A Learning Culture in Public Universities: Improving Institutions’ Adaptive Capacity for Changes

Universities are working in an ever-changing dynamic world. To facilitate and appreciate innovation, to anticipate and adapt to the dynamics of the changing environment, institutions are encouraged to build a learning culture. Institution’s change capacity is significantly determined by learning culture; thus, the major purpose of study was to examine the learning culture of universities based on staff and academic leaders’ opinions and practices. Governed by a pragmatism perspective sequential mixed method design was used. Since learning culture is a composite variable, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) methodology, mainly Partial Least Squares Path Modeling (PLS-PM) was followed. Consequently, the learning culture of universities was found inadequate. It doesn’t sufficiently reflect a learning culture quality to the required level. The universities cultures do not show empowerment, inquire and dialogue, continuous learning, team learning and other important learning culture characteristics appropriately. Thus, universities are recommended to revisit their system and build professional learning communities (PLCs) by creating multiple learning opportunities, particularly inquiry and dialogue. Concurrently, their system should appreciate, recognize, and reward learning and change. Similarly, barriers to learning need to be discussed and addressed collaboratively.