Examining Openness in Mega Open Universities in the Context of Institutional Communication Management

ABSTRACT

The primary objective of this research is to ascertain the manner in which higher education institutions offering open and distance education incorporate the concept of openness into their vision, mission, core values, and tactics. This study employs a descriptive research design to ascertain the current state of affairs. The research methodology employed in this study involves document analysis. The study used a purposive sampling technique for the selection of participants. The key factors for purposive sampling are the existence of purpose, vision, core values, and strategic plans for the year 2018 and beyond, as well as the geographical diversity of the universities, as shown on their respective websites. In this study, we conducted an examination of the vision, mission, core values, and strategic plans presented on the websites of 13 colleges. The data collected from these sources was subsequently analyzed using the content analysis method. The present study aimed to analyze and elucidate the notions of vision, mission, and core values as depicted on university websites, utilizing frequency values. Furthermore, it has been ascertained that the notion of openness in the strategic plans of the institutions was delineated through 10 distinct themes, each encompassing several claims. The identified themes encompass various aspects of openness within the educational context. These themes include "openness in pedagogy and open admission policies," "openness in stakeholders," "openness in technology," "openness in management-governance," "openness in sustainability," "openness in social contribution," "openness in research," "openness in global competition," "openness in ethical issues," and "openness in future predictions."