Governance and Change in

Higher Education

MPhil in Higher EducationModule 2 Unit 1Oslo, 13 March 2006

State and Higher Education

Why state interference?

- Social- Political- Economic

Governance:

- Supra-national

- System level

- Intra institutional governance

Governance refers to the efforts ofgovernments to affect (regulate, steer, coordinate, control)the behaviour of citizensand organizations in society

In order to be able to affect society governments set up institutions and develop ‘steering capacity’

Search for ‘better’ government

Dissatisfaction with traditional governance model, introduction of alternative models

What are the characteristics ofthe traditional model and whythe dissatisfaction?

1. Reaction to strong belief in ‘makeability’ of society, and the capacity of governments to actually steer social behavior (1960s)2. Increasing social/political heterogeneity in society. Individualization, erosion of collective social identities3. Internationalization, Europeanization, globalization (free trade agreements)4. Destabilization of traditional governmentalinstitutions, e.g. welfare state institutions5. Economization of societies

Why dissatisfaction? Why feeling of decreased effectiveness of traditional model?

Governance (or state/steering) models:

- Sovereign/central planning/collectivist state

- Corporate/pluralist state

- Institutional state

- Supermarket/self regulation/individual economic state

Governance (or state/steering) models:

- Traditional versus Modern- Ideological versus Pragmatic- General versus Specific

Replacement or Blurring boundaries?Adding complexities?Learning/Monitoring?

Governance:

System level

- Diagnosis- Structure- Policy- Management- Public interest

State and the University

State Changes; how does that affect the University/HE?

CHANGE in

Higher Education

About 85 institutions in theWestern World established by1520 still exist in recognizableforms, with similar functionsand with unbroken histories,Including the Catholic Church, theParliaments of the Isle of Man, of Iceland and of Great Britain, severalSwiss cantons, and 70 universities(Clark Kerr 1982)

A University must be sufficiently stableto sustain the ideal which gave it birthand sufficiently responsive to remain relevant to the society which supports it(Eric Ashby 1966)

We need to distinguish betweenincremental change and reformswithin fairly stable organizationaland normative frames, and changeand reforms where the legitimacyof an institution’s mission, organization,functioning, moral foundation, way ofthought and resources are thrown intodoubt and challenged(Olsen 2005)

Arguably, the University now facesa situation in which its institutionalstructures and their associated systemsof normative and causal beliefs and resources are debated if not doubted,leading in many cases to efforts to de-institutionalize them.

Internal vs External

Clark’s 4 Sources of Belief

Horizontal vs Vertical

Sources of change in HEIs

Definitions of public policies emphasizethat pp are expected - To have a purposive character - To be related to societal problems

Important: symbolic character of pp

Stages approach to policy

Policy making/formation1. Policy problems2. Policy Objectives3. Normative basis

Policy implementation1. Policy instruments2. Policy linkage

Main policy instruments with respect to HE:

1. Funding2. Law3. Information4. Organization

Main potential areas of state intervention in higher education:

1. Access to Higher Education2. Administration, accountability, governance3. Higher Education (and research) quality4. Higher Education landscape5. Costs of Higher Education6. Economic and social relevance of higher education

Differences between Higher Education and other public policy objects

1. Basic characteristics of HE (Clark)2. Tradition3. Level of institutionalization4. Costs5. Hybrid character6. Shifting balance between stability andresponsiveness