Abstract
A university campus can be considered similar to a miniature urban space. The residents’ moral and intellectual features are the main differences between the two spaces. Studies on job burnout suggest that the work environment, life and work satisfaction have a great influence on the quality of work performed. As the quality of education offered in University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest (UPB) is extremely important, this article aims to assess the quality of life in campus as it is perceived by professors in the University; we also intend to identify the aspects that can be improved, in order to obtain even better results regarding teaching and research activity. The study was carried out using a self-administered questionnaire, which was sent to UPB professors via email. We analyze their answers and discuss the results obtained. As a conclusion we calculate the Quality of Life Index for Professors IQoLP, and detect the issues that need to be addressed, as they have a negative influence on their performance.
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Acknowledgement
This work has been funded by University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, through the “Excellence Research Grants” Program, UPB – GEX. Identifier: UPB–EXCELENȚĂ–2016 Evaluarea calităţii vieţii în campusul universitar şi identificarea modalităţilor de îmbunătăţire a acesteia/Quality of Life Evaluation within the University Campus and the Ways to Improve It, Contract number 58/26.09.2016, code 213, DM591604.
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Appendix
Appendix
1.1 Questionnaire About Quality of Life in UPB: Professors
Hello! We are professors from the Department of Economy of UPB and we will perform a study about the quality of life in the UPB campus, from both the professors and the students’ perspective. We ask you to help us with our inquiry by filling in this questionnaire. Thank you.
University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest
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1.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how pleased are you with the ranking/prestige of UPB in Romania?
1 Very Unpleased—5 Very Pleased
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2.
On a scale from 1 to 5 how do you appreciate the general development path of UPB?
1 It is totally wrong—5 It is very correct
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3.
On a scale of 1–5 how pleased are you with working in UPB?
1 Very Unpleased—5 Very Pleased
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4.
On a scale of 1–5 how involved are you in the decision making process in UPB?
1 Not involved at all—5 Fully involved
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5.
On a scale of 1–5 how are your aspirations satisfied in UPB?
1 They are not satisfied at all—5 They are fully satisfied
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6.
On a scale of 1–5 evaluate to what extent is the University represented in the media and in public?
1 Totally insufficient—5 It is represented adequately
The Faculty You Belong to
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1.
On a scale of 1–5 how involved are you in the decision making process in your faculty?
1 Not involved at all—5 Fully involved
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2.
On a scale of 1–5, do you appreciate that everyone (including you) has equal chances to take part in the faculty’s activities?
1 There are no equal chances—5 Everyone has equal chances
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3.
On a scale of 1–5, do you appreciate that everyone (including you) has equal chances to promotion at the faculty level?
1 There are no equal chances—5 Everyone has equal chances
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4.
On a scale of 1–5, how much do you feel supported by your colleagues when you suggest a project?
1 Not at all—5 We are a united team and we support each other
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5.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you appreciate communication at faculty level – do you receive complete information?
1 I never receive complete information—5 I always receive complete information
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6.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you appreciate communication at faculty level – do you receive relevant information on time?
1 I never receive relevant information on time—5 I always receive relevant information on time
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7.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you appreciate the availability of the faculty management – do they listen to the problems you raise?
1 I can never communicate with the faculty management—5 I have an open communication with the faculty management
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8.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you appreciate the clarity of the faculty management’s objectives regarding its development?
1 There are no clear objectives—5 All objectives are clear
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9.
On a scale of 1–5, how much does the faculty management encourage individual and group performance?
1 Not at all—5 Very much
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10.
On a scale of 1–5, to what extent do you appreciate that the faculty management encourages you to express your ideas?
1 Not at all—5 Very much
The Department You Belong to
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1.
On a scale of 1–5, how pleased are you with the team you are working with in your department?
1 Very Unpleased—5 Very Pleased
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2.
On a scale of 1–5 how involved are you in the decision making process in your department?
1 Not involved at all—5 Fully involved
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3.
On a scale of 1–5, do you appreciate that everyone (including you) has equal chances to take part in the department’s activities?
1 There are no equal chances—5 Everyone has equal chances
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4.
On a scale of 1–5, do you appreciate that everyone (including you) has equal chances to promotion at the department level?
1 There are no equal chances—5 Everyone has equal chances
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5.
On a scale of 1–5, how much do you feel supported by your colleagues when you suggest a project?
1 Not at all—5 We are a united team and we support each other
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6.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you appreciate communication at department level – do you receive complete information?
1 I never receive complete information—5 I always receive complete information
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7.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you appreciate communication at department level – do you receive relevant information on time?
1 I never receive relevant information on time—5 I always receive relevant information on time
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8.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you appreciate the availability of the department management – do they listen to the problems you raise?
1 I can never communicate with the department management—5 I have an open communication with the department management
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9.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you appreciate the clarity of the head of department objectives regarding its development?
1 There are no clear objectives—5 All objectives are clear
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10.
On a scale of 1–5, how much does the head of department encourage individual and group performance?
1 Not at all—5 Very much
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11.
On a scale of 1–5, to what extent do you appreciate that the head of department encourages you to express your ideas?
1 Not at all—5 Very much
Safety and Human Dignity
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1.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how safe do you feel in the UPB campus?
1 Very unsafe—5 Very safe
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2.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you rate the number of security and police agents found in the UPB campus?
1 Insufficient—5 Very adequate
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3.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how prepared to deal with dangerous situations do you find the security and police agents found in the UPB campus are?
1 Very unprepared—5 Very prepared
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4.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the public lighting in the UPB campus?
1 Very unsatisfied—5 Very satisfied
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5.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with work related safety measures taken in the UPB campus?
1 Very unsatisfied—5 Very satisfied
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6.
Have you ever witnessed one or more cases of discrimination of a person in the UPB campus, regarding race, religion, sex, age etc.?
Yes/No
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7.
Have you ever been a victim of discrimination in the UPB campus, regarding your race, religion, sex, age, etc.?
Yes/No
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8.
Have you ever witnessed one or more cases of physical violence towards a person in the UPB campus?
Yes/No
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9.
Have you ever been the victim of physical violence in the UPB campus?
Yes/No
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10.
Have you ever witnessed one or more cases of psychological violence towards a person in the UPB campus?
Yes/No
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11.
Have you ever been a victim of psychological violence in the UPB campus?
Yes/No
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12.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you assess the ease of access of disabled persons in the UPB campus?
1 Impossible—5 Very easy
Work Satisfaction and Professional Opportunities
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1.
On a scale of 1–5 evaluate opportunities for professional development in UPB?
1 There are no opportunities for development—5 There are many opportunities for development
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2.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the support offered by the university for professional development?
1 Non-existent support—5 Great support
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3.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the visibility offered by the university?
1 The university doesn’t offer any visibility—5 The university offers me all the visibility I need
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4.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the status and credibility offered by the university?
1 I avoid mentioning I am professor in UPB—5 I enjoy many benefits by associating myself with UPB
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5.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate your salary level?
1 Totally unsatisfying—5 Great
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6.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the possibility to obtain additional earnings?
1 There are no opportunities to obtain additional earnings—5 There are many opportunities to obtain additional earnings
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7.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the possibility to obtain benefits otherwise than salaries? (places in resorts during holidays, subsidized prices for canteen meals, accommodation, nursery and kindergarten for children etc.)
1 There are no opportunities to obtain other benefits—5 There are many opportunities to obtain benefits otherwise than salaries
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8.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the chances to accede to activities providing additional earnings?
1 There are no equal chances—5 Everyone has equal chances
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9.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the purpose of your work?
1 My work has no purpose—5 My work has always a purpose
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10.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the satisfaction you fell regarding your work?
1 My work is not satisfying at all—5 My work brings me great satisfaction
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11.
On a scale of 1–5, how pleased are you with your work-leisure balance?
1 Very unpleased—5 Very pleased
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12.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the negative impact of your work in UPB on your health?
1 There is a great negative influence—5 There is no negative influence
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13.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the feedback you receive from students?
1 It is completely useless for me—5 It is extremely useful for me
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14.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the respect you enjoy for your work and activity?
1 I am not respected—5 I receive great respect
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15.
Have you ever thought of leaving UPB? Yes, for a job in a different field/Yes, for a job in a different university/research institute/I don’t know/Yes, because of other reasons/No
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16.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the research activity in the university?
1 Very unsatisfying—5 Great
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17.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the positive impact of research activities on the teaching activities?
1 There is no positive impact—5 There is a great positive impact
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18.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the general research-oriented climate?
1 Very unsatisfying—5 Very satisfying
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19.
On a scale of 1–5, how often do you take part in scientific research projects?
1 Never—5 Very often
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20.
On a scale of 1–5, how much do you want to be involved in scientific research projects?
1 Never involved—5 Always involved
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21.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the importance of criteria regarding scientific research for promotion?
1 There is too much importance of research for teaching positions—5 The importance of research is adequate for teaching positions
Other Practical Aspects
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1.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the distance you go through daily to reach to UPB?
1 Very long—5 Acceptable
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2.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the time needed for travelling to and from work?
1 I spend too much time travelling—5 Acceptable
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3.
Do you consider there are enough parking places in campus?
No/I don’t know/Yes
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4.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the distance you walk from the means of transportation to UPB?
1 Very long, a mean of transportation is needed in campus—5 Acceptable
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5.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the quality of roads and alleys in UPB campus?
1 Very bad—5 Great
-
6.
When you have classes in different buildings, how do you evaluate the time and possibilities to cover the distances between buildings, on a 1–5 scale?
1 Distances are too long to be covered during one break—5 Distances are not an issue
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7.
On a scale of 1–5, how do you evaluate the possibility to practice sports in the university?
1 For professors, there are no possibilities to practice sports – 5 For professors, there are many possibilities to practice sports
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8.
Do you consider that green spaces are important for the quality of life in campus?
No/I don’t know/Yes
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9.
Do you consider that the existent green spaces are sufficient?
No/I don’t know/Yes
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10.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how well taken care of are the green spaces within the UPB campus?
1 Neglected—5 Very well taken care off
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11.
Do you consider that urban furniture present in the UPB campus is sufficient?
No/I don’t know/Yes
-
12.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the quality (ergonomic, comfort) of the urban furniture within the UPB campus?
1 Very unsatisfied—5 Very satisfied
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13.
Do you consider that the number of trash bins in the UPB campus is sufficient?
No/I don’t know/Yes
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14.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the cultural and recreational opportunities on campus?
1 Very unsatisfied—5 Very satisfied
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15.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the quality of the teaching means you are provided with?
1 Very unsatisfied—5 Very satisfied
-
16.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the way lecture halls, classrooms, the library and the laboratories look?
1 Very unsatisfied—5 Very satisfied
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17.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the library and databases provided by UPB?
1 Very unsatisfied—5 Very satisfied
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18.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how do you evaluate the accommodation conditions provided by UPB to its professors?
1 Very inadequate—5 Excellent
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19.
Within the UPB campus there are no pharmacies in the area where teaching/educational activities are held. On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you assess this matter?
1 It is a very serious problem—5 It is not a problem at all
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20.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how necessary would you consider to be the existence of spaces offering specialized medical services within the UPB campus (near the buildings destined for teaching/educational activities)?
1 Unnecessary—5 Very necessary
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21.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the medical services provided in the UPB campus?
1 Very unsatisfied—5 Very satisfied
-
22.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you asses the variety of food provided by the existent shops within the area where teaching/educational activities are held?
1 Not at all varied—5 Very varied
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23.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the prices from the existent shops within the area where teaching/educational activities are held?
1 Very unsatisfied—5 Very satisfied
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24.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the food quality from the UPB campus cantinas?
1 Very unsatisfied—5 Very satisfied
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25.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the prices from the UPB campus cantinas?
1 Very unsatisfied—5 Very satisfied
-
26.
On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you rate the time you spend in line at the campus cantinas?
1 Too much time spent in line—5 Very little time spent in line
Conclusions
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1.
Please grade the following sections from 1 to 10, regarding the impact and influence they have on your lives (1—low impact and importance; 10—high influence and importance)
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The university you work for
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The faculty where you work
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The department you belong to
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Safety and human dignity in campus
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Work satisfaction and professional opportunities
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General atmosphere, material endowment, goods and services offered in campus
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-
2.
Do you consider that there are other relevant criteria to assess the quality of life in campus that this questionnaire did not include? Please specify which.
Please also fill the following data, necessary for the statistical processing:
-
1.
Age
25–34 years old/35–44 years old/45–54 years old/55–64 years old/over 65 years old
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2.
Marital status
Not married/Married/Other: …
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3.
Teaching degree
Teaching assistant/Lecturer/Senior lecturer/Professor
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4.
Position
Pro-rector/Dean/Head of department/Professor with no management position
Thank you for taking time out to participate in our survey. We truly value the information you have provided.
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Dumitrescu, CI., Leuștean, B., Lie, IR., Dobrescu, RM., Vulturescu, V. (2019). Quality of Life in University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest Campus: Professors’ Perception. In: Bilgin, M., Danis, H., Demir, E., Can, U. (eds) Eurasian Business Perspectives. Eurasian Studies in Business and Economics, vol 10/1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11872-3_14
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