Improving the Competitiveness of Islamic Higher Education: Study Approaches to Development of Human Resource Competencies (HR)

Abstract

It is important to know the relationship between improving human resources through the analysis of the factors of lecturer competency development, innovation, and partnership & networking in influencing competitive advantage. This research uses a quantitative method with the type of correlation. The sample and population of the study came from 4 State Islamic Universities in Indonesia with 400 respondents. Research data collection techniques with closed questionnaires and document checking, data analysis techniques with multiple linear regressions with Multivariate. Research results (1) All variables Human Resources Competency Development (HRCD), Innovation (INOV), and Partnership & Networking Partnership (PN) have a positive effect on Competitive Advantage (CA) which includes service quality, graduate quality excellence, quality of institutional management and competition financing. The variable partnership & Networking (P&N) has the least effect, that is, it has not been prioritized yet. HRCD variables, indicators of research development, service, and publication of scientific papers are still low and need to be improved. (2) Innovation variable (INOV), indicator of innovation management organization (OMI) and commercialization service of research and development results (R&D) innovation is still low and needs to be improved. (3) The results of the simultaneous test of the combined effect of HRCD, INV, PN on CA is 75.8% or the remaining 24.2% due to other factors that have not been researched. From the results of this study, it is important to prioritize increasing the factors of HR competency development, innovation management, partnership & networking simultaneously and continuously so that it will be able to increase competitive and comparative advantage in realizing competitive resources towards WCU (Word Class University).