Qualitative interview study reveals institutional adaptations to competitive teaching grants in universities, highlighting conflicts between accountability and educational autonomy.
Key Points
To investigate institutional responses to performance-based competitive teaching funding schemes in higher education through the lens of resource dependence theory.
Conducted qualitative interviews with university project coordinators in Taiwan.
Evaluated institutional experiences across two competitive initiatives: the Program for Promoting Teaching Excellence and the Higher Education Sprout Project.
Analyzed coordinator interview transcripts using qualitative content analysis.
Identified three primary institutional responses: leveraging resources for institutional advancement, strategic adaptation to meet funding criteria, and navigating implementation constraints.
Uncovered persistent structural tensions between governmental accountability demands, university autonomy, and authentic educational improvement.