Identidad, Satisfacción, Política y Calidad Académica en Profesores Universitarios

Considering Higher Education not only part of the social structure, but a unique system of agents and groups who take action and establish relations with each other on a specific institutional framework, an interest in the study of the special dynamic of a institution arises, mostly because that dynamic might be an important factor while trying to achieve the goal of assuring quality education.

Based on that, a research project is proposed, trying to answer: What aspects of the identity of the diverse groups in a higher education institution are related to quality of education in the case of The University of Sonora (Mexico)?

 A first step and objective, is to address, the different formal and unformal groups (researchers-teachers, students, employees and workers, administrative and decision making employees), to identify who and where those groups are, to explore their identities and relations, so we can count with a look at most of the groups, their interactions and identities, especially of those who shape actions that can result in quality education.

Identity is to be understood in a social and professional way following the model developed by Bolivar, Fernandez and Molina (2005), while action, relations and quality education will be studied and defined in the institutional context like academic programs, guilds, student unions, offices and decision making formal groups, laws and codes, university policies, quality indicator used by the institution and Mexico´s Ministry of Education etc.

The value of this kind of research is the possibility of counting with knowledge about how university structures, policies and quality education practices shape the actions, interactions and general identities of their members, being able to see which aspects make identity quality driven. Comparisons could be done between universities that have similar structures and quality goals and practices.

Dubar, C. (2000). La socialisation. Construction des identités sociales et professionnelles. (3ra ed) Paris: Armand Colin. Bolívar, A. Fernández Cruz, M. & Molina, E. (2005). Investigar la identidad profesional del profesorado: Una triangulación secuencial. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum Qualitative Social Research, [Revista electrónica] 6 (1) Disponible en: ttp://www.qualitative-research.net/ Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. (1967). The discovery of Grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. New York: Aldine Publishing. Universidad de Sonora. (2009). Plan de Desarrollo Institucional 2009-2013. Hermosillo: Universidad de Sonora.