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Education Sciences
Special Issues
Strategic Academic Research and Development
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Strategic Academic Research and Development

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2025) | Viewed by 5320

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Victor Borden

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Guest Editor
Center for Postsecondary Research, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
Interests: Institutional research; assessment; evidence-based improvement of higher education institutions and programs
Prof. Dr. Rebecca Torstrick

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Indiana University South Bend, South Bend, IN 46615, USA
Interests: higher education; student success; first generation students

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global pandemic that took hold in early 2020 required higher education institutions to adjust quickly, adopting and adapting information and communication technologies to continue operations. The pandemic also clarified the prevalence of social inequities and injustices within virtually all established systems across the US higher education landscape. Academic scholars affiliated with colleges and universities are generally at the forefront of rhetoric and research regarding the identification and elimination of systemic injustices within communities and institutions. However, as many critics have noted, HEIs are not necessarily at the forefront of eliminating those injustices within their own educational and employment practices. 

This Special Issue of Education Sciences explores methods via which HEIs can improve the impact and equity of their academic programs and support services. The approach that will be described in the first article of this Special Issue was the basis of an institutional transformation initiative at one, large, public multi-campus university. 

We have invited several colleagues who we know are involved with similar work to submit case examples of efforts that use such integrative, evidence-informed, and action-oriented strategies to make HEIs more inclusive and educationally effective.

The examples we have so far solicited focus on initiatives that emphasize student success. However, we invite cases that apply to other HEI mission functions (research and outreach/service) and originate from countries other than the United States. 

The cases we have identified have in common the following characteristics that are the core tenets of the construct, i.e., Strategic Academic Research and Development 

  • Focusing on strategically selected priority institutional objectives that have significant impact on institutional effectiveness;
  • Harnessing the expertise of the academic and professional staff at the institution, using advanced concepts and methods from education, psychology, social sciences, informatics, and other relevant disciplines;
  • Including the diverse “voices” of constituents (e.g., academic and non-academic staff, students, research partners, funders, relevant members of various communities outside the institution);
  • Employing evidence-informed methods for selecting, implementing, monitoring, and improving interventions targeted toward the objectives;
  • Involving significant cross-sections of the staff involved in the day-to-day operations and management of the processes and structures that are involved in effecting change;
  • Having the support and backing of university leadership.

We welcome other contributions related to these efforts such collaborative, comprehensive, and evidence-based transformation initiatives at global higher education institutions. 

Prof. Dr. Victor Borden
Prof. Dr. Rebecca Torstrick
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • institutional research
  • assessment
  • higher education
  • student success

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 313 KiB  
Article
Sense of Belonging, DFW Reduction, and Student Success: Centering Student Experience in Groups with Ethnographic Methods
by Jennifer Meta Robinson, Rachel Seymour, Seonmi Jin and Rodney S. Whiteman
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(5), 523; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15050523 - 24 Apr 2025
Viewed by 421
Abstract
Despite substantial instructional attention to large-enrollment university courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), they tend to have high rates of D, F, and Withdraw (DFW) at the introductory level that disproportionally disadvantage historically minoritized and underrepresented students, such as students identified [...] Read more.
Despite substantial instructional attention to large-enrollment university courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), they tend to have high rates of D, F, and Withdraw (DFW) at the introductory level that disproportionally disadvantage historically minoritized and underrepresented students, such as students identified as women, low-income, first-generation, or of color. While postsecondary institutions have recently explored big data and learning analytics to drive their institutional student success efforts, well-known shortfalls in student success in large STEM courses remain. This chapter documents an evidence-based approach at a large, R1 midwestern university that enriches robust data infrastructure with qualitative ethnographic methods. Applied to a gateway computer science course, these methods center students’ day-to-day learning realities, including disparate educational opportunities, in ways that interrogate barriers to and shortfalls in student success. The resulting case study describes our ethnographic approach, the shortfalls it uncovers, our future directions with this work, and how other faculty members and institutions can apply lessons learned to promote efficacy, attainment, and equity in gateway STEM courses. Implementations drawn from course vignettes point to revisions in design and preparation of group learning activities, strategic integration of lecture and lab sessions, course navigation aids, and pedagogical training for teaching assistants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategic Academic Research and Development)
13 pages, 1190 KiB  
Article
Status of 21st-Century Liberal Arts Education: Curriculum Reform in Japanese Universities and Evaluation by Society
by Reiko Yamada
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 1156; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14111156 - 25 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1217
Abstract
Ever since bachelor’s competencies were introduced as a reference standard in Japan, many Japanese higher education institutions have been exploring and practicing liberal arts education for the 21st century. This study posits that incorporating new elements into university education has been a significant [...] Read more.
Ever since bachelor’s competencies were introduced as a reference standard in Japan, many Japanese higher education institutions have been exploring and practicing liberal arts education for the 21st century. This study posits that incorporating new elements into university education has been a significant trend in liberal arts education for the 21st century. Building on the results of a comprehensive survey, primarily involving universities and industry, this study provides an in-depth analysis of how 21st-century liberal arts education is evaluated and expected by companies and others. A questionnaire survey was administered to universities regarding their provision of 21st-century liberal arts education and the status of reforms toward this education, and to companies and other members of society regarding their expectations and evaluation of 21st-century liberal arts education provided by universities, as well as the content they evaluate as learning outcomes for university students and the qualities and skills they consider when employing them. The findings from the survey of universities and companies indicate that the average scores for curriculum reform and establishment of new courses at universities and host companies are relatively low, as indicated by the relatively low average scores for keywords that companies place importance on. Undeniably, universities’ efforts toward reform and the reality of such efforts should be conveyed to the public. Through dialogue with the industrial sector, we can understand the necessity of sharing and realizing openness to developing human resources through collaboration and innovation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategic Academic Research and Development)
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13 pages, 428 KiB  
Article
Seed Grant Programs to Promote Community Transformation in Higher Education Institutions
by Gabriella Coloyan Fleming, Sydni Alexa Cobb, Del Watson, Audrey Boklage, Maura Borrego, Lydia Contreras and Christine Julien
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 1121; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14101121 - 16 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1770
Abstract
Used in higher education for many decades, seed grants are now beginning to be applied as a strategy to advance diversity, equity and inclusion goals, including rebuilding community post-pandemic. There is little research on the effectiveness of seed grants for such communal goals. [...] Read more.
Used in higher education for many decades, seed grants are now beginning to be applied as a strategy to advance diversity, equity and inclusion goals, including rebuilding community post-pandemic. There is little research on the effectiveness of seed grants for such communal goals. This work is innovative in two key ways. First, these seed grants focus on promoting a strong sense of community at the institution rather than promoting individual investigators and research projects. Second, engaging students and staff as principal investigators (PIs) disrupts power structures in the academy. We present a systematic analysis of seed grant project reports (n = 45) and survey data (n = 56) from two seed grant programs implemented at the same institution. A diverse set of projects was proposed and funded. Projects had a positive impact on awardees and their departments and colleges. Seed grant program activities were successful at building community among awardees and recognizing individual efforts. Most noteworthy are the career development opportunities for graduate students, postdocs and staff, which are afforded by changes to PI eligibility. We conclude that seed grant programs have the potential for organizational learning and change around community building in higher education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategic Academic Research and Development)
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Other

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13 pages, 830 KiB  
Essay
Strategic Academic Research and Development: Definitions and Defining Case
by Victor Borden and Rebecca Torstrick
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(3), 276; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15030276 - 24 Feb 2025
Viewed by 903
Abstract
Increased public scrutiny and accountability demands have pressured HEIs to demonstrate their value. This article explores one way that HEIs can respond—by practicing Strategic Academic Research and Development (SARD) to improve institutional effectiveness and equity. After reviewing common definitions for R&D, the article [...] Read more.
Increased public scrutiny and accountability demands have pressured HEIs to demonstrate their value. This article explores one way that HEIs can respond—by practicing Strategic Academic Research and Development (SARD) to improve institutional effectiveness and equity. After reviewing common definitions for R&D, the article develops SARD as an alternate method and outlines how it was implemented in a multi-campus university’s transformation initiative to promote student success through data-driven, equity-focused interventions in college, graduation, and career readiness. The initiative involved substantial collaboration with K-12 schools, curriculum redesign, and career development support, with a focus on underserved student populations. The project used the “Insight Engine”, a research approach combining data analytics, qualitative research, and student feedback to refine academic and support services. Despite challenges such as leadership transitions and the complexity of managing large, decentralized organizations, the initiative emphasized collaborative engagement and fidelity in implementing strategic interventions. Lessons learned include the importance of scope manageability and stakeholder buy-in. The case study demonstrates the potential of SARD to create impactful, scalable changes in HEIs, advocating for deep, institution-wide collaboration as essential for sustaining improvements in education, research, and service missions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategic Academic Research and Development)
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