Editorial

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. That was the introduction to an Editorial from a year or so ago, but it is particularly relevant to this Issue. Some cosmetic changes may be evident in this issue – particularly for those receiving printed copies. Many of the changes have been wrought by a new relationship between Perspectives and the Association of University Administrators (AUA). While we will continue to work closely with the AUA, from January 2022 Perspectives will become a fully independent journal. We have also taken this opportunity to review some of the ways in which we do things. Henceforth it will not be necessary for members of the Editorial Board to also be members of the AUA, though most existing members will continue for the time being. We are also considering how we can better reflect the diversity of our readership – and increasingly of our contributors – in the running of the journal. However, the core mission remains unchanged. The prime purpose of the journal is to inform and challenge the practice of higher education management and administration, but we recognise that this needs to be in a scholarly way. We also recognise that there is an increase in the number of students of higher education, many of whom are also practitioners, and the journal seeks to support these students in their scholarly endeavours. Contributions to the journal are from an increasingly international pool and the exchange of views across national boundaries is a possible route to better performance in our home institutions. Likewise, the journal has always encouraged practice-based articles that encourage us to view higher education beyond our narrow disciplinary or professional boundaries.

This issue reflects the diversity in contributions that we have seen developing over recent years, not just internationally, but also in the nature of the institutions represented. The first article is from the UK but looks at higher education within further education colleges. Neil Raven, of Ravensbourne College, argues that further education colleges are a vital route to widening access to higher education. In looking at instances of good practice within further education, Neil suggests that subject tutors play an important role in the progression from further to higher education. The second paper comes from a South Carolina liberal arts college and David Fowler, of Newberry College, focusses on the nature of administration and management in small colleges, with an emphasis on ‘lean’ operational models. David shares a concern that many smaller colleges are not operating efficiently and are, thus, at risk of failure. He goes on to suggest that there is a societal need for small colleges to survive and, hence, a need for greater study of their problems.

These are followed by two papers from European universities. A team from the University of Pécs, in Hungary, look at university branding in the context of an anniversary. This is within the context of employee engagement and how the university reputation can enhance employee recruitment. The second of these European articles is from the University of Gävle in Sweden and looks at a university’s relationship with its surrounding community. Here a review has been undertaken of the varied stakeholders in a higher education institution and their equally diverse objectives. The authors suggest the use of Structure of Strategic, Fundamental and Means Objectives as a way forward in practical collaboration between higher education institutions and their local stakeholders.

The final article is from a collaboration across the globe, with contributors from Australia and the UK. This looks at overseas student attrition from the perspective of private colleges undercutting university fees and, hence, poaching students. This poses some interesting questions, not just about the ethics of such practices but also about the way that overseas students are treated. The temptation to treat them as ‘cash cows’ is one of which many of us are aware. The paper also looks critically at the roles played by education agents in the process of transition from public to private institutions.

From this diverse reading matter, there is bound to be something of pith and moment to all of us, but I encourage the reader to look beyond her or his boundaries and to gain further insight from topics outside their normal realm.

This is the first issue in the new partnership between the Editors, the Editorial Board, and our publishers Taylor and Francis and we hope that it marks a new beginning for potential contributors. The editorial team welcomes a variety of relevant submissions and stands ready to offer informal guidance to those uncertain about the usefulness of their own contributions. However, in order to deliver timely feedback to contributors, we are reliant on a small, hard-working team of reviewers, to whom we offer much thanks. We would be happy to hear from anyone interested in joining that stalwart band, including from those new to reviewing and keen to learn the practice.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bland Tomkinson

Bland Tomkinson is a Visiting Academic at the University of Manchester, having retired from the post of University Adviser on Pedagogic Development in 2009. In the thirty years prior to that he held a number of posts within UMIST and the University of Manchester and has been a member of AUA (and its predecessor) for over forty years. He took over as Editor of Perspectives in 2019.