Hacer Tercanli and Ruixue Chen
Introduction
Despite its use as a learning strategy for both students and instructors for over a few decades, peer learning for the professional development of managers in higher education (HE) is a relatively new concept. In the European context, modernization of higher education policy has particularly pushed forward the need for training platforms and knowledge exchange among higher education professionals. The need for skilled management has also become accute with universities becoming more and more complex. This chapter will introduce the evolution of peer learning concept and the recognition of peer learning as an efficient and effective tool by HE Human Resources among HE managers and leaders in EU countries by presenting and analyzing typical peer learning programs and activities in Germany and the UK. The goal is to offer practical suggestions for modern human resource management units to speed up the integration of peer learning into routine higher education work responsibilities across the EU.
Changing Roles of University Managers
Higher education institutions around the world are under continuous pressure to make changes in response to widening access, competition in a globalized teaching and research market, introduction of tuition fees, and lack of government funding (Fullan & Scott, 2009). Consequentially, the management of higher education institutions in this fast-changing environment grows to be more complicated than ever. While leaders try to steer their institution affected by external forces, they strive to affect the change, too (Fullan & Scott, 2009). Higher education institutions in Europe are going through a transition period. Towards the creation of a competitive knowledge based economy, Humboldtian model governance was abandoned, several reform initiatives came into effect, and institutional autonomy is established in many European universities. However, despite the adoption of new models, universities in Europe still cannot meet expectations when it comes to global competition and their contribution to society. The reason is explained as a clash of incongruity between traditional intra-university governance culture and the modern university governance structure (Maassen & Pausits, 2012, p. 8). Firstly, due to the somehow inability to maneuver around laws and restrictions, university managers find it challenging to perform strategic decision-making duties. Secondly, managers of modern universities are not fully equipped with necessary training and guidance systems that new leadership and management functions entail. Sadly, situations are much more severe for human resources management in higher education institutions. Skilled and trained human resources professionals in higher education are rare, while universities require professionals with strong academic background in the field so as to help solve ongoing dysfunctional issues in human resource departments, which are raised by conflicts with the rest of the departments inside the organization (Julius, 2003).
Peer Learning As an Emerging Tool
The definition of “peer” has changed over time. Peers were nobleman, aristocrats, and lords, titled men and patricians in the old days when kings and queens ruled England. The English word of peer simply refers to people who are equal in such respects as status, age, education or belonging to the same social class, group, etc. Later in modern times, the word has come to mean fellow, buddy, counterpart, co-equal, colleague or match according to the dictionary of synonyms (Merriam Webster, n.d.). Until recently "peer" has started to be used in reference to training, and now viewed as an effective behavioral change strategy in the education field (UNODC, n.d.).
The evolution of peer learning as a behavioral concept in education took place gradually. The term “peer learning” initially existed only among students as an educational practice in which they interact with each other to attain educational goals (O'Donnell & King, 1999). Later on, it was identified and borrowed by teachers to help students learn by improving teaching approaches. There is a variety of peer learning related terms and models: peer assisting, peer review, peer coaching, technical coaching, collegial coaching, team coaching, mentoring, cognitive learning, and challenge coaching. Each model is slightly different, but all have the same end goal, which is to involve the collaborative efforts of peers to achieve the goal of improving management efficiency and teaching quality. Dalton and Moir (1991) proposed that peer coaching is a professional development model that enhances colleague relationships, a process through which school teachers share their expertise and insight, provide one another with feedback, support, and assistance for the purpose of refining presentation skills, learning new methodologies, and solving administrative issues. Therefore, peer coaching has the potential to enhance both existing and new managerial practices.
Since the 1980s, peer-to-peer learning and knowledge exchange among HE professionals began to draw the attention of European academics, in that it proved to be an effective way for higher education institutions and organizations to provide professional development for employees, especially in light of financial constraints caused by budget cuts from EU member state governments. The realization also started to spread that traditional classroom-based learning is not the panacea once thought and that being coached by a line manager, mentored by an experienced colleague, or participating in peer learning activities can be much more beneficial. According to CIPD (2012) and Cornerstone's most recent OnDemand’s Learning and Talent Development Survey, in-house development programs and coaching by line managers were cited as the most popular and effectgive training methods by 52% and 46% of learning and development professionals. Whearas, only 16% of survey recipients opted for formal education courses and the same percentage for coaching by external practitioners (CIPD, 2012). A quarter of the public sector organizations that participated in the same survey expressed their preference for less trainer-led instruction.
Within one organization or institute in higher education, there is a growing trend to conduct peer learning & coaching activities among the managers and this kind of team shares some common characteristics. Firstly, the team members own a high degree of cohesion and solidarity. The second is the diversified background among participating peers. As each team member has different education backgrounds and life experiences with various perspectives on how to confront issues, it helps such the teams form broad and deep insights for analyzing and better solving problems. University managers, being a special group of teachers, show unique features when participating in peer learning & coaching activities. The first one is that they hold common management and academic objectives at work. Managers are all placed in the frontline to serve students, academics, society and the government with common working and research goals. This lays the foundations for developing and performing peer learning and coaching programs that are tailored specifically for managers. Secondly, it helps with more efficient communication and mutual improvement both individually and professionally. Besides, the guidance of outstanding school managers often brings expected results for young managers by way of information exchange on how to solve practical difficulties and problems.
Case Study of Peer Learning Practice in EU Universities
The global integration of knowledge sharing and cooperation is having a strong impact on public organizations, including higher education institutions. Their focus now is to develop high-potential employees, train future senior leaders with international perspective, and equipping international staff with local information. For instance, peer learning, coaching, and mentoring activities are adopted by management programs to help professionals move into key roles. Here are two examples taken from universities in Germany and UK to offer a vivid picture about how higher education managerial strategy can integrate peer learning pratices, especially when internationalization and gender equality are taken into account.
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München: Center for Advanced Studies
Among EU state members, Germany is an active leader in peer learning programs, with the participation of both the government and the private sector. Here takes an example from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), which is one of Europe's premier academic and research institutions. At LMU, the Center for Advanced Studies (CAS) was founded as a forum for intensive interdisciplinary academic exchange, whose main duty is to prepare and organize conferences and regular working groups. In order to cultivate academic exchange, CAS members are encouraged to invite outstanding researchers from Germany and abroad for short-term visits. CAS pays much attention to promote junior researchers, and promising young scholars are appointed as members of CAS's Young Center, in which they profit time to time from interdisciplinary communication and the experience of senior CAS members via various workshops, summer schools and dialog with leading academics (CAS, n.d.) Additionally, junior members of the Young Center are supported to organize events tailored to their career needs and to develop interdisciplinary projects such as junior research groups (LMU,n.d.). In general, this program held in LMU integrates several forms of peer learning education, such as mentoring, peer learning, peer assistance, etc.
Several points could be drawn from CAS's practice. One of the most impressive is the talent developing management that the Young Center fosters, which successfully integrates coaching, organizational development and performance management. Each individual is limited in time, energy and ability, only when positive peer-to-peer learning relationships are established and maintained that leveraging the performance of the whole team will be achieved. CAS adopts mixed developing schemes, which contribute to the success of peer-to-peer learning because participants usually do not have a refreshed feeling in themselves without a balance of learning options being conducted. Coaching, workshops, conferences, external trainees, internal knowledge sharing events, and buddy mentoring are included in the offering of CAS duties. This practice also implies that developmental opportunities contain a tangible meaning, in this case, a recognized membership as certain level of academic status, often have a greater impact on the motivation and commitment levels of an employee. As is known to all, the work of higher education managers are often heavily loaded and are required to respond to different stakeholders. They are easy to feel pressured and thus may suffer from career burnout, which is likely to result in resignation, bringing huge personal and economic loss to the university or institute. Peer learning can be a solution to this phenomenon because the comfort, understanding and professional assistance from peer learning activities release the major part of the pressure and anxiety. Meanwhile, career achievements afterwards directly bring job satisfaction. Thus, a certain positive circle is generated.
University of Bath: Aurora Program
In the UK, a variety of leadership development platforms are offered to address the different needs and expectations of university managers that are seeking career advancement. UK institutions also ensure that peer learning activities are integrated in leadership training programs and that they are carried out with the involvement of groups of trainers with different expertise. Looking back at the findings of the MODERN project, participants were asked about their preferences of teaching staff in the training programs. Of the three options given, peers being leadership staff from a different higher education institution were rated the highest (Maassen & Pausits, 2012). In that respect, the following UK university leaves room for peer-to-peer interaction in its in-house trainings, observing the need for one-on-one exchange experiences.
The University of Bath is one of the foremost staff development providers in the UK. They provide a wide variety of leadership development programs, which include job shadowing, coaching and mentoring, online learning modules, and courses with topics ranging from performance management to awards in team leading and effective networking. Among these programs the university has a five-year commitment to a unique peer learning program called “Aurora”.
Aurora Network is a women-only leadership development community initiated by the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education based in England and Wales. Ten female participants are chosen each year to increase the number of women in leadership roles, to create a platform for networking, and to meet the demand of creative leadership that has complex managerial skills for daily operations. Besides self-directed learning and online resource content of the program, “development days” offer a series of peer learning activities where participants are either required to work with an assigned mentor at their home institutions, or be serve as a role model if they have substantial managerial expertise. Both roles enable participants to develop leadership identities and allows their institution to maximize the potential of these employees.
One important aspect of the Aurora program is its follow-up component, a crucial element overlooked in most peer learning programs. According to Professor Millar (2014) from University of Bath, it is of the utmost importance for the institution and the participants to enhance the program through alumni meetings. To achieve this aim, the alumni organize regular meetings and discussion sessions for information and experience exchange.
Analysis and Identification of the Difficulty of HE Human Resources in Fostering Peer Learning
From the two examples presented above, as well as the literature reviews, one conclusion that can be drawn is the function of higher education human resources for professional development of university managers has not been adequately explored. The majority of the peer learning activities and programs are organized and conducted either by the academic departments or external agencies. Today, the expansion of higher education marketization forces public sector institutes and universities to compete for excellent people and turnover rates of specialized staff. Thus, it is imperative for them to develop a well-managed human resource system (Gordon & Whitchurch, 2007). As a result, reforms and new arrangements in the role and task specialization of human resources units are called for. In order to be in line with the new demands, human resources units should pick up the role of being the primary advocates and sponsors of professional development that enhance individual growth and upward mobility within universities and institutes (Gordon & Whitchurch, 2007).
Arguably, peer learning networks are feasible alternatives and complementary mechanisms to more traditionally structured learning environments for managers. While most higher education professionals mention their need for professional development, the ones who have received formal training find it “inappropriate” or “too generic” (Inman, 2009). This approach towards degree courses support the findings of the MODERN project survey that only 15% of the participants agreed with the statement in regards to the desire in participating management degree programs and training courses (Maassen & Pausits, 2012). It is also noted that the training leaders receive will only become meaningful once it is applied in the context. For the learning to be owned and flexible, engagement with the real needs is crucial. In this regard, peer learning platforms would offer an authentic environment for professionals where challenges and trends are discussed, and solutions are offered for improving practices.
Suggested Countermeasures to HE Human Resources
The following is an illustrative work description of how human resources units should integrate peer learning programs into their work responsibilities is:
In addition to the abovementioned institutional actions, it is suggested that the expansion of peer learning platforms be considered at national system and regional levels. Two common challenges that European higher education leaders face for not participating in professional development programs is described as lack of time and monetary incentives (Maassen & Pausits, 2012). In order to overcome these time and financial limitations, national governments and the EU should enact policies that entice university leaders to network and further their professionalization. Budgets should be allocated for the development of customized web-based peer learning programs to increase access. Existing peer learning networks should be diversified, and tailor made programs should be designed. Finally, follow-up strategies and actions to the MODERN project should be initiated by the European Commission to ensure the sustainability of the modernization process, through new funding schemes for the collaboration of higher education professionals and the increase of information exchange.
Conclusion
Peer learning is a relatively recent concept in the context of mutual learning among higher education managers. Countries, such as those in the EU, where new organizational and managerial cultures are being adopted, generating peer learning platforms concurrently would complement and foster the better functioning of those new systems. Therefore, a lot of pressure is placed on human resource professionals at universities or institute where human resources are still thought of as a staff function that is tangential to the organizations’ primary mission or an unnecessary by-products of bureaucratic accretion (Julius, 2003). Instead, a new and urgent requirement must be emphasized that traditional practitioners need to be equipped with strong insight into the work of the academic administrators and faculty. In this way, they can gain the requisite authority to advance policy and get others to follow procedures, for instance, viewing their attendance to peer learning programs as routine managerial development training other than some extra workload that could be casted off by random excuses.
Despite the current challenges and practical difficulties in implementation and resistance towards the launching and developing of the peer learning activities in higher education management, the platforms will prove their value and effectiveness in the long term by maximizing the potential of academic leaders.
References
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