Continuous changes in the global business milieu demand constant revision of operations and strategies, in order to keep pace with what is happening both at home and abroad. Regardless of this, few organizations appear to have efficient processes in place to ensure that their performance and strategy measurement systems continue to reflect their rapidly-changing situations. This is a case study of one such organization, a private, for-profit university in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where a balanced scorecard has been introduced in the past three years as a means of measuring performance and driving strategy. The results reveal that frequent change in strategy is a major factor leading to the difficulty of implementing the balanced scorecard, which in turn suggests that local culture, including local organizational culture, needs to be considered when implementing a new planning and measurement system.
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Journal of Humanities & Social Science, 2017
Numerous education reform initiatives of the decade have not improved student performance as was ... more Numerous education reform initiatives of the decade have not improved student performance as was initially hoped in the United Arab Emirates. This has been borne out by the results of international assessments. After studying English throughout their K-12 years, school leavers are, in many instances, unable to speak or write coherently in English. This naturally raises questions about the skills and qualifications of teachers. It certainly appears there is a major issue confronting English education and education reform in the United Arab Emirates.One reason is that scant attention has been paid to what really transpireson a daily basisin the classroom. This paper refocuses attention on the classroom, specifically on how efficient professional development can change teachers' classroom behaviours in ways that lead to demonstrable improvement in student performance. One of the paper's principal observations is that continuousprofessional development programs are generally better than individual seminars and workshops which are one-time events. The paper concludes by showing that perhaps a combination of online professional development and face-to-face trainingwill help,by giving teachers opportunities to practice what they learn over relatively extended periods of time, and offering a level of convenience that conventional professional development does not.
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Handbook of Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development in Higher Education, (ed. Walter Leal et al). Springer Press, 2017
Higher education helps prepare students for the professional arena, yet would appear to have few ... more Higher education helps prepare students for the professional arena, yet would appear to have few explicit training opportunities to enable students to develop personal leadership skills. This is even more evident in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where, although there is recognition that students have much to offer in the leadership process, the idea of students as participating in campus life on a leadership level has yet to take root. How do students themselves perceive and navigate the leadership opportunities and developmental processes, or lack thereof, afforded to them at university? The research focused on a longitudinal case study, over the course of an academic year, in a private university in Dubai where data were gathered through qualitative approaches. Findings indicated perceived positive and challenging experiences as reported by the student leaders. Recommendations include fostering relationships with K-12 institutions and also developing mentoring opportunities at the university level, as student leadership is key to sustainability in higher education. These findings contribute to the growing body of student leadership literature globally, and may help stimulate research on student leadership in the Middle East, where there is currently a dearth of literature on the development of student leadership potential.
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International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 2015
Due to recent local, national and international realities, having a high level of competence in t... more Due to recent local, national and international realities, having a high level of competence in two or more languages has assumed increased importance. Bilingual education is a complex and contentious field, as it needs to take into account the wider social and cultural consequences of the widespread use of two languages in society. Policy makers in Abu Dhabi have embarked on an ambitious reform program in public schools, advocating what is, in effect, a bilingual education system. This has been imposed in a top-down manner, leading to a sense of disenfranchisement amongst numerous stakeholders. This study is concerned with teacher perceptions of the reform program, revealing mostly negative perceptions regarding the realities of bilingual education in the classroom. Cultural issues have come to light with regard to the use of English as a medium of instruction in Math and Science classes, and with the employment of native speaker teachers to teach English. Is the prevailing bilingual education program in Abu Dhabi schools fit for purpose? This study suggests that, in order for the program to be both successful and sustainable, an in-depth understanding of contextualised perspectives is necessary, which would in turn lead to a realistic language policy in the emirate's schools. It is recommended that the bilingual education policy proposed by the Abu Dhabi Education Council in 2009 be reexamined as a matter of priority.
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International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 2015
The purpose of this study is to explore Emirati women's career experiences, their perspective on ... more The purpose of this study is to explore Emirati women's career experiences, their perspective on the forces that have shaped them and the barriers they encounter in the workplace. Emirati women's participation in the public sphere is steadily increasing, having been previously confined to the private sphere of the home. With a greater range of career options now open to them, these women are focusing more on the choices they make to be successful in the workplace rather than on the constraints that hinder them. They are navigating their chosen career paths against the backdrop of a traditional society, although, as the results in this study illustrate, the cultural milieu is changing fast, in no small part due to these women creating new traditions, hoping to be role models for future generations.
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Near and Middle Eastern Journal of Research in Education, 2015
The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the challenges faced by a private university in t... more The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the challenges faced by a private university in the United Arab Emirates in balancing the specific needs of the country's educational system with the requirements of both national reporting measures and international accreditation. It highlights some critical issues, restraints and innovations in education reform. A higher education system of quality is necessary for the evolution of a society. Yet, in an increasingly globalised world, when information regarding local culture and the local community is subsumed by standardised information required by international accreditation agencies, higher education institutions are tasked with matching the ambitious goals they have with very diverse local realities. In-depth interviews with administrators, faculty members and students resulted in narratives that shed light on what participants perceive as the challenges to achieving international standards in an environment with many local constraints. Strategic questions are also posed as to what shape the development of a national higher education system should take. This is against the backdrop of a recent proliferation of branch campuses of foreign universities and private universities in the Gulf region in general, and the United Arab Emirates in particular, that are primarily self-funding. This study provides recommendations to educational leaders and policy planners to arrive at plausible, meaningful solutions to the issue of taking into account often-neglected local contextual realities, to help provide for quality education to the local population while at the same time meeting international standards.
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Conference Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference in Higher Education: Sustaining Success Through Innovation, 2014
Critical thinking is increasingly important in today’s workplace. We cannot afford for our studen... more Critical thinking is increasingly important in today’s workplace. We cannot afford for our students and workers not to be critical thinkers. The purpose of this study is to examine critical thinking and the second language learner through means of debate at a university in the Middle East. Some studies suggest the reason non-native speaker learners of English have difficulty with critical thinking is a result of lack of language ability, while this study suggests it is less to do with language and more to do with an education system that has yet to embed critical thinking as part of the academic experience.
The use of debate as a tool to facilitate critical thinking will be discussed. Today’s students will be expected to communicate confidently and effectively, not only at university level, but also in their future workplace. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that classroom debates can be an effective learning strategy for teaching both professional communication skills and critical thinking. Students can become more active learners, become more confident and learn both how to challenge and how to cope when challenged by others.
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Journal of Teaching and Education, 2015
There has been a proliferation of research in recent years on education reform in the UAE, partic... more There has been a proliferation of research in recent years on education reform in the UAE, particularly teacher education in government schools. However, scant attention has been paid to reform in private schools, which, contrary to received opinion, are not only for international students, but also provide education to a growing number of Emirati students. This study examines apparent deficiencies in an American curriculum private school in Dubai: the mismatch between policy and practice. On the whole, both teachers and students, although a little unsure as to how to proceed, are enthusiastic proponents of reform, if correctly planned for. The paper concludes that a fundamental change in the quality of education in private schools needs to be urgently addressed, so that private schools may keep pace with education reform in the country as a whole.
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International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 2014
The purpose of this study is to investigate undergraduates’ perceptions of academic dishonesty at... more The purpose of this study is to investigate undergraduates’ perceptions of academic dishonesty at a private North American university in the United Arab Emirates. Academic honesty is a sensitive issue, not least because of the correlation between it and the reputation of an institution and the quality of the degrees it issues.
In this qualitative study, participants elaborate on the reasons they engage in academic dishonesty and the role they feel that institutional administration and faculty have to play in combating plagiarizing and cheating behaviors. What becomes apparent is that all three main stakeholders, students, faculty and institutional administrators, have a part to play in order to create a more academically honest environment. The responsibility for improving standards of academic honesty needs to be co-constructed, so that the learning environment can evolve into a learning community.
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Papers by Kathy O'Sullivan
The use of debate as a tool to facilitate critical thinking will be discussed. Today’s students will be expected to communicate confidently and effectively, not only at university level, but also in their future workplace. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that classroom debates can be an effective learning strategy for teaching both professional communication skills and critical thinking. Students can become more active learners, become more confident and learn both how to challenge and how to cope when challenged by others.
In this qualitative study, participants elaborate on the reasons they engage in academic dishonesty and the role they feel that institutional administration and faculty have to play in combating plagiarizing and cheating behaviors. What becomes apparent is that all three main stakeholders, students, faculty and institutional administrators, have a part to play in order to create a more academically honest environment. The responsibility for improving standards of academic honesty needs to be co-constructed, so that the learning environment can evolve into a learning community.
The use of debate as a tool to facilitate critical thinking will be discussed. Today’s students will be expected to communicate confidently and effectively, not only at university level, but also in their future workplace. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that classroom debates can be an effective learning strategy for teaching both professional communication skills and critical thinking. Students can become more active learners, become more confident and learn both how to challenge and how to cope when challenged by others.
In this qualitative study, participants elaborate on the reasons they engage in academic dishonesty and the role they feel that institutional administration and faculty have to play in combating plagiarizing and cheating behaviors. What becomes apparent is that all three main stakeholders, students, faculty and institutional administrators, have a part to play in order to create a more academically honest environment. The responsibility for improving standards of academic honesty needs to be co-constructed, so that the learning environment can evolve into a learning community.