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SOCIOPOLITICAL TRENDS 7

Sociopolitical Trends

Student’s Name

Institution

Date

Georgia Institute of Technology

The University is based in Atlanta Georgia in the United States, and it was started in the1865 during the reconstruction period in the America history. On population, the students total to more than 25,000 graduate and undergraduates. There are also over 1,140 permanent academic faculties. The total number of students consists of 65% of males and 35% of female.

The university has always recorded a small number of women students. However, the phenomena are slowly changing as the school has been growing its liberal arts program to encourage more females to consider careers in science, engineering, and technology as well as changing its admission process and requirements. Some of the programs include the Women in Engineering program and sponsorship of Society of Women Engineers. As a result of the programs, the university recorded 40% of new female students in 2015. The school mostly admits students who are residents of Georgia State which total up to 55% and around 20% from overseas as well as 30% from other States in the U.S.

When it initially started, the university offered degrees in mechanical engineering. Today the University offers a variety of courses in technology, science and engineering fields. It offers the courses under constituent colleges namely College of Computing, College of Engineering, College of Design, College of Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and The Scheller College of Business. The university also uses social tools for learning especially in its master programs that are offered online.

Examining the information provided by the University’s public office, it provides sufficient information concerning the school’s activities. Lots of information such as courses offered, hostel availability, news as and events are available to the public.

Link to the University: http://www.gatech.edu/

Federal University of Technology Owerri

The Federal University of Technology Owerri was founded in 1980 in Imo State in Nigeria. It is among the best technological universities in Western Africa serving people from all over West Africa and outside. It produces the strongest technology graduates as portrayed by the large numbers of its graduates currently working in the oil and gas sector in West Africa.

Regarding demography, the university started with a total population of 225 unlike today as the university has over 20,000 students. Out of 1.7 million that enrolled in Universities in Nigeria in 2013, over 4,320 of them were admitted to Federal University of Technology Owerri. It had received over 32,000 applications. The number of staff was 60. Out of the 60 team, only 28 of them were academic faculties while the rest were non-academic. Educational programs included eight colleges and 45 departments. Today the university has 11 faculties that offer several postgraduate and undergraduate courses.

Academic courses include School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technologies, Engineering and Engineering Technology, School of Management Technology, School of Environmental Science and Technology as well as School of Science. As required by Nigeria Education Council, and just as other Federal Universities in the Region, it is headed by a Chancellor followed by a Vice Chancellor. It has a Senate which holds the highest level of the University mandated to making vital decisions. The university also offers various courses online which make it easier for continuing students and others to have access to education with ease.

From the school’s website, it can be noted that the university offers a lot of information concerning the academic excellence and current happenings. For instance, the current admission criteria, deadlines, and requirements are up to date as well as current events that will be taking place at the University.

Link to the University: http://futo.edu.ng/

Comparison of Regions and how they are impacted

Keeping in mind that the two schools exist in distinct areas, various issues may affect the institutions. In education policies, you may find those education requirements to get admission in Georgia Tech are entirely different from that of the Federal University of Technology Owerri. It can be reflected in the quality of graduates that each university releases to the job market. Besides, the education system of U.S is different from that of Nigeria. Naidoo (2004) acknowledges the disparities in education systems around the world as the main reason as to why some universities produce half-baked graduates. Leadership structure could also impact the decision-making process thus affecting ease in the decision making of the universities.

Analysis of the relationship between sociopolitical factors and universities

Within the context of developed economies, there is a concern regarding the teaching and research models in higher learning institutions not directing enough efforts towards economic and social expectations in regional development. It is the norm of higher educational institutions to work towards contributing to the social, political, cultural and economic advancement of the places in which they are located (Ball, 2013). However, emerging sociopolitical trends in education such as external components affecting the school system and nationally developed standards may require regional engagement in decision making for some roles to be recognized. As a result, most institutions embrace many facets of evolving priorities within the education system for a more diverse need. The requirements include flexible structures that will enhance the ever-changing skills demand and a more local school system.

References

Ball, S. J. (Ed.). (2013). Foucault and education: Disciplines and knowledge. Routledge.

Naidoo*, R. (2004). Fields and institutional strategy: Bourdieu on the relationship between higher education, inequality and society. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 25(4), 457-471.