Research
RESEARCH FIELD: Sustainable education and e-learning
UdM Researchers working on this field:
- Dr Krishnah Moortee SAURTY
- Dr Neelam PIRBHAI-JETHA
- Dr Kanayah SAURTY
- Mr Seeven AMIC
- Mrs Bushra KHOYRATTY
- Mrs Shameera LAUTHAN
- Dr. Randhir ROOPCHUND
- Mrs Nundini AKALOO
Funded projects
Project 1
Title:
MANOUE – MAscareignes NOrmandie pour le nUmérique en Education
Duration (start/end):
November 2019 to June 2020
Principal Investigator:
Dr Krishnah Moortee Saurty, Université des Mascareignes (Coordinator)
Dr Neelam PIRBHAI-JETHA, Dr Kanayah SAURTY, Mr Seeven AMIC, Mrs Bushra KHOYRATTY, Mrs Shameera LAUTHAN (Project team).
Collaborating partner:
Université de Caen Normandie – Porteur: Professeur Jacques Beziat
Awarding body or sponsor:
Projet Hubert Curien : Ministère de l’Education et des Ressources Humaines, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche scientifique (Maurice) et de l’Ambassade de France à Maurice (France)
Description of projects:
Within a research-supported approach, the objectives of this programme are to enable Université des Mascareignes (UdM) to develop capacity building in providing part of its course programmes in online mode and contribute to the evolution of higher education practices in Mauritius, which are strongly influenced by the traditional spoon-feeding or historical jug-mug processes in education (Saurty, 2017).
UdM is a relatively young university stemming from a well-structured experienced polytechnic-style education background. In line with the Government’s vision to transform Mauritius into a Knowledge Hub, UdM aims at diversifying its programme offers towards distance learning and the hybridization of its courses. In the view to achieve this goal, a research and training partnership has been set up with the University of Caen Normandie through the CIRNEF (co-promoter of this project), in collaboration with the CEMU (Centre for Multimedia Teaching University), and the FOAD FORSE scheme of the University of Rouen Normandie. As part of the agreement with the University of Caen, there are three components including the E-learning component: the training of UdM lecturers to become online teachers with the purpose of setting up online courses / training, and leading e-learning teams, leading to a Master’s degree in Engineering in Higher Education (DU INES).
The MANOUE project comprises of two dimensions, namely, research and training. The research dimension shall focus on the emergence and engineering of a digital interactive form for teaching and learning (Ardouin, 2013) in a Mauritian context, for online and distance education. A reflexive approach to practices (Béziat, 2013) shall be sought through the use of digital tools and distance learning platforms in higher education to sustain implied modifications in the current pedagogy. The training dimension of the MANOUE project shall be the outcome of the research process involving UdM academics and students through the gradual evolution of its course and programme proposals. In this context, a research based approach will be adopted through staff engagement that leads to evolutionary teaching and learning practices
Project 2
Title:
Towards a conceptual framework for Customer Relationship Management in Public universities in Mauritius
Duration (start/end):
May 2013 till September 2019
Principal Investigator:
Dr Randhir Roopchund
Collaborating partner:
Public Universities in Mauritius (Four Public Universities)
Awarding body or sponsor:
Open University of Mauritius
Description of projects:
Public universities in Mauritius aim to climb the overall universities’ ranking by improving the quality of teaching, research, and student support services so as to improve overall student satisfaction. Mohamedbhai (2015) explains that public universities in Mauritius do not even rank in the top 100 African Universities. Public universities are also devising strategies to achieve higher student engagement by developing effective relationships with students. The Ministry of Education has the goal of developing Mauritius as an education hub by providing institutional support to leverage the quality of teaching, learning, and research, in both public and private universities. However, this can only be achieved if universities take appropriate measures to address to some of the challenges mentioned earlier. The government has recently created the Higher Education Authority to oversee quality issues at the tertiary level.
In response to the above problems, the study seeks to develop a conceptual framework for CRM that may help reduce any potential student attrition in public universities. The research approach will be to analyze the driving forces for the implementation of CRM and test the current student attrition level. The study also analyses the inter-relationships between CRM and student satisfaction and loyalty by using correlations. The conceptual framework is developed through an exploratory factor analysis and by evaluating different CRM indexes statistically (CRM constructs) that may influence student satisfaction and/or attrition. The conceptual framework may help increase student satisfaction and improve the overall student life. Therefore, the CRM model will analyze factors driving CRM in higher education and influencing student attrition to improve student satisfaction and loyalty.
Any further inquiries?
Please contact on the following email: ecoledoctorale@udm.ac.mu