Abstract This article provides a conceptual framework of the dimensions of a toxic culture in higher education and the impact it has on the meaning of work. Seven dimensions of a toxic culture in higher education are presented as follows: toxic leadership; bullying and mobbing; colleagues as enablers; reinforced toxic social norms; purposeful, chaotic change; manipulation of systems, structures and processes; and weaponization of the work itself. The article then discusses how the harmful individual outcomes of working in a toxic culture change the meaning of work from meaningful to meani ..read more

Abstract In this research, we explore the effect of college instructors' use of formal versus casual titles on student perceptions as a function of the instructors' academic ranks. We conducted two studies: the first surveying students to study their expectations and preferences of formality and rank, and the second using experimental manipulations of title formality and instructor rank to examine the effects on student perceptions of instructors and their classes. Our data indicate that a full professor is perceived more favourably than a graduate assistant when using a casual title (their fi ..read more

Abstract The purpose of this study is to investigate the essential experiences and skills required for successful and effective leadership at Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) in the United States. Utilizing Weick's seven properties of sensemaking as a framework, this study examines how participants developed their sensemaking abilities regarding their presidencies at TCUs. To conduct this research, a phenomenological qualitative research method was utilized, analysing 11 interviews with TCU presidents. The themes identified in this study included developing a vision plan that the Tribal ..read more

Abstract Research on senior leadership in higher education systems is urgently needed, particularly in the context of system-wide transformations. This study focuses on a critical juncture in Ireland, during which Institutes of Technology (IoTs) collaborated to undergo ‘redesignation’ as Technological Universities (TUs). Based on interviews with the fourteen presidents of the IoTs, this research employs the Community of Practice framework to analyse their interactions, strategies, and approaches to a policy-initiated, systemic change. Despite decades of pervasive competition, these senior lead ..read more

Abstract The objective of this paper is to contribute to our understanding of ‘crisis’ in higher education through the analysis of a unique series of events involving a decisive change in the relationship between a university and the state. A descriptive case study approach is used to investigate the crisis in governance at Athabasca University, an open university located in Alberta, Canada. Factors leading to the crisis included the university leadership's decision to move forward with plans to become a near-virtual organization, concerns by local town that a loss of university employees in t ..read more

Abstract A crisis constitutes a catalyst for rethinking academic responsibilities in societies facing a major threat. When a crisis escalates, such rethinking moves to the centre of both academic and social discourses, resulting in scrutiny, as well as synergy of scholarship and citizenship. Delving into the existential threats faced by Ukrainian scholars during the genocidal campaign unleashed against their country by Russia in 2022, this paper re-examines academic citizenship in times of war. The interviews analysed in this paper contribute to identifying synergies between scholarship and ci ..read more

Abstract As cross-border education continues to evolve, a comprehensive understanding of the latest trends requires an awareness of the behaviours of partner universities and host governments. This case study examines two joint-venture universities in China and compares their institutional approaches to resource acquisition. It compares their strategies in four dimensions: initial launch, choice of name, capacity building, and strategy in leveraging resources from the local government. The divergent strategies show that both universities use their particular advantages to obtain different reso ..read more

Abstract This study explored Chinese students' motivations for selecting a cross-border university in China's Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) and how they perceive their undergraduate experiences. The GBA was developed as an international economic cluster in China. Despite the vitality of the GBA's international education sector, few studies have focused on individual students' perspectives on cross-border higher education choices and experiences. We interviewed twenty students and two academics in charge of university admissions about their opinions and reflections concerning ..read more

Abstract This paper investigates publication strategies of the most distinguished local government researchers in eight European countries. Drawing upon dependency theory, accumulative advantage theory and ‘utility maximizing’ theory, we compare publication strategies of scholars from countries that vary in terms of the distance from the core of academic knowledge production, also taking into consideration their career length (academic age). The two publication strategies compared are international visibility and domestic visibility. The analysis confirmed the hypothesis that younger scholars ..read more

Abstract All fields of knowledge are challenged to adopt newer, more sophisticated methodologies to cope with growing complexity. Phenomena under study require further multidisciplinary and mixed methods collaborations to achieve expertise able to improve research strategies and practices. Furthermore, traditional methodological approaches face limits to their analytical reach. Here, we demonstrate opportunities from adopting newer, more sophisticated methodologies in the field of higher education (HE) research by comparing three case studies. We argue that such methods and data innovate the m ..read more