The untapped potential of international alumni : "Street credibility and prestige for higher education institutions"
Aarva, Aku (2018)
Aarva, Aku
2018
Korkeakouluhallinnon ja -johtamisen maisteriohjelma - Master's Degree Programme in Higher Education Administration and Management
Johtamiskorkeakoulu - Faculty of Management
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2018-04-30
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:uta-201805111642
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:uta-201805111642
Tiivistelmä
The purpose of this research is to shed light to the complex relationship of the international alumni and the Finnish higher education institutions (HEIs). This is done by identifying what tasks and roles are designated to the international alumni by the Finnish HEIs in general and specifically regarding education export. The theoretical framework of the research consists of the New Public Management (NPM) and the New Public Governance (NPG) -models.
The research was conducted as a series of semi-structured qualitative interviews. The empirical data consisted of the transcribed interviews of the seven elite-informants from two higher education institutions chosen as the research cases. The data was analysed using the inductive methods, first by approaching it with an empirical data-driven approach and then with a theory-driven approach.
Research concerning international alumni and the roles and tasks designated to them had not been conducted in Finland before and this inspired the decision to choose this topic. This research indicated three key roles, customer, stakeholder and partner, and nine tasks that the HEIs designate to the international alumni. The identified nine tasks, such as education ambassador and source of leads, can create competitive advantage to any HEI with a functioning international alumni network.
The NPM and NPG models provided lenses to recognise what roles and tasks the case-study HEIs designated to the international alumni and why these were chosen. The research showed that the case-study HEIs operated under the premises of the theoretical frame. The international alumni operations in the case-study HEIs are underdeveloped and in preliminary stages, but nevertheless add value to the HEIs and their education export efforts.
The results of the research can be used to develop HEIs alumni operations and education export efforts as well as basis for policy changes, such as a Ministry of Education funding mechanism measuring the development of international alumni operations or as a strategic focus where HEIs could distinguish themselves and gain competitive advantage against other HEIs. Further qualitative research can include the development of alumni net-works, the perspective of alumni regarding the identified tasks and roles, the Ministerial policy changes regarding international alumni and the regional effects international alumni might have in areas where the HEIs are located.
The research was conducted as a series of semi-structured qualitative interviews. The empirical data consisted of the transcribed interviews of the seven elite-informants from two higher education institutions chosen as the research cases. The data was analysed using the inductive methods, first by approaching it with an empirical data-driven approach and then with a theory-driven approach.
Research concerning international alumni and the roles and tasks designated to them had not been conducted in Finland before and this inspired the decision to choose this topic. This research indicated three key roles, customer, stakeholder and partner, and nine tasks that the HEIs designate to the international alumni. The identified nine tasks, such as education ambassador and source of leads, can create competitive advantage to any HEI with a functioning international alumni network.
The NPM and NPG models provided lenses to recognise what roles and tasks the case-study HEIs designated to the international alumni and why these were chosen. The research showed that the case-study HEIs operated under the premises of the theoretical frame. The international alumni operations in the case-study HEIs are underdeveloped and in preliminary stages, but nevertheless add value to the HEIs and their education export efforts.
The results of the research can be used to develop HEIs alumni operations and education export efforts as well as basis for policy changes, such as a Ministry of Education funding mechanism measuring the development of international alumni operations or as a strategic focus where HEIs could distinguish themselves and gain competitive advantage against other HEIs. Further qualitative research can include the development of alumni net-works, the perspective of alumni regarding the identified tasks and roles, the Ministerial policy changes regarding international alumni and the regional effects international alumni might have in areas where the HEIs are located.