Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Recent changes in Norway’s HE system Before 1994: a distinctly two-tiered system, universities and university colleges 1994: from 98 to 26 university colleges, but ‘no new universities’ Late 1990s: Differences between universities and university colleges reduced step by step University colleges: professor title, master and doctoral degrees
Citation preview
[email protected] www.uhr.no
The challenges of governing increasingly diverse
higher education systems
Dr Gunnar Stave, former president of the Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions (UHR) and
former rector of Volda University College, Norway
EUA Autumn Conference, Wroclaw, 27 October 2007
www.uhr.no
Structure of presentation
Recent changes in the Norwegian higher education system
Consequences for public governance of the institutions
Consequences for institutional strategies UHR: the higher education sector’s organisation
www.uhr.no
Recent changes in Norway’s HE system
Before 1994: a distinctly two-tiered system, universities and university colleges
1994: from 98 to 26 university colleges, but ‘no new universities’
Late 1990s: Differences between universities and university colleges reduced step by step University colleges: professor title, master and
doctoral degrees
www.uhr.no
Recent changes in Norway’s HE system (2)
2002: the Quality Reform, Bologna implementation combined with other measures
2005: new common legislative act for all HE institutions More autonomy, choice between elected and
appointed leadership on all levels National QA agency (NOKUT) decides category
of institutions Two university colleges and one specialised
university have become universities January 2008: government commission report on
future structure of the HE system
www.uhr.no
Consequences for public governance of HEIs
From detailed monitoring of input factors to monitoring of results
Reporting on a growing number of performance indicators causes frustration
www.uhr.no
Consequences for institutional strategies
Two main tendencies:1) Market-orientated thinking has intensified competition diversity 2) Performance-based budget model with common incentives similarity
www.uhr.no
Consequences for institutional strategies (2)
Concern that the goal of university status will cause HEIs to become copies of each other
However this has not happened so far; the new universities are different
The education reforms have generated debate, especially on consequences for research
Most institutions continue to work within the binary model, but networks and co-operation
Present situation: institutional structure determined by HEIs, not the ministry
www.uhr.no
UHR: the HE sector’s organisation
Separate rectors’ conferences for universities from 1958 and university colleges from 1994-95
2000: merged to form the Norwegian Association of HEIs (UHR)
UHR has earned respect and trust from within the HE sector and external actors
www.uhr.no
UHR: the HE sector’s organisation (2)
At least three reasons for this ‘success story’:1) UHR has won support for its viewpoints on crucial issues, eg financing of Bologna implementation2) UHR serves as a vital arena for academic development, co-operation and co-ordination3) UHR offers services to the HEIs, eg leadership development
Membership is voluntary, but all accredited HEIs in Norway are today members of UHR
A key challenge for the future is to succeed as an interest organisation, eg on research funding
