Preface

Higher education is on the brink of major reformation. There is little doubt that higher education has contributed to the development of countries and their competitiveness in a global marketplace as well as informing national policies and driving modernization. However, if higher education is to remain relevant and meet the demands of an ever-changing world, institutions and their operations must progress in unison with the changing world in which they function. Innovations create new or significantly improved ways of operating and may be distinguished by their degree of novelty. Innovation can play a critical role in transforming and advancing practice and therein address socio-economic, organizational, operational and social challenges. The complexity and scope of higher education opens up the possibilities and potential for innovations to transpire in diverse settings and contexts or be embedded in a range of products and services. This book provides the reader with a collection of easy-to-follow vignette-based higher education innovations that have transformed or advanced practice and in doing so contributed to ensuring the relevance and value of higher education in a continuously changing world.

This book is organised into two sections. The first section is a collection of vignettes focused on educational innovations that promote or foster student success and the second section examines more operationally focused innovations.

#### Section 1:

**II**

**Chapter 7 111**

**Chapter 8 143**

*by Atheer Abdullah Mohammed, Abdul Hafeez-Baig and Raj Gururajan*

An Integrated Model for Invigorating Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Talent Management as a Core Source of Innovation and Social Development in Higher Education

in Higher Education *by Teboho Pitso*

> In the first vignette, Kant Kanyarusoke describes a teaching innovation transpiring in a South African university of technology that compels engineering students to identify solutions to common, authentic and 'real-world' problems drawn from the Sub-Saharan Africa region. This educational innovation explains how the learning activities are designed to promote students' discovery of potential regional engineering solutions, and in doing so develops their enquiry-based thinking and creativity. The use of student projects as an effective and efficient way of engaging with the local region is also posited. In the second vignette, Usha Iyer-Raniga outlines a course innovation that focuses on problem-solving approaches to societal issues. This interdisciplinary innovation encourages students to solve an authentic industry problem, which contributes to their development of creative thinking and sustainable practice in the context of built environments. The educational design is purported to enhance graduates' aptitude for urban sustainability, career readiness across various professions and employability skills particularly related to technical and professional competence. In the third innovation in this section, Segundo Ricardo Cabana Villca reports on an empirical study that sought to validate a causal model for social intrapreneurial behaviour, in a cohort of engineering students at a university in Chile. In validating the model, the study affirmed the importance of strengthening social innovation in the curriculum and the consequent benefits with regard to students' loyalty to the institution as well as their enhanced view of the teaching–learning process. The fourth innovation from Maureen Snow Andrade introduces the construct of disruptive innovation being a conduit for transforming approaches to program review, curriculum proposal and curriculum approval

with a view to providing current viable and relevant academic programs. The need for higher education institutions to keep pace with continually evolving global circumstances presents challenges that could be effectively translated into opportunities using the approach detailed in this vignette, which was adopted by a large regional university in the United States. In the last vignette in this section, Mel Henry, David C. Gibson, Charles Flodin and Dirk Ifenthaler examine a range of strategies that have been embedded in formal pathway and partnership programs to recruit, retain and develop talent in students. These programs, offered at an Australian university, target prospective and current students as well as engage with local schools and the wider community. Additionally, this vignette describes two frameworks that propose a means of addressing the collection and evaluation of evidence associated with future-ready learners, and a plan for situating technology innovations across domains of higher education learning and teaching.

#### Section 2:

Tracy L. Morris and Joseph S. Laipple, in the first vignette of section two, describe a study that used predictive factors including job satisfaction, burnout and turnover to identify effective leadership development strategies. For the study, 1142 academic leaders from US research institutions representing roles including department chairs/heads, directors, associate deans, deans, and associate provosts were surveyed to ascertain the strategies that were most likely to advance leadership development of academic administrators. Seeking advice from senior colleagues was identified as the most frequently reported strategy for improving leadership skills. In the second vignette of this section, Atheer Abdullah Mohammed, Abdul Hafeez-Baig and Raj Gururajan report on a two-phased study that included a systematic review of thirty-five international academic works, published between 2007 and 2017 that explored key aspects of talent management. This was followed by a qualitative multi-method study conducted in six Australian universities focusing on identifying the best practices used to manage attraction, development and retention of talent in the higher education context. The finding that talent retention is the major factor in sustaining competitive advantage will be a pivotal insight for higher education institutions that are reportedly encountering significant challenges in relation to talent management. In the final vignette conducted in five Scandinavian and three South Africa universities, Teboho Pitso examined the use of an integrated model for invigorating innovation and entrepreneurship and its relevance for optimising the social impact of higher education. This model consisted of three key elements, namely, faculty activities, activities of innovation hubs and entrepreneurial activities. The study targeted senior university staff managing innovation centres or entrepreneurship hubs. Interviews were conducted in the respective hubs and centres, which availed opportunities for the researchers to observe actual activities in context. An integrated model was developed that has the potential to enhance the social impact of universities through the innovation and entrepreneurship capability of individuals.

This collection of practical yet transformative innovations is a testament to the creative means by which higher education institutions are responding to the ever-increasing and varied demands of progress that are being enforced on them. The editors would like to thank all of the authors who have generously shared their innovations and

**V**

insights. The valuable information contained in this compilation of vignettes will be of great benefit to others embarking on a quest to remain competitive and relevant in our

**Dominique Parrish (Editor)**

Macquarie University,

Honorary Professor,

La Trobe University,

Medicine & Health, University of Wollongong

Honorary Senior Lecturer,

University of Wollongong

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching), Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic),

Faculty of Science, Medicine & Health,

**Dr. Joanne Joyce-McCoach (Co-editor)** School of Nursing and Midwifery,

School of Nursing, Faculty of Science,

College of Science, Health and Engineering,

Professor,

Australia

Australia

continually changing world.

insights. The valuable information contained in this compilation of vignettes will be of great benefit to others embarking on a quest to remain competitive and relevant in our continually changing world.

#### **Dominique Parrish (Editor)**

Professor, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching), Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Macquarie University, Australia

> Honorary Professor, Faculty of Science, Medicine & Health, University of Wollongong

#### **Dr. Joanne Joyce-McCoach (Co-editor)**

School of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Australia

> Honorary Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing, Faculty of Science, Medicine & Health, University of Wollongong

**IV**

and entrepreneurship capability of individuals.

This collection of practical yet transformative innovations is a testament to the creative means by which higher education institutions are responding to the ever-increasing and varied demands of progress that are being enforced on them. The editors would like to thank all of the authors who have generously shared their innovations and

and teaching.

Section 2:

with a view to providing current viable and relevant academic programs. The need for higher education institutions to keep pace with continually evolving global circumstances presents challenges that could be effectively translated into opportunities using the approach detailed in this vignette, which was adopted by a large regional university in the United States. In the last vignette in this section, Mel Henry, David C. Gibson, Charles Flodin and Dirk Ifenthaler examine a range of strategies that have been embedded in formal pathway and partnership programs to recruit, retain and develop talent in students. These programs, offered at an Australian university, target prospective and current students as well as engage with local schools and the wider community. Additionally, this vignette describes two frameworks that propose a means of addressing the collection and evaluation of evidence associated with future-ready learners, and a plan for situating technology innovations across domains of higher education learning

Tracy L. Morris and Joseph S. Laipple, in the first vignette of section two, describe a study that used predictive factors including job satisfaction, burnout and turnover to identify effective leadership development strategies. For the study, 1142 academic leaders from US research institutions representing roles including department chairs/heads, directors, associate deans, deans, and associate provosts were surveyed to ascertain the strategies that were most likely to advance leadership development of academic administrators. Seeking advice from senior colleagues was identified as the most frequently reported strategy for improving leadership skills. In the second vignette of this section, Atheer Abdullah Mohammed, Abdul Hafeez-Baig and Raj Gururajan report on a two-phased study that included a systematic review of thirty-five international academic works, published between 2007 and 2017 that explored key aspects of talent management. This was followed by a qualitative multi-method study conducted in six Australian universities focusing on identifying the best practices used to manage attraction, development and retention of talent in the higher education context. The finding that talent retention is the major factor in sustaining competitive advantage will be a pivotal insight for higher education institutions that are reportedly encountering significant challenges in relation to talent management. In the final vignette conducted in five Scandinavian and three South Africa universities, Teboho Pitso examined the use of an integrated model for invigorating innovation and entrepreneurship and its relevance for optimising the social impact of higher education. This model consisted of three key elements, namely, faculty activities, activities of innovation hubs and entrepreneurial activities. The study targeted senior university staff managing innovation centres or entrepreneurship hubs. Interviews were conducted in the respective hubs and centres, which availed opportunities for the researchers to observe actual activities in context. An integrated model was developed that has the potential to enhance the social impact of universities through the innovation

**1**

Section 1

Educational Innovations

That Promote or Foster

Student Success

### Section 1
