Mariampillai, John K. (2014) Collaborative provision within UK higher education: perceptions of stakeholders of UK and Sri Lankan private colleges offering university degrees in business and management. Doctoral thesis, University of West London.

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Abstract

Collaborative higher education refers to an array of different arrangements between higher education institutions (HEIs) and other providers - private providers in the case of this thesis. The main focus of the thesis is to understand stakeholders’ perspectives on collaborative partnerships between HEIs and private for-profit providers in the provision of UK degree courses in business and management.

Recent decades have seen the massification of HE. The demand for HE in the UK has been growing significantly. But the state has begun to disengage itself from financing HEIs and thus their continuing state funding is under challenge. Market mechanisms have been introduced. Collaborative HE provision between HEIs and private for-profit providers can be seen as an activity undertaken as part of an increasingly marketised UK HE landscape.

Management, staff such as link-tutors, and policy-makers in quality organisations were interviewed: thirteen in the UK and six in Sri Lanka. Five former non-European Union (EU) private college international students were interviewed in the UK. Three focus groups were conducted with non-EU private college international students in the UK.

This is an exploratory study, from which it is not possible to generalise, but findings indicate that:

a. Non-EU international students choose to study in private HE colleges because it enables them to acquire a UK degree at a lower cost.

b. Working with private partners in the UK and overseas is perceived to have an economic motive and collaborative partnerships are seen as a partial solution to the difficult financial situation of HEIs.

c. Collaborative HE partnerships help UK HEIs to expand their market.

d. Government intervention in the private for-profit HE sector is discernible, for example through the Educational Oversight Review of private providers. This is blurring the boundary between what is described as public and private.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Keywords:	UK, Sri Lanka, Higher Education, HEI, Business, Management, Degrees
Subjects:	Education Business and finance
Depositing User:	Rod Pow
Date Deposited:	22 Dec 2014 14:24
Last Modified:	04 Nov 2024 12:45
URI:	https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1059

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