The reality and requirements of the operational environment of the White Nile University in the light of strategic planning: (a case study of the Bachelor of Architecture Engineering program)

Prepared by the researcher

• Abbas El-klhidir -PhD, Faculty of Architecture Engineering White Nile University, Kosti, Sudan
• Mohamed El-tayeb -PhD, Department of Architecture & Spatial Planning, University of Technology & Science, Khartoum, Sudan.

Democratic Arab Center

Journal of Afro-Asian Studies : Seventeenth Issue – May 2023

A Periodical International Journal published by the “Democratic Arab Center” Germany – Berlin

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Abstract

The aim of this paper is to examine six selected themes that represent the operational environment and contribute to successful strategic planning at White Nile University as one of the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Sudan. Institutions including higher education institutions that wish to achieve their goals in today’s rapidly changing operating environment must formulate and implement realistic operational strategic plans. Existing literature has identified some factors that influence the success or failure of the operating environment. However, the extent to which these factors influence strategic planning in higher education institutions in Sudan is still unclear. For this examination, questionnaires were completed via direct distribution and returned by 70 participants who were students of the Bachelor of Architecture program. Data analysis necessitated both descriptive and inferential statistics to describe the characteristics of the study sample’s vocabulary by making frequency tables that include frequencies, percentages, and graphs of the study axes to identify the general trend of the sample’s vocabulary in terms of the percentage of each axis separately and the standard deviation to determine the amount of dispersion in the respondents’ answers for each statement on the average. Arithmetic, as well as calculating the reference average for the sample’s answers using the five-point Likert scale to measure the attitudes of the respondents’ opinions.

This study demonstrates the impact of these factors on the operating environment and provides a basis for developing strategic planning practices for the university and similar other universities.

Introduction:

The environment in which any university college operates is one of the most important factors influencing the way it operates. The college’s knowledge of the external and internal environment factors that are affected by it makes it able to take advantage of what is good for it and avoid or limit what may negatively affect it. Therefore, the process of diagnosing and analyzing the internal and external business environment It has an impact on the development process, work continuity, and assistance in the planning and implementation process to ensure the achievement of the goals that the college seeks to achieve (Sail Waleed 2016).

The operating environment of university colleges represents the internal organizational environmental level that is specifically and accurately related to the educational method, means and tools, and to the administrative and organizational applications of the colleges. The difference in the operating environment of the colleges is embodied in a difference in the capabilities of these colleges and aspects of their fundamental strength or weakness, which can become a key determinant for exploiting opportunities or dealing with threats in the external environment of the college (Al-Ghalbi and Idris ,2007). Analyzing the operating environment means taking a detailed look at the inside of the organization to determine levels of performance. And areas of strength and weakness regarding all the axes that you deal with now or in the future) Al-Sall (2005).

Strategy has been defined by Alfred (2006) as “the systematic way of positioning an organization with stakeholders in its environment to create value that differentiates it from competitors and leads to sustainable advantage”. According to Porter (2011) educational organizations often mistake strategic operational effectiveness while operational effectiveness can be used as a means to achieve the strategic organization. The end result of the strategy is to ensure that the organization chooses a distinctive position that influences its selection of appropriate activities that increase its distinctiveness.

Strategic planning is the basis for the success of educational institutions. The success of these institutions and their keeping pace with economic and social changes depends on their efficiency in carrying out administrative functions and their ability to develop future plans and get rid of obstacles. There is no one right way to do good strategic planning: what matters is what the organization does, given its culture, needs, and organization. There is value in reviewing current approaches to requirements from time to time across the higher education sector in order to identify principles that apply and then disseminate those that appear effective. Reviewing and approving the operational environment of the Bachelor of Architectural Engineering program at White Nile University is another important aspect of this role. Also, seeking to know the views of the affiliates of the campus to inform efforts at the level of its own system and support the campus as they participate in the important work of defining their own strategic directions and integrating them to crystallize the strategy by the Strategic Campus Planning Committee is very important.

Theoretical framework

Ozdem (2011) considers that as a concept, strategic planning is a tool that allows the development of long-term plans in light of the prevailing risks and opportunities and thus concludes that strategic planning would generate efficiency. Focusing on the higher education sector, Hayward and Nakayana (2003) confirmed that the purpose of strategic planning is to provide continuous examination and evaluation of the operating environment to determine the strengths and weaknesses and resource requirements of the institution in order to build effectiveness. In addition, strategic planning contributes to restoring operational effectiveness in situations characterized by chaos in management. It then works to enhance institutional effectiveness and improve administrative capacity.

Richards, O’Shea, and Connolly (2004) note that changes in the higher education landscape due to external influences have led to the realization that institutions need to use strategic planning and scenario techniques to shape and rethink operational strategy to survive. Strategic plans enable the enhancement of the operating environment at the college level by broadening its scope beyond addressing current objectives to include a fuller consideration of strategic opportunities, challenges, and options as well as fundamentals and business models. These new plans should serve not only as a roadmap for individual campuses but as part of a coherent plan for the higher education system as a whole.

The analysis of the internal environment means taking a detailed look at the inside of the organization to determine levels of performance, areas of strength, and areas of weakness (Idris and Morsi, 2002: 70). Organizations are interested in analyzing and evaluating all internal factors, with the main purpose of indicating the strengths and weaknesses that characterize each of the internal factors, with the help of the results of the analysis of external factors, which helps in making strategic decisions, and choosing appropriate alternatives for them (Al-Maghrabi, 1999: 131).

Methodology and data collection.

This study used the descriptive approach, due to its suitability to the nature of its subject, its dimensions, and its objectives. The descriptive approach was applied through two methods: The first is afield research based on the questionnaire to investigate the views of the study community of students in order to determine the relative importance of strengths and weaknesses in relation to the internal environment and is to achieve the objectives of the study represented in identifying the most important requirements that must be available to improve the operational environment of the Faculty of Architecture and Surveying The second is the relevant theoretical background, to identify the concept of the operating environment of the colleges and to achieve the objectives of the study. The program (SPSS) was used for the analysis, using the chi-square test and the reliability test using the Cronbach’s Alpha method, Table No. (3-2).

samples of the study community

The members of the current study population included (70) students of the Bachelor of Architecture program. The sample was selected randomly from total of (96) male and female students, with a rate of (73%). The sample was taken from all classes except the first-year students, because they are not fully aware of the themes and requirements of the operating environment. The Student Survey was considered as a quick and smart way to gather accurate and truthful information about program-related issues.

Study tool design

The researchers used the questionnaire as a tool to collect information and to achieve the objectives of the study. The questionnaire included (35) phrases representing the hypotheses of the study and consisted of six axes as demonstrated below in table (3-1):

Table (3-1) Operational Environment and Phrases

Table (3-2) Reliability coefficients for the scale expressions using Cronbach’s alpha method

** Statistically significant at the significance level (0.05).

It is clear from Table No. (3-2) that all the expressions are significant at the level of (0.05), and that the value of the total stability coefficient for the questionnaire axes is (0.95) and the value of the validity coefficient is (0.97). This result gives an indication that the questionnaire has a high degree of stability and honesty.

Case Study

The operational environment is a set of axes that the faculty of Architecture can control and dominate, or it is a set of infrastructure elements, academic aids and human forces that exist within the college itself and directly affect its performance, and can be modified, changed or controlled through administrative decisions. Hence, the reality of the current internal environment of the college can be determined from the following: (Abbas, 2022)

• The college is located in a complex with an area of 10,000 square meters and contains three programs (Architecture, Computer Science and Management Sciences), in addition to the university administration building.
• The total number of students for the year 2022 was 165 (male and female) students, and the permanent teaching staff in the college are 10 for the same year.
• The college has six halls and drawing studios containing furniture, lighting and surveillance cameras, two of them with fixed projectors and there are two mobile projectors used in demand. There is another hall designated for a permanent exhibition and a laboratory contains 50 (fifty) devices connected by the Internet.
• The college’s mission is to provide distinguished and qualified students in architecture with an open engineering and scientific imagination and they have the ability to deal with the local, regional and international environment, and contribute effectively to providing distinguished services, preparing research and consultations for the state and society, and providing distinguished education with a stimulating academic environment. Where its vision stipulated “a distinguished college in education, competitive in scientific research that supports the knowledge economy, active in partnership and social responsibility”, and among its strategic goals to achieve excellence and leadership is “to enhance the position of enabling students to compete in the labor market and the continuous improvement of quality practices and applications.

Despite its recent experience, the Faculty of Architecture at White Nile University has made serious attempts to improve its performance, and to emulate its counterparts from the local and regional colleges that have submitted it. It made efforts to develop strategies that adopt strategic planning and comprehensive quality, in an effort to improve its operational environment, and to provide contributions and practical models for change towards continuous improvement and effective performance. The college has adopted environmental analysis on a large scale to analyze the operational environment in order to achieve a systematic understanding of the strategic management situation and to establish a strategy of balance / proportionality between the strengths and weaknesses of the internal environment and between the threats and opportunities in the external environment.

In light of the foregoing and to achieve the objectives of the college, this paper seeks to answer the question: To what extent are the axes and expressions of the operational environment available for the Bachelor of Architecture program at White Nile University from the students’ point of view? Which stems from the following questions:

1. What are the most important phrases that have strengths and characterize the program?
2. What are the most important phrases that have weaknesses and influence the development of the program?

and Results discussion

Relevant results related to on the question: To what extent are the axes and expressions of the operational environment of the White Nile University architecture program available from the point of view of the students? To answer this question, the arithmetic means, standard deviations, and graphs were extracted for the questionnaire’s phrases. These seek to identify the reality of the operational environment for the Bachelor of Architecture program at White Nile University in the light of strategic planning from the point of view of the students, as follows:

Table No. (5-1): shows the availability of the study axes as a whole

Graph (5-1): shows the availability of the study themes as a whole

Table No. (5-2) below shows that the mission and objectives axis occupied the first place, as it achieved a high degree of availability from the point of view of the study sample, with an arithmetic mean (2.42) and a probability value (.000). Whereas, the axis, facilities and services hold in the last position, with an arithmetic mean of (1.52).

Table No. (5-2): The test shows the study axes as a whole

The researcher’s attributes that, the mission and objectives axis ranked first due to the clarity of the program’s mission and objectives, while the availability of facilities and equipment ranked last due to the fact that the collage lacks the basic elements such as readiness and quality of infrastructure.

Table No. (5-3): The frequencies, ratios, and arithmetic mean for the phrases of the first axis

(mission and objectives)

It is clear from Table (5-3) and according to the point of view of the respondents, that the axis mission and objectives has a high degree, with an arithmetic mean (2.42) and a probability value (.000). At the level of phrases, phrase No. (1) (the message of the program is clear and announced) has an arithmetic mean of (2.60) and probability value (.000) was ranked first with a high degree. while statement No. (5) (the program’s objectives are compatible with recent developments in higher education) ranked in the last order with an arithmetic mean of (2.23) and a probability value of (.259) with a medium degree of availability.

The researcher attributes, the reason of obtaining phrase No. (3) (the goals combine theoretical and applied aspects in higher education) and phrase No. (5) (the program’s objectives are compatible with recent developments in higher education) a medium degree of availability is the Threats and rapid changes that facing the program. Although the mission of the program was clear and declared, but the objectives of the program are not clearly commensurate with recent developments in higher education.

Table No.  (5-4): Shows the frequencies, ratios, and arithmetic mean for the phrases of the second axis.

(program management)

According to the respondents’ point of view, it is clear from Table (5-4) that, the program management axis picked up a moderate degree, with an arithmetic mean (2.08) and a probability value (0.203). At the level of expressions, the phrase No. (7) (the electronic system for accepting students into the program is easy and flexible) has been ranked first with an arithmetic average of (2.46), and a probability value of (0.103).  While the phrase No. (8) (students can review their academic results easily and transparently) and phrase No. (10) (the program plans are characterized by keeping pace with modern educational and technical developments) ranked in the last order with an arithmetic average of (1.94, 1 .94) and a probability value (0.001 and 0.839), respectively, with degrees of medium availability.

the reasons why the phrase No. (8) and phrase No. (10) got a medium degree of availability, were attributed to the seclusion of the program since its establishment and the lack of strategic plans to develop the program despite the availability of competencies academic

According to the point of view of the respondents, it is clear from Table (5-5) that, the axis of the academic courses has a moderate degree, with an arithmetic mean (2.17) and a probability value (0.002). But at the level of phrases, the phrase No. (16) (course content corresponds to the required learning outcomes) got an average of (2.39) and a probability value (0.014) was ranked first with a high degree.  While the phrase No. (15) (the link is made between the vocabulary of the academic courses and the reality of society) came in the last order with an arithmetic mean (1.97) and a probability value (0.966) with a degree of medium availability.

The researchers attribute the reasons of obtaining the phrase No. (15) a medium availability to the lack of realism and lack of connection to society, despite the fact that the content of the courses corresponds to the outcomes of higher education.

Table No. (5-5): Shows the frequencies, percentages, arithmetic mean, and standard deviations for the phrases of the third axis (courses)

It is clear from Table (5-6) and according to the respondents’ point of view, the teaching and learning axis has a medium availability, with an arithmetic mean (2.20) and a probability value (0.005). At the level of phrases, phrase No. (18) (faculty members continuously monitor the presence and absence of students) with an arithmetic mean of (2.76) and a probability value of (0,000) was ranked first. While phrase No. (20) (student results are announced on time without delay) ranked in the last order with an arithmetic mean of (1.83) and a probability value of (0.762) with a degree of medium availability.

The researchers attribute the reasons of obtaining the phrase No. (20) (students’ results are announced on time without delay) a degree of medium availability to the weakness of the electronic network in the city of Kosti and the political situation in Sudan represented in demonstrations and strikes

Table No. (5-6): Shows the frequencies, ratios, and arithmetic mean for the fourth axis phrases (teaching and learning)

Table No. (5-7): Shows the frequencies, ratios, arithmetic mean, and standard deviations for the expressions of the fifth axis. (student services)

According to the point of view of the respondents, it is clear from Table (5-7) that, the axis of student services had a moderate degree, with an arithmetic mean (2.06) and a probability value (.012). But, at the level of phrases, phrase No. (25) (introductory and informative information for students is available on the program’s website) with an arithmetic average of (2.36) and a probability value (0.034) has a high degree and ranked first, while phrase No. (29) (borrowing and photocopying services are available for students) ranked in the last order with an arithmetic mean (1.63) and a probability value (0.022) with a poor availability.

Table No. (5-8): Shows the frequencies, ratios, arithmetic mean, and standard deviations for the sixth axis phrases (facilities and equipment)

According to the respondents’ point of view, it is clear from Table (5-8), that, the facilities and equipment axis had a weak degree, with an arithmetic mean (1.52) and a probability value (0.000). But at the level of expressions, phrase No. (30) (the program’s buildings and facilities meet health conditions and safety systems) ranked first with an arithmetic mean of (1.66) and a probability value (0.199). While all the other remaining phrases have a poor availability.

The researcher attributes the reasons of obtaining all the other remaining expressions poor availability to the lack of the infrastructure of the program, which is represented by service facilities, health conditions, means and academic aids as well as the lack of technological and infrastructure investment in the university.

Conclusion

From the previous tables, we conclude that, there are (9) statements that have strengths, that characterize the program. And (26) statements ranked between medium and weak represent weaknesses of the program and affect it is development. Their details as follows:

1. strength points

There are nine (9) phrases with high availability, the arithmetic means of which is greater than (2.33) out of (3). These phrases are arranged in descending order according to their relative weight as follows:

• Faculty members monitor the attendance and absence of students on an ongoing basis.
• The program’s message is clear and public.
• The objectives of the program are defined and declared.
• The electronic system for accepting students into the program is easy and flexible.
• Program objectives are measurable and evaluable.
• Course content is consistent with the required learning outcomes.
• Information and guidance information for students is available on the program’s website.
• Faculty members in the program are committed to the rules of professional ethics.
• The contents of the courses are distinguished by the recentness and accuracy of the information.

2. Weakness points

There are twenty (20) expressions that have a medium availability, with an arithmetic mean greater than (1.65) and less than (2.33) out of (3). These expressions are arranged in descending order according to their relative weight as follows:

• Objectives combine theoretical and applied aspects of higher education.
• Faculty members are committed to describing the courses announced in the program.
• The contents of the library support the vocabulary of the courses.
• The objectives of the program are compatible with recent developments in higher education.
• The courses of the program are taught by qualified faculty members
• The integrity of the work submitted by the students enrolled in the program is verified.
• The courses of the program are taught by qualified faculty members.
• Courses are characterized by a balance between theoretical knowledge and application.
• The policy for accepting students into the program is clear and objective.
• Courses develop students’ positive attitudes towards the teaching profession.
• The credit hours for the courses are commensurate with the knowledge content in each course.
• Qualified academic and administrative competencies are available to carry out the requirements of the program.
• There is a link between the vocabulary of the academic courses and the reality of society.
• The study plan is compatible with the time period for obtaining the degree.
• Students can review their academic results easily and transparently.
• The program’s plans are distinguished by keeping up with the latest educational and technical developments.
• Academic lectures are provided on time without delay.
• Students’ results are announced on time without delay.
• The mechanism for paying and retrieving tuition fees for students is easy and fair.
• The program’s buildings and facilities meet health requirements and safety systems.

There are six (6) phrases that have a medium availability, with an arithmetic mean of less than (1.65) out of (3). These phrases are arranged in descending order according to their relative weight as follows:

• Borrowing and photocopying services are available in the library for students.
• The program has classrooms equipped with the latest technology.
• The number of students in the hall is consistent with the standard ratios of quality not exceeding 1:20.
• The program facilities are characterized by readiness and quality.
• The program headquarters contains an educational media center.
• Green spaces cover parts of the program headquarters.

Recommendations

• The faculty members should pay attention to the course descriptions.
• Lectures should be on time without delay.
• The teaching staff must ensure the integrity of the work submitted by students.
• The administration must develop the admission policy, the fee payment mechanism, and the provision of qualified teaching staffs.
• Study programs must be well planned and updated in accordance with international standards and requirements of the local and global market.
• Applying the principles of governance, which include transparency, accountability, responsibility, emphasis on quality control, institutional evaluation, internal academic review, as well as external evaluation by other institutions and universities.
• Enhancing e-learning tools at the university by developing courses for study programs and study plans, and encouraging the Virtual Classroom.
• Providing the necessary advanced infrastructure, including advanced laboratories and equipment, to encourage researchers to experiment and develop their research.

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