Resolving Conflicts: Conflict Management Strategies in Higher Education Institutions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

The paper aimed to highlight a perennial conflict issue between faculty and administration staff in higher education institutions (HEIs) of Pakistan. Keeping in view the development of education sector and maintaining conducive environment in universities, the study was rightly undertaken to first discover and then present some viable solution for it.  The research used the private sector universities of Khyber Pakhtunkha (KPK) province Pakistan for its analysis. For collecting the relevant data, the study used questionnaire which was distributed in six universities of KPK. The results show that age, gender, qualifications and designation matters in the issue of conflicts. Further, it was concluded that there is significant relationship between the nature of conflict, causes of conflict, consequences, demographic features and solution of conflicts. Our study found a lack of coordination and formal set-up for conflict resolution in the private sector universities. HEIs are the key players of education system in KPK, that’s why it is imperative to resolve the conflicts of HEIs for the betterment of students, faculty and administration.  Finally, our study provides useful suggestions to the universities’ human resource management, faculty, administration staff, regulators, Higher Education Department of KPK and Higher Education Commission of Pakistan to take corrective actions and manage the conflicts to safeguard the future of young generation.

Keywords: Conflict, Human Resources Management, Faculty, Administration, Private Sector Universities, Conflict Management Strategies