This paper first establishes the need for comprehensive internationalization of institutions of higher education, using frameworks provided by organizations, such as the American Council of Education (ACE) and the International Association of Universities (IAU), as well as by internationalization experts, such as Knight and De Wit. It proceeds…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences that contributed to the development of a systems thinking paradigm in instructors in a college of agriculture. Design/Methodology/Approach: A phenomenology design was used to understand the lived experiences of eleven instructors. Findings: Three themes emerged regarding how they…

Since the 1980s, neoliberal reforms in Higher Education (HE) have been widely adopted by governments around the globe because HE was seen as central to knowledge creation, national prosperity and competitiveness. Although the rate of adoption of these reforms varied due to differences in historical and political contexts, they have had a…

A growing body of evidence shows that positive student outcomes are associated with racial/ethnic diversity among university STEM instructors. However, few studies to date have been able to provide direct causal evidence identifying the specific mechanism(s) hypothesized to drive the benefits of instructor racial/ethnic diversity. Leaving these…

The impact of global systemic changes over 40 years in higher education (HE) have typically focussed on efficiency, cost-reduction and the needs of the economy. This has usually involved 'command and control' change processes and corporate accountability practices aimed at reducing university autonomy and bringing academics under greater…

There has been a long-standing societal push to diversify the student body of colleges and universities by improving access to higher education. Along those lines, increasing access to a greater range of students and practitioners through the diversification of their membership bases is also an expressed goal of the experiential learning…

This paper examines the value of embedding a systems-thinking lens in higher education research. A systems approach enables institutions to move beyond isolated interventions to explore the broader relationships and structures influencing learning and development by addressing the interconnected dimensions of people, processes, and technology. The…

Student development theory has been an important guide in practice; however, few theories focus on both the individual and the influence of the environment. Spencer's (1997) Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST) examines the individual, the environment, and the role of environmental feedback on self-perceptions, with a…

Quality enhancement projects in universities frequently rely on short-term, fragmented studies implemented in response to snapshot data linked to student feedback. Such projects may not address the complex interplay across stakeholder groups and do not always acknowledge the unintended consequences of change. This article, focused on systems…

Purpose: Underpinned by social cognitive and ecological systems theories, this research explored higher education students' entrepreneurial intentions (EI). It begins by exploring how various factors, including entrepreneurship education (EE), entrepreneurial motivation (EM) and entrepreneurial environment (EENV), contribute to the evolution of EI…

"Higher Education Leadership" offers a groundbreaking exploration of leadership in higher education. Rozana Carducci, Jordan Harper, and Adrianna Kezar challenge traditional paradigms and ideologies that hinder progress--advocating instead for liberatory systemic change. The authors highlight new and evolving interdisciplinary leadership…

This edited volume presents a series of case studies and research evidence on how global students contribute to widening the debate on sustainability within Higher Education institutions: by offering their own stories, along with academics and external stakeholders they create a unique context where their diverse backgrounds are combined into a…

In this chapter we provide an overview of campus ecology and ecological systems theory as applied to the study of higher education, most often to research on college students. We describe Bronfenbrenner's developmental ecological model and its application of it to the study of college students. We then discuss affordances and limitations of this…

In our theoretical and conceptual article, we propose that the application of Niklas Luhmann's sociological systems theory as a difference-theoretical approach to the opening of science unveils an openness paradox. We describe and discuss the general concept of open science as currently proposed by UNESCO and posit that only by accepting the…

Many teaching in higher education whose fields rely heavily on processes using technology can be overwhelmed by the pace of developments, and, in turn, have difficulties identifying those competencies necessary for their students to have mastered. These educators may feel as though they are aiming at a moving target, and given the number of new…