Factors Affecting Scholarly Practices in Private Higher Education Institutes in Sri Lanka: A Conceptual Framework

Abstract

Over the years, entering a university has been increasingly competitive which have triggered many problems with regard to the higher education sector in Sri Lanka. To overcome this crisis on university entrance, since 1978, the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka, the apex body of the University System in Sri Lanka granted permission to the private sector to award degrees as an integral part of the higher education policy. The objective of this policy was to minimize the foreign currency outflow incurred on overseas education and support the needy students to get admission for higher education at the national level. However, it has been identified that most of these institutes consider enhancements of quantity rather than development of quality which can facilitate academicians' scholarly achievements. It is observed that research and innovation in local private Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) are far behind the country's requirements. The purpose of this study is to determine the factors affecting scholarly practices in private HEIs in Sri Lanka. After reviewing the literature, a conceptual framework and twelve testable hypotheses were developed for this study. This study uses secondary data to identify determinant factors. Accordingly, environmental stimulus, perceived organizational culture stimulus and the psychological stimulus were selected as important determents which can directly as well as indirectly mediate with stress and happiness to enhance the performance of academicians, concerning the scholarly practices in private HEIs.