Institutional recognition, type of employment, and job performance as factors that shape the inclusion of non-teaching staff in university education
Keywords:
Institutional recognition, employment status, job performance, principal component analysis.Abstract
Introduction: The development of higher education in Latin America has intensified the discussion regarding quality and equity, where inclusion is a fundamental pillar for institutional legitimacy (UNESCO, Inclusion and Equity in Education, 2017). Despite this, studies on university inclusion have focused on students and academics, neglecting a crucial actor in this context: non-teaching staff. This group is key due to the roles they perform, providing support in administrative, technological, and other processes that contribute to achieving academic objectives, making their inclusion in the analysis essential. Objective: This research examines institutional recognition, employment status, and job performance as factors that shape the educational inclusion of non-teaching staff in universities. A multivariate design was implemented with a sample of 268 non-teaching staff members from twelve universities in five Latin American countries belonging to the REDIPIES network. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used, identifying 10 latent constructs that represent 61.20% of the total variance. The factors that stood out were: Inclusive Climate and Recognition, Contractual Stability/Employment, and Participation in Management. Materials and methods: An ANOVA analysis of variance determined that perceptions of Recognition (CP1) and Stability (CP5) show significant changes depending on the national context.Meanwhile, the K-Mesans cluster analysis established three inclusion profiles: Structural Inclusion (38%) is characterized by high stability and greater seniority of staff in countries with a tradition of appointment. Results: Precarious Inclusion (34%) is characterized by low stability and participation, and is prominent in younger cohorts in Ecuador and Colombia.Critical Inclusion in Equity (28%) is moderate in terms of labor factors but deficient in equity due to diversity. Conclusions: The results show that the employment status, influenced by national labor policies and age trajectory, is the differentiating factor in the experience of belonging and inclusion for non-teaching staff.
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