Higher Education Development in The Gambia

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1. Background to the Research

The Gambia is a small former British colony covering an approximate land area of 11,000 square kilometres on the West Coast of Africa, with a population of about 1.8 million. The Gambia gained independence from Great Britain in 1965 and became a republic in 1970. Before independence and up to three decades after independence, there was no institution for or national policy on higher education (UTG Strategic Plan 2017-2021). Before the establishment of the university extension program in 1996, Gambians sought university education overseas (THEP 2014-2023). Gambian students first received university education on home soil in November 1996 when a University Extension Programme (UEP) linked to St Mary's University in Halifax, Canada, which offered Bachelor of Arts degree programs, was established in the country. The University Extension Programme was supported with funding from the African Development Bank and grants provided by the British High Commission, the Canadian High Commission, the Rotary Club-Canada, and private tuition fees (Bebell & O’Dwyer, 2010). The experience gained in the running of the St Mary’s University Extension Programme subsequently led to the establishment of the University of The Gambia (UTG), in 1999 (UTG Strategic Plan 2017-2021). Higher education in the Gambia became recognized in 2007 with the establishment of the Ministry of Higher Education Research Science and Technology (MOHERST) charged with the responsibility for developing a national policy for tertiary and higher education thus the Tertiary and Higher Education Policy THEP 2014-2023 (Yirdaw, 2016). The Gambia is the smallest country in West Africa, wherein 15-24 years of the population is more than 25%, which is significant in the higher education planning and decision making to enhance higher education. The country's education sector is governed and supervised by the Ministry of Basic and secondary school (MoBSE) and Ministry of Higher education, research, science, and technology (MoHERST). (The Higher Education Policy- 2014-2023). Both the ministries play a significant role in the formulation of policies to transform these countries into the skills-linked economy and make enlightened society by the establishment of a higher education system that results in centres of excellence and compete nationally. The policy puts emphasis on improving governance of the sector, increase access, and improve quality. In responding to the complex challenges, the system recognizes the sharing and exchange of information and knowledge and encourages international cooperation in new technologies to reduce to address these concerns. National Training Authority and mandates to regulate Tertiary (TVET) institutions are recognized as necessary conditions for development. In 1979, a national vocational training board was set up to charge responsibilities for the policy development of professional and technical education. However, in 1992, the National Council For Technical knowledge and Vocational Training was introduced under the 1992's education act. The committee was responsible for the development of policy. Before this pilot program, Gambians sought university education overseas until 1999 when the University of the Gambia was founded. At the time of its founding, up to almost a decade and a half, there was no legislation for the development of a standardized quality assurance framework for tertiary and higher education. Thus, the University of the Gambia was mainly self-regulated and expected to use its internal quality assurance mechanisms, amongst other challenges (The Higher Education Policy- 2014-2023).

However, as part of higher education's list of the government, NAQAA was established in the country through parliament's act in 2015. This reform plan has made it essential to develop, control, and accredit tertiary and apply higher education institutions in the country. It was not until 2016, when the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority was to regulate the quality of teaching, learning, and research. The establishment of NAQAA signifies a change from a significant amount of trust and professional autonomy on the part of the University of the Gambia, to a highly prescribed process of audit-based quality assurance today. NAQAA has committed to enhancing the quality of tertiary and higher education systems, which leads to social and economic development and innovative scholarship in the Gambia. As per the NAQAA Act 2015, there are four levels of education, which includes Basic training, senior secondary school, tertiary education, and higher education.

In the present context, there are 61 registered non-degree tertiary institutions and 7 higher education institution which operates in a country. Out of 7, one is public, and others are private higher education institutions. Moreover, there are 3 public institutions out of 61 registered and accredited tertiary institutions.

1.3. The rationale of the research

The Gambia still contends with the challenge of making its higher education relevant and of high quality because of inadequate funding, personnel, infrastructure and equipment, and the absence of an effective quality assurance system for the monitoring and supervision for quality improvement. It is against this backdrop that UNESCO through support from the Shenzhen Municipality of the People's Republic of China within the framework of the UNESCO SCHENZHEN Project of Quality Assurance in higher education in Africa, assisted African higher education systems to further develop their quality assurance mechanisms by putting in place the necessary quality assessment tools (Quality Assurance Needs Assessment Survey Report, April 2019). The study revealed a lack of Internal Quality Assurance mechanisms and Units, lack of qualified teaching staff, poor infrastructure, and lack of facilities collaboration between higher education and industry, all of which impact on maintenance and improvement of quality. The study recommended the development of governance and leadership for the institutionalization of quality culture and enhancement of excellence by establishing requisite structures and procedures for effective international quality assurance mechanisms. As a staff member of the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority, I take a keen interest in digging down to the depth of these complex issues in order the support higher education institutions in general and the University of the Gambia, in particular, to develop effective quality assurance mechanisms to achieve their mission objectives and to place Gambian higher education institutions on the path of quality teaching, learning and research. Research has not been adequate to enhance the quality and relevance of the education system, and this challenge is the motivation for this project.

1.4. Aim and Objectives of the Research

The research aims to explore the quality of teaching and learning at the University of the Gambia (UTG).

The objective of this research is as follows:

1. To explore and examine information and experiences on critical issues such as standards, mechanisms, and factors of quality assurance in higher education among experts, academics, administrators, and policymakers

To determine the level of engagement of the leadership, governing body, staff, faculty, and students with the aims and objectives of the HE institutions and the procedures and mechanisms in place to achieve them

To make a recommendation to the UTG to further develop internal quality assurance mechanisms by putting in place the necessary quality assessment tools

1.5. Research Questions

The questions in this study are as follows:

1 Is teaching and learning in the UTG developing the graduate attributes of students?

Do teachers/lecturers of the UTG embed graduate attributes within their curricula?

1.6. Research structure

This research study will possess six chapters that assist the researcher in attaining the desired aim and objectives of the study. An introduction is the first chapter, which has produced a research overview. A literature review is a second chapter that has explained the research topic in depth. The third chapter is a Research methodology which will possess different research designs to attain desired results. The result and analysis are the fourth chapters, which have measured the data with the use of various strategies. Discussion is the fifth chapter, which evaluated the literature review and findings. Lastly, the conclusion is the last chapter, which has to summarise the conclusions and reflected the strength and weaknesses of the study.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

2.1. Quality Assurance system

Quality assurance is a process of a systematic review of programs or institution which assist in determining if the acceptable standards of education, infrastructure, and other associated educational tasks are met and improved. It is one of the systems which is made to value higher education by enhancing conformance to increase quality standards. It is highly essential for developing countries like the Gambia to implement an effective, more top-quality education system and national quality culture to enhance economic growth. A quality assurance system increases employment opportunity, enhance the education, training the future employees, facilitate learning environmental and academic landscape (VSO International, 2018). This is an exploration of different understandings and practices of quality assurance of the University of The Gambia relating to teaching and learning. Given the direct and indirect collective benefits derived from public investment in HE, almost universally, the state is responsible for a well-functioning and productive higher education system (Council of Europe higher education series No. 9, The legitimacy of quality assurance in higher education) The increased competition between nations engendered by pressures of neo-liberalization placed high importance on the assurance and enhancement of quality of teaching and learning on the list of higher education institutions (Biggs, 2001) aimed and ensuring the relevance and effectiveness of public investment. Over the past two decades, progress has been made in the importance of undergraduate teaching and learning on several fronts, including the growth in knowledge about how people learn attributable to cognitive science, the rise of active pedagogies and 'student engagement' and the development of explicit structures to support teaching such as professionally staffed teaching and learning centres (Don F Westerhereijden et al. 2007).

The quality of teaching and learning is to be determined by adherence to the principles of an adopted theory and to meet the expectations of stakeholders. Quality assurance that is underpinned by teaching/learning theory has the potential to contribute to improving teaching and learning in higher education (D'Andrea and Gosling 2005). The adoption of a particular pedagogy and learning theory is usually determined by its suitability in meeting institutional goals and the extent to which teaching and learning activities fit the purpose of education – whether this is for the development of the workforce or critical, reflective, creative, and innovative individuals (Bogue, 1992). Teaching is an activity that helps students learn; however, it is common knowledge that many academics in higher education teach students without acquiring a basic understanding of how students learn (Marton and Booth, 1997). According to Marton and Booth (1997), learning is how we perceive, understand, and make meaning of the world. This may involve mastering abstract principles, understanding proofs, remembering information, acquiring methods, techniques and approaches, recognition, reasoning, debating ideas, or developing behaviour appropriate to specific situations (Fry et al, 2009). The quality of teaching and learning is, to a large extent, determined by the ability of academics to have this knowledge and to be able to apply it to the practice of teaching. While a focus on the traditional earmarks of quality assurance such as academic facilities including library holdings, effective use of technology, qualification of teaching staff and accreditation are instrumental in holding higher education institutions accountable, they address quality only at a superficial level aimed at serving managerial ends. These do not bring about improvements in teaching and learning and do not necessarily engender an attitude among staff, which is focused on development, or simply translate into or provide concrete evidence of student learning outcomes. Quality assurance must not be limited to serve merely as a ritual that feeds accountability. Instead, it should be concerned with the day-to-day activities associated with teaching and learning in higher education and related processes, including curriculum planning, the interaction between teachers and students in the learning environment, and the development of learning communities (Westerhereijden et al. 2007). The essence and purpose of quality assurance systems is a commitment to excellence and to encourage the continual improvement of educational provision. John Dewey stated the use of educational provision as the development of those capacities in individuals, which will enable them to control their environment and fulfil their possibilities. A. N. Whitehead defined education as the acquisition of the art of the utilization of knowledge. Therefore, the quality of an educational program or institution is to be determined by its results as proof of outcomes (Bogue et al. 1992). Quality assurance should be concerned with a range of teaching and learning activities, including curriculum development to communities of practice (Westerhereijden et al., 2007).

Renown public intellectual and educationist, Noam Chomsky, in a February 2012 YouTube video stated the purpose of the educational provision as the development of the ability to enquire, to create and to search the riches of the past and appreciate and internalize those parts considered significant with the view to carrying further exploration of new possibilities to add to an existing body of knowledge for scientific and cultural progress. This view on the purpose of education from the traditional enlightened sense resonates with the twentieth-century American educationist John Dewy's definition of education as the development of those capacities which enable individuals to control their environment and fulfil their possibilities. The educational provision, therefore, should encourage creative exploration, independence of thought, and the willingness to cross frontiers and to challenge accepted beliefs. It is not surprising, thus, that A. N. Whitehead described education as the acquisition of the art of the utilization of knowledge. As a measure for the attainment of these goals of educational provision, the student of education must be capable of understanding and interrogating the structures that shape and drive social, economic, and cultural reality through learning. According to Heather Fry et al. (2009), education is about how we perceive and make meaning of the world by mastering abstract principles, understanding proofs, remembering information, acquiring methods, techniques and approaches, recognition, reasoning, debating ideas, and developing behaviour appropriate to specific situations. Curriculum design, teaching, and learning activities must be carefully selected and organized to help make learning happen (Fry et al, 2009). Given that the definition of quality is highly contested, in his paper, Quality |Assurance in Higher Education: The Evolution of Systems and Design Ideas, E. Grady Bogue cited the following definitions of quality:

“Conforms to specifications. A product or service that meets design specifications is a quality product or service (Crosby, 1984). It is fit for use. A product or service that satisfies the customer's or client's expectations is a quality product or service (Guaspari, 1985). Achieves its mission and goals (program or institutional effectiveness). An individual or organization that meets its goals is a quality program or institution (Green, 1994). Improves continuously. An organization that creates a climate for constant improvement is a quality organization (Deming, 1986). Considers multiple factors. Quality is a multifactor concept involving not only fitness for use but also reliability, durability, aesthetics, and so on (Garvin, 1988).”

E. Grady Bogue presented the following thoughts about quality: that quality is to be found in the eye or opinion of the beholder in any program or institution that meets its goals, a culture of evidence. These thoughts about the nature of quality aimed at enhancing understanding of the concept of quality assurance define the very purpose and history of educational provision. The condition should be present in each institution according to its mission and goals represented in the results of the institutions in the form of ''value-added''. Quality should be understood and assured by insisting on how well institutions pursue their missions, which almost always reflects the potential of high quality. The evidence of quality is the degree to which institutions conform to their mission specifications and goals achievement within acceptable standards of accountability and integrity (Bogue et al. 1992). Hence, the opinion of the researcher can be regarded as valid in this context. Missions and goals of higher education institutions must reflect the essence of national educational policy aims and objectives to be relevant and to conform to requirements of quality, as stated in the above definitions. The variety of programs of any institution are demonstrated within and by the clarity of its mission or purpose and how efficient and effective that institution is in meeting the goals that it has set itself. According to Alexander Astin (2008), the quality of a program or institution is the impact it has on the development of talents that adds most values on the student's knowledge and personal growth and the faculty member's scholarly and pedagogical ability and productivity. The difference a program or an institution makes in the student knowledge, skills, and attitude is the measure of the quality of that program or institution (Bogue et al. 1992). Therefore, any activity for assuring quality in higher education while it may embrace accreditation of programmes by external standards and periodic accountability and reports of performance indicators, must place emphasis on the assessment of student learning outcomes and performance indicators relating to value addition, and commitment to continual improvement and satisfaction of stakeholders. Quality assurance must be centred on the acquisition of multiple forms of evidence in the evaluation of both student and programme performance. It is the above cluster of evidence that must be the basis for making judgements about the quality of students, programmes and institutions. The change that a programme and institution make on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of students upon their exit is therefore the true determinant of quality. Constructive assessment activities for the determination of quality of provision must be effectively linked to teaching and learning and the improvement and analysis of what happens in the classroom and how this meets the satisfaction of stakeholders if they should have any impact on the assurance of quality. Quality assurance and assessment exercises should therefore have a vision of quality that depends more on teaching and learning and caring for students (Bogue et al 1992).

The assurance of the quality of teaching and learning must be integrated and complemented by an assessment of student learning outcomes to cultivate values that will honour the quality of students' journey in higher education institutions. Assurance of teaching and learning quality, therefore, is a responsibility invested in the minds and hearts, and the values and courage of the faculty and administrators who hold the climate of teaching. Review of the Tertiary and higher education policy of the Gambia reveals that the strategy aims to build a tertiary and higher education system for the development of programs focused on the generation and application of new knowledge and skills required to catch up and keep pace with rapid technological advances that continually change and shape education and skills needed for the job market. This requires a system of educational provision that would enhance the development of knowledge, skills, values and attributes and other employability skills which increase career opportunities on the one hand, and the development of critical, creative thinking skills, intellectual curiosity, analytical and problem-solving capacities, and innovative skills on the other (THEP 2014 – 2023). The aims of the policy make a statement on the desired learning outcomes that graduates of tertiary and higher education must acquire and demonstrate for their experience to be worthwhile. Therefore, curricula for teaching and learning must incorporate these attributes, and teaching/learning activities should seek to balance out a program or course content and the learning attributes. This is a direct influence of neoliberal forces which are shifting the higher education landscape by increasingly aligning goals of business, government and education. This has shifted the role of higher education institutions towards the production of employable graduates to feed national prosperity in the emerging knowledge economy (Hill et al, 2016). Consequently, universities have begun to articulate the generic outcomes of the educational experience they provide that complement content knowledge and which every graduate of every degree should possess in order to enable them to cope with the dynamic employment opportunities as well as understand who they are and how to contribute positively in their local, regional and global communities (Barrie, 2007). Common graduate attributes that help to develop academic, citizenship and career competencies have gained recognition in universities. They include: critical thinking skills – intellectual curiosity, analytical reasoning, problem-solving and reflective judgement; effective communication; leadership and teamwork skills; research and inquiry skills; information and digital literacy; personal attributes such as self-awareness, self-confidence, autonomy or self-reliance, flexibility and creativity; and personal values such as ethical, moral and social responsibility, integrity and cross-cultural awareness (Hill et al, 2016). Graduate attributes are not only being increasingly used to inform curriculum design and engagement with teaching and learning experiences at universities around the world, Barrie, (2007), they have become well established in universities in Australia in the last two decades; they are integrated into the Scottish Quality Enhancement Framework, embedded in England within individual institutions following the HEFCE skills agenda; promoted in Europe following the Bologna Process; and there is ongoing and renewed interest in graduate skills in the United States; and gained momentum in New Zealand Qualifications Framework (Hill et al, 2016).

Based on the foregoing, the criteria this case study research used to evaluate the quality of provision in the UTG includes the processes of designing and implementing these attributes within, across and beyond curricula, and the development or acquisition of graduate attributes in the process of teaching and learning. The study evaluated whether graduate attributes are embedded in the course development, delivery and review processes and incorporated into extra-curricula activities; and how students are developing specific attributes using triangulation including curriculum documentation, student perception and responses of alumni, appropriate teaching and learning strategies and according to Hughes & Barrie, (2010) their explicit embedding in assessment. The study also evaluated students’ awareness of graduate attributes and the importance of developing these for their self-identities. Another criteria evaluated appropriateness of teaching, learning and assessment strategies for the development of discipline-nuanced graduate attributes (Hill et al, 2016).

2.6. Recommendation to the UTG to further develop internal quality assurance mechanisms by putting in place the necessary quality assessment tools

The vision of the University of The Gambia is stated in the UTG Strategic Plan 2017 – 2023 as ‘’The university shall be the powerhouse for the transformation of the Gambia through the creation, application, and transfer of knowledge. The UTG also seeks, among another endeavour, to develop information and communication technology infrastructure as a driving force for:

the education of more people more rapidly and (b) the improvement of efficiency and academic quality to attain the goals of poverty alleviation and national development, (c) development of high-quality, problem-solving, gender-sensitive, interactive teaching, research, learning and outreach programs, and (d) continuous demonstration of commitment to the inspiring values and objectives of "Operation Back-to-the-Land". University education at the UTG is not only concerned with intellectual growth and development, but it is also designed to instil ethical values and civic responsibilities that equip students to demonstrate honesty, integrity, and patriotism in the delivery of services to the nation (UTG Strategic Plan 2017-2021).

The UTG also has as its mission:

To be "a centre of academic excellence, providing high-quality teaching, research, and service relevant to socio-economic, scientific and technological advancement and development, poverty alleviation, gender equity and the sustainable development needs of the Gambia in particular and the sub-region in general (UTG Strategic Plan 2017-2021).

The stated values of the UTG include upholding and maintenance of independent and critical thought and to ensure academic excellence in teaching and research, inculcation of social responsibility, promotion of high-quality teaching and learning by creating a holistic student-centred education and learning environment by providing social, cultural and recreational opportunities which facilitate the full realization of their potential for academic and personal growth supported by the application of ICT for the enhancement of educational delivery and management. On teaching and learning, the UTG recognizes that employers have a higher expectation of work readiness in hired university graduates. More than ever before, graduates who can function independently and who have advanced thinking and reasoning skills are required. This places emphasis on appropriate curricula and teaching and learning strategies that can stimulate students to pursue and develop new knowledge and calls for new thinking about undergraduate and postgraduate education at the UTG. Whereas the UTG strategic plan articulates intention to improve teaching by building the capacity of the teaching staff, it has not clearly stated how students' exit qualities will be developed through teaching and learning. This observation is incredibly significant as it may impact on the effectiveness of provision designed to produce graduates ready for the world of work. Of fundamental interest is to find out how the UTG satisfy employers' needs in terms of work-ready graduates; now teaching and learning at the UTG balance out content knowledge and those attributes employers seek in graduates; level of awareness of faculty members and students about the need to balance subject matter knowledge with desired graduate attributes; how the teaching staff of the UTG assess the attainment of graduate attributes; how opportunities are given to facilitate the development of employability skills in addition to content knowledge. These are some of the concerns to be developed in a questionnaire for further investigation of the readiness of the UTG to deliver on its mandate and promised mission.

Chapter 3: Research Methodology

3.1. Introduction

In this particular chapter of the research study, the focus has been mainly on analysing the methods that have been selected in the process of conducting and completing the research study. It is to be noted that this section of the research has focused mainly on providing various elements of research methods, which comprise research philosophy, research design, data collection, data analysis, ethical consideration, sampling, research approaches, and others (Kothari, 2004). The focusing will be on defining each of the methods available and how one of them has been selected for this study, further aligning with proper justification for the same.

3.2. Research Philosophy

As per the research of Sounder (2009), an essential purpose of conducting any research work is to generate new knowledge or phenomenon. However, it is argued that it is equally important to have the experience made throughout the research study, and it is to be free from any kind of biases. Accordingly, research philosophy can be defined as the assumptions and views that researchers held about the subject being investigated in the research study. These philosophical views and assumptions are ascertained to influence further the findings generated from the survey (Hox & Boeije, 2005). Hence, it is essential to define research philosophy for a particular researcher post-selection of appropriate research design and data collection techniques. Mikkelsen (2005) has further identified three basic types of research philosophies which comprises of positivism, interpretivism, along with realism. Positivism research philosophy deals with natural science and stresses that science is the only way of learning the truth. In the positivist research study, the role of the researcher is limited to data collection and interpretation objectively. On the other hand, interpretivism research philosophy held that access to reality could only achieve through social construction. The interpretivist research study often integrates human interest to study. The realism research philosophy on the other states that humans do experience feelings about the real world, and thus, it deals with investigation and interpretation of the research problem based on personal experience and opinions. In this particular research study, an interpretivism research philosophy has been taken into consideration. One of the main reasons for selecting this method is linked with the fact that the review is qualitative, and hence the use of interpretivism philosophy is indeed suited. The use of interpretivism philosophy has enabled this research to understand the knowledge and how of the quality of teaching and learning in the present day competitive environment within the higher education sector in UTG. Again, this philosophy has also enabled the researcher to understand the complex and contextual factors about the know-how of the current state of education in UTG and how the graduates of the university have fared in about acquisition of generic graduate attributes and future employability. However, the fact that it will involve a sophisticated data collection process is to be regarded as a significant limitation.

3.3. Research Design

The research design can be deemed as a chronological plan, which will enable the researcher to bring all tools and techniques considered in the research study together to address the research issues and achieve aims and objectives. The three primary forms of research designs would further comprise of exploratory research design, descriptive research design, and graphic research design (Ghauri & Gronhaug, 2002). Accordingly, it is noted that exploratory research is mainly concerned with exploring the research questions, but it does not provide a definitive solution. Also, an exploratory study is usually conducted to investigate research issues or problems that are not clearly defined in any other researches, and it further lacks a substantial literature on the topic. Similarly, the descriptive research design is concerned with answering why and how about the current issue and problems through data collection and enables the researchers to acquire a comprehensive understanding of a particular situation or event. The application of descriptive further offers researchers an opportunity to integrate both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. On the other hand, explanatory research design, also known as a causal research design, is usually applied in a research study that intends to determine the extent as well as nature of the cause-effect relationship. Experiments are the most common method of data collection in the descriptive research study (Gay & Diehl, 1992). Based on the above, it can be mentioned that this study design is exploratory. It also involves the collection of primary data through questionnaire survey, which is also the case for this research work. The study will explore how maintaining quality in education has become challenging in a competitive environment. Though many explorations have been done in the past about this topic, this study will explore the case of UTG and its internal operations and quality of education, further sufficing complex competitive educational environment. One advantage acquired by using exploratory research design in this study is that it is flexible in terms of exploring the topic and help in setting a groundwork that will form a base for conducting future researches on a similar problem.

3.4. Research Method

The selection of the most appropriate method is the base or the first step in conducting social research. Accordingly, Castellan (2010) has depicted that the research method can generally encompass all the techniques and procedures that the researcher applies while conducting and completing the research work. There are two most important forms of research method–i.e., qualitative and quantitative research methods, according to Castellan (2010). The key differences between the qualitative and quantitative method are that the qualitative research method is applied in a research study for the investigation of issues that is difficult to measure quantitatively (Castellan, 2010). Again, Bryman & Bell (2015) have noted that the qualitative research method is often considered to be suitable for a study that aims to generate a more detailed understanding of the subject being discussed in the study. However, since this method is subjective, the findings thus obtained from qualitative research cannot be verified using statistical tools. Also, the results obtained from a qualitative research study might not be highly generalizable. On the other hand, quantitative research is assumed to be objective and involves numerical data for drawing findings. Also, quantitative data often uses developing hypotheses and accepting or rejecting using statistical tools. Moreover, results obtained from the quantitative research study usually have a high degree of generalizability. However, Almalki (2016) has stated that to overcome the weaknesses associated with the use of qualitative or quantitative research methods, many researchers have suggested the use of triangulation of these two research methods, which is also known as a mixed research method. Hence, for this research study, a qualitative research method has been taken into consideration. As explained above, a qualitative research method is subjective, and it explores a new phenomenon throughout the process of completing the study (Neuman, 2003). This study specifically seeks to explore the practical approach of the UTG towards providing quality education, and hence the selection of qualitative research methods can be regarded as justified. Another benefit that this method has provided in this research is an in-depth and detailed study of the research problem. It evaluates data to understand opinions. The questionnaire survey enabled the researcher to understand more how students and teachers perceive the quality of education currently going on in UGC. It has also allowed the people involved in the study to be more open about their responses so that their opinion can give an extensive understanding of the topic or the research objectives. However, the fact that this method might not be highly generalizable and accurate, as in the case of quantitative or numerical analysis can be seen as a potential limitation.

3.5. Data Collection

Data collection is the most crucial part associated with the process of conducting any research. This is because this step involves the selection of relevant data that further forms the base for meeting the objectives of the research study and answering the research question in concern as per Ghauri & Gronhaug (2002). In general, data can be collected from two sources, which are primary and secondary, as per the study of Gay & Diehl (1992). Correspondingly, this research has considered both primary and secondary sources to collect relevant data. Secondary data found for this research study comprised of receiving information from journals, literature, and online sources. On the other hand, the primary source for data collection in this research is a questionnaire survey with both teachers and students. The research instrument used in this regard is the questionnaire, which has been discussed extensively in detail hereunder.

3.5.1. Questionnaire

A questionnaire has been used for surveying the target respondents in this research work. Both the students and the teachers were considered as target population to take part in this research study. Notably, a separate set of the questionnaire has been formed for both the students and the teachers as it is evident that they are supposed to be asked different questions and their opinions or answers is also expected to be changed. The questionnaire for student respondents has been developed using a Likert Scale technique with 5 points options for each of the questions. The questionnaire for teachers/lecturers seeks written responses. The survey has been divided into three parts (Rahi, 2017). The first part of the questionnaire comprised issues related to the demography of the respondents. In the next part of the survey, the respondents were asked questions that are related to the research objectives, while in the third part, concluding items to take direct opinion from the respondents has been considered. It is anticipated that for completing one questionnaire, it will take around 20 minutes for either the students or the teachers.

3.5.2. Sampling

Sampling is the process of whether particular researchers tend to select the right people to take part in the research study. It includes setting a target of the potential population that can contribute to completing the research most efficiently. Generally, sampling is divided into various forms comprising purposive sampling, random sampling, and cluster sampling, among others. For this research study, a purposive sampling technique has been taken into consideration (Myers, 2008). Purposive sampling techniques involve the sampling of respondents based on selective and subjective knowledge of the researcher as per Yin (2009). The researcher's judgment is given the top priority in selecting the respondents with this sampling technique. Constraints posed by the COVID-19 pandemic became the decisive factor. It was therefore circumstantial that teachers and students from the UTG were both chosen to take part in this research as they are the population directly linked with the phenomena being studied, and there were no inclusion or exclusion criteria selected for doing the same. However, the availability and consent of the participants were provided with the utmost importance. The study has targeted to include senior government officials as well, but due to lockdown and COVID19 pandemic, this was not possible to execute.

3.6. Data Analysis

Data analysis mainly revolves around the concept of analyzing the information or raw data that has been collected in the research. The tools of data analysis are dependent on the type of data that has been received within the examination. For this research study, data has been collected from the questionnaire survey from the students and teachers. The data has been presented using graphs, charts, and tables, along with Microsoft excel. Since the study is qualitative in nature, SPSS and other statistical software will not be applicable in this research. Rather, descriptive statistics is used.

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3.7. Ethical Consideration

Qualitative research seeks the meaning of life by getting close to that life itself, which tends to invoke risks, and threats for the researched that calls for respect and protection, which are to be achieved by codes and consent, confidentiality and trust (Qualitative Research, 2016). Informed consent, privacy, and privacy are basic ethical tenets of research on people, as such it is essential to reassure participants in the study of anonymity and confidentiality of information gleaned from them (Evsenbach and Till, 2001) It is for these reasons that the researcher sought the informed consent of participating individuals through a ‘participant’s consent form sent to and signed by participating individuals in the research. The Participant Consent Form (UoB, 2019) is an information sheet that explains the nature and purpose of the study, implications, and rights for taking part in which participants are politely asked to read and understand before taking part in the research exercise. It is a fundamental requirement by the University of Bolton for postgraduate students writing their dissertation to fill the Research Ethics form RE1(Appendix **) which must be signed by the research student as bases of awareness of and commitment to strictly comply with the standards of ethical practice in research dealing with individuals. Researchers are required to read the University of Bolton Code of Practice on Ethical Standards for Research Involving Human Participants to continually remind themselves about and address the set ethical codes for the personal protection date and the participants. The research is guided by the University of Bolton Code of Practice on Ethical Standards for Research Involving Human Participants - a set of ethical issues to be openly and addressed by the researcher and they include privacy; open discussion of requirements for informed consent and the participant’s right of withdrawal, the anonymity of participant’s identity and confidentiality on sources of data as a core principle, protection of data and potential harm. An essential ethical consideration also involves honesty on the part of the researcher in the planning, conducting, analyzing, and reporting of research findings and academic integrity. Another ethical review fundamental to the quality and ease of facilitation of the research was Gatekeeping. This was essential to both encourage participation and to lend credibility to the expressed purpose of the study as participants would take their participation seriously as the exercise received the blessing of authority. The research was guided by the principles of research ethics outlined by the ESRC (2005) guidelines as follows: (Gillham, 2000)

Research participants took part voluntarily, free from any coercion or undue influence, and their rights, dignity, and (when possible) autonomy should be respected and appropriately protected.

That the research is desirable and provides value that outweighs any risk or harm.

The researcher endeavored to maximize the benefit of the research and minimize the potential risk of harm to participants and researchers. All potential risks and damage were mitigated by robust precautionary and due process.

Participants are given appropriate information about the purpose, methods, and intended uses of the research, what their participation in the study entails, and what risks and benefits, if any, are involved.

Individual research participant entitlements regarding anonymity were respected, and participant requirements concerning the confidential nature of information and personal data are upheld.

The research was designed, reviewed, and undertaken to ensure recognized standards of integrity are met, and quality and transparency are assured.

The independence of the research was made clear, and any conflicts of interest or partiality made explicit.

References

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