Developing and Validating a Policy Governance Alignment Model to Improve Faculty Performance in Vocational Higher Education

Abstract

The performance of lecturers in vocational higher education is increasingly challenged by rapid digital transformation, evolving industry demands, and fragmented institutional governance. Despite the existence of formal policy frameworks, many vocational institutions continue to experience substantial gaps between policy intentions and academic practice, which constrain faculty effectiveness in teaching, applied research, and community service. This study aims to develop and validate a Policy Governance Alignment Model (PGAM) designed to strengthen the coherence between institutional policies, academic governance, and faculty performance systems. Employing a Research and Development design with a mixed-methods approach, the study involved 128 participants from vocational higher education institutions in Indonesia and utilized document analysis, surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions. Empirical findings revealed that 72.9% of lecturers perceived institutional policies as partially aligned or misaligned with their professional responsibilities. After implementing PGAM for one academic semester, overall faculty performance increased by 18.6%, with the largest gains observed in applied research and industry-linked teaching. Expert validation confirmed the model’s conceptual soundness and reliability. These results demonstrate that policy governance alignment functions as a critical institutional mechanism for improving faculty performance and sustaining quality in vocational higher education.