Non-academic officers lifelong learning for global knowledge environment: Universiti Malaysia Sabah / Hasmi Hashim

The impact of globalization has resulted in a mass and rapid flow of information especially in education. Advancement of technology has made information become readily available for academic institutions and this generates the needs for lifelong learning. There is also a concern of non-academic officers in academic institutions on becoming knowledge workers to keep up with academic scholars in their institutions. This has become a survival matter in workplace for these non-academic officers. Hence, the opportunity of development previously offered by the Government to academics in higher education institutions to pursue study has been extended to non-academic officers. Insufficient literatures on factors that motivate non-academic staffs/officers to pursue lifelong learning have led to this research. There is a growing need to investigate and find out the critical factors that could motivate non-academic officers to pursue lifelong learning. Therefore, the adoption to a proven theory is vital in the quest for answers. This research aims to identify what are the significant factors to pursue studies among nonacademic officers. It also aims to investigate the extent of globalization demand on knowledge worker as the contributing factors for non-academic officers' decision to pursue study to a higher level. The focus is on the non-academic officers of Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Sabah, Malaysia who are currently pursuing their postgraduate studies and also have completed their studies. This research is based primarily on secondary data supported with primary data. The research used Two Factors Theory which determines the factors included in the Hygiene Factors and Motivator Factors to reflect the pursuit of lifelong learning. Initially, it is the mode of education which is included in the Hygiene Factor plays a vital role in determining the success of pursuance of lifelong learning among non-academic officers. However, from the later findings, the Motivator Factors i.e. growth, recognition, status, sense of achievement and opportunity for advancement are more dominant than the mode of education. These factors are the final key aspect to contribute to the decision to pursue lifelong learning among non-academic officers. It is hoped that the study could contribute to the improvement of non-academic officers' opportunity in Universiti Malaysia Sabah as well as other higher education institutions to pursue lifelong learning and thus empower them to greater success.