Industry and Higher Education

There is a growing recognition by senior managers in many large organizations of the strategic impact that corporate universities are having on their companies. This can be viewed as a consequence of many organizations recognizing the power of learning and knowledge as fundamental drivers of strategic change. The authors contend that this growing recognition is leading to the emergence of more sophisticated forms of corporate university, which are predicated on the principles of organizational learning and knowledge management. In order to explore this issue a model of an ideal type corporate university is developed. This model is then applied to two case illustrations of corporate universities in the UK.

Improvement in the entrepreneurial capacity of the working population through education and training is a sine qua non for raising productivity-linked earnings and quality of life. The educational development of deprived groups and regions is therefore a matter of serious concern for policy planners, especially in countries like India which have a federal structure and a democratic polity Of the available educational methods, open and distance learning (ODL) is considered to be the cheapest and most accessible, due mainly to its innovative and flexible characteristics that allow appropriate media choices for student-centred approaches to teaching and learning. ODL extends the benefits of new knowledge and technical know-how and is thus a powerful instrument in the equalization of educational opportunities and in broadening the base of human capital formation. Against this background, the performance of ODL in India over the past four decades is reviewed. The author analyses the evidence and demonstrates the extent to which ODL has succeeded in improving access and equity in the provision of services. The factors that help or hinder in extending the reach of education among deprived groups and regions are identified, and the implications for policy planning are discussed. The implementation of the recommended policy measures would contribute to the educational development of disadvantaged groups, raise the overall competence levels and earnings of the working population, improve the quality of life, and reduce disparities. These goals are critical to ensure social harmony, political stability and sustainable development.

The development and implementation of new advanced learning technologies (ALTs) is an important achievement at all levels of education and in business and industry. However, the benefits of ALTs are often not fully realized until issues surrounding their use by instructors, students and others are recognized and taken into consideration. These are referred to as ‘human factors’ issues and they can often become a major influence in the success of technological applications. This paper identifies a range of human factors issues of importance in a variety of settings. Recent evaluative and research information describing human factors in three graduate programmes using ALTs is presented and discussed. The paper concludes with a summary discussion of these results and their impact on human interaction with technology.

The management of large-scale incidents, such as demonstrations that can affect public order, requires complex decision making. In association with the London Metropolitan Police a computer-based simulation (CACTUS) was designed for improving the strategic and tactical management of public order events by senior police officers. It incorporates a digitized map with active (iconized) police, crowd and hostile agents able to navigate the map and interact autonomously in ways that simulate aggression and disorder if the police resources and their instructions are not managed with some skill. Adaptive training scenarios were designed in CACTUS by the trainer/facilitators covering planning, event management and debriefing. An evaluation study collected audio and video records of the training sessions and these data gave useful insights into the decision-making processes and how the CACTUS simulation, through its design features, became a dynamic mediational tool in developing such skills.

The purpose of this study is to support learning activity in the Internet learning space. In this paper, the authors examine knowledge management and the presentation of information for collaborative learning support. RAPSODY-EX (Remote and Adaptive Educational Environment: A Dynamic Communicative System for Collaborative Learning) is a remote learning support environment organized as a learning infrastructure. RAPSODY-EX can effectively carry out collaborative learning support in asynchronous and synchronous learning modes. Remote learning is a learning style in which both individual and collaborative learning are carried out via a multimedia communication network. In the remote learning environment, the arrangement and integration of information are designed to support the decision making of learners and mediators. The aim of the project is to construct a continuously growing digital portfolio database. In addition, the architecture required for the learning environment which includes such a database is examined.

Organizations and their clients have limited tolerance for inept performance, particularly when it is a matter of life or death. Service organizations rely on the competencies of individual staff to produce and deliver core activities. In these organizations employees engage directly with clients in complex interactions as part of the process. High-level performance is required in challenging environments – and it does not occur by chance. Competencies are learned. In situations in which the risk to individuals and the organization is high, the education and credentialling of employees in key competencies is warranted. Educators are therefore engaged to teach competencies that are relevant and enhance an organization's performance. Competency-based education underpins effective risk management in service delivery organizations, most notably perhaps in those that deliver human services. However, the cost of competency-based staff development and evaluation programmes for large groups is often high. This paper describes: (a) the scenario of a large multi-campus medical centre that requires competency-based education in basic life support for 4,500 students and staff; (b) a process that entails the re-engineering of competency-based credentialling services through the design, integration and use of a multi-media CD-ROM; and (c) outcomes of enhanced learning and cost savings coupled with reduced organizational risk.