A Survey Study on the Competence of Student Leaders in Private Colleges and Universities under the Perspective of Competency

Abstract

          Private colleges and universities occupy an important position in China's higher education, and improving the competence of student cadres is crucial to their development. This study aims to systematically analyze the current situation of competence of student cadres in private universities and to lay a foundation of investigation for improvement strategies.
          Combining qualitative and quantitative methods, this study analyzes the interview data of 30 student leaders from some private universities in Jiangsu Province through behavioral event interviews and questionnaires to summarize the elements of competence. It also evaluates 5632 valid questionnaires from 26 private colleges and universities in six provinces to analyze the current status of competence.
          The competency of student cadres includes 4 dimensions, 17 elements and 46 explanations, including political character, work attitude, work ability and personal traits. There are three main problems: some competencies need to be improved, the main evaluator's evaluation is one-sided, and there is a bias in self-perception.
          It is recommended that work competence be enhanced through systematic training and practice, that political integrity and personality traits be improved through rigorous screening and guidance, and that a sound evaluation and feedback mechanism be established. Future research should expand the scope to further validate the elements of competence and explore the impact of the organizational environment on the development of competence.