Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-cjp7w Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-20T22:54:13.686Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

12 - Governance Trends in European Higher Education

from Part III - Geographies of Governance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2020

By
Harry F. de Boer  and
Jeroen Huisman
Edited by
Giliberto Capano  and
Darryl S. L. Jarvis
Giliberto Capano
Affiliation:
Università degli Studi, Bologna, Italy
Darryl S. L. Jarvis
Affiliation:
The University of Hong Kong
Get access

Summary

This chapter focuses on developments in governance in European higher education, with a focus on Western Europe. It presents an overview of the literature on this topic, including the various modes of governance as well as the changes in European higher education in recent decades. The chapter starts by describing different conceptual models used to address and analyse higher education governance. Next, it portrays general tendencies with regard to governance and shows that states have been delegating some of their powers to other levels in the higher education system in four directions: an upward shift to the supranational level, a horizontal shift to ‘independent’ agencies, a downward shift to the institutions (‘autonomy’), and an outward shift (‘privatization, contracting’). As a result of these shifts, often cited as a move from government to governance, the modes of system steering and coordination have become more complex and dynamic, including more stakeholders at different policy levels. The chapter then considers that governance configurations in European higher education not only have similarities, but also differ in various ways.

Keywords

Europevarieties of governancepolicy reformsconvergencedivergence
Type
Chapter
Information
Convergence and Diversity in the Governance of Higher Education
Comparative Perspectives
 , pp. 333 - 354
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Antikainen, A. (2016) The Nordic model of higher education. In Côté, J. E. and Furlong, A (Eds), Routledge handbook of the sociology of higher education, pp. 234–240. London and New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
Ash, M. G. (2006) Bachelor of what, Master of whom? The Humboldt myth and historical transformations of higher education in German-speaking Europe and the US. European Journal of Education, 41(2), 245–267.Google Scholar
Bennetot Pruvot, E., and Estermann, T. (2017) University autonomy in Europe III: The scorecard 2017. Brussels: EUA.Google Scholar
Bleiklie, I., and Michelsen, S. (2013) Comparing higher education policies in Europe: Structures and reform outputs in eight countries. Higher Education, 65(1), 113–133.Google Scholar
Bleiklie, I., Enders, J., Lepori, B., and Musselin, C. (2011) New Public Management, network governance and the university as a changing professional organization. In Christensen, T and Laegreid, P (Eds), The Ashgate research companion to New Public Management, pp. 161–176. Farnham: Ashgate.Google Scholar
de Boer, H. (2003) Who’s afraid of red, yellow and blue? The colourful world of management reforms. In Amaral, A, Meek, V. L., and Larsen, I. M. (Eds), The higher education managerial revolution?, pp. 89–108. Dordrecht: Kluwer.Google Scholar
de Boer, H., and Enders, J. (2017) Working in the shadow of hierarchy: Organisational autonomy and venues of external influence in European universities. In Bleiklie, I, Enders, J, and Lepori, B (Eds), Transforming universities in Europe, pp. 57–83. Basingstoke: Palgrave.Google Scholar
de Boer, H., Enders, J., and Schimank, U. (2007) On the way towards New Public Management? The governance of university systems in England, the Netherlands, Austria, and Germany. In Jansen, D (Ed.), New forms of governance in research organizations: Disciplinary approaches, interfaces and integration, pp. 137–154. Dordrecht: Springer.Google Scholar
de Boer, H., and File, J. (2009) Higher education governance reforms across Europe. Brussels: ESMU.Google Scholar
de Boer, H., File, J., Huisman, J., et al. (Eds) (2017) Policy analysis of structural reforms in higher education: Process and outcomes. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
de Boer, H., and Jongbloed, B. W. A. (2012) A cross-national comparison of higher education markets in Western Europe. In Curaj, A, Scott, P, Vlasceanu, L, and Wilson, L (Eds), European higher education at the crossroads: Between the Bologna Process and national reform, pp. 553–571. Dordrecht: Springer.Google Scholar
de Boer, H., Kolster, R., and Vossensteyn, H. (2016) Bestuursbenoemingen over de grens. Hoe is de procedure in andere landen geregeld? [Appointments of leaders across borders. What are the procedures in other countries?]. TH&MA, 5–15:81–85.Google Scholar
de Boer, H., and van Vught, F. (2016) Higher education governance in the Netherlands: From a Janus-head to a Trimurti. In Cloete, N, Goedegebuure, L, Gornitzka, Å, Jungblut, J, and Stensaker, B (Eds), Pathways through higher education research: A Festschrift in honour of Peter Maassen, pp. 25–32. Oslo: University of Oslo.Google Scholar
Bolton, M. (2003) Public sector performance measurement: Delivering greater accountability. Work Study, 52(1), 20–24.Google Scholar
Braun, D., and Merrien, J. X. (Eds) (1999) Towards a new model of governance for universities? A comparative view. London: Jessica Kingsley.Google Scholar
Broucker, B., and de Wit, K. (2015) New Public Management in higher education. In Huisman, J, de Boer, H, Dill, D. D., and Souto-Otero, M (Eds), International handbook of higher education policy and governance, pp. 57–75. London: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Cerych, L., and Sabatier, P. (1986) Great expectations and mixed performance: The implementation of higher education reforms in Europe. Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham Books.Google Scholar
CHEPS Consortium (2006) Funding higher education: A view across Europe. Brussels: European Centre for Strategic Management of Universities (ESMU).Google Scholar
Clark, B. R. (1983) The higher education system: Academic organization in cross-national perspective. Berkeley: University of California Press.Google Scholar
Czarniawski, B., and Sevón, G. (Eds) (1996) Translating organizational change. Berlin and New York: Walter de Gruyter.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dill, D. D. (1997) Higher education markets and public policy. Higher Education Policy, 10(3–4), 167–185.Google Scholar
Dobbins, M. (2011) Higher education policies in Central and Eastern Europe: Convergence towards a common model? Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Dobbins, M., and Knill, C. (2014) Higher education governance and policy change in Western Europe. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Esping-Andersen, G. (1990) The three worlds of welfare capitalism. Cambridge: Polity Press.Google Scholar
Estermann, T., and Nokkala, T. (2009) University autonomy in Europe I: Exploratory study. Brussels: EUA.Google Scholar
Eurydice (2008) Higher education governance in Europe: Policies, structures, funding and academic staff. Brussels: Eurydice.Google Scholar
Ferlie, E., Musselin, C., and Andresani, G. (2008) The steering of higher education systems: A public management perspective. Higher Education, 56(3), 325–348.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fryer, K., Antony, J., and Ogden, S. (2009) Performance management in the public sector. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 22(6), 478–498.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gornitzka, Å., and Maassen, P. (2000) Hybrid steering approaches with respect to European higher education. Higher Education Policy, 13(3), 267–268.Google Scholar
Gornitzka, Å., and Maassen, P. (2010) Governance reforms, global scripts and the ‘Nordic Model’. Accounting for higher education policy change? Paper presented at the conference ‘Welfare state traditions, education and higher education policy. Comparing welfare state dimensions of education regimes’, 5–7 May 2010, University of Konstanz, Germany.Google Scholar
Gornitzka, Å., and Maassen, P. (2014) Dynamics of convergence and divergence: Exploring accounts of higher education policy change. In Mattei, P (Ed.), University adaptation in difficult economic times, pp. 25–41. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Huisman, J., Smolentseva, A., and Froumin, I. (Eds) (2018) 25 years of transformations of higher education systems in post-Soviet countries. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jongbloed, B. W. A. (2003) Marketisation in higher education: Clark’s triangle and the essential ingredients of markets. Higher Education Quarterly, 57(2), 110–135.Google Scholar
Jungblut, J., and Vukasovic, M. (2013) And now for something completely different? Re-examining hybrid steering approaches in higher education. Higher Education Policy, 26(4), 447–461.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kehm, B. M., and Lanzendorf, U. (2006) Reforming university governance: Changing conditions for research in four European countries. Bonn: Lemmens.Google Scholar
van Kersbergen, K., and van Waarden, F. (2004) ‘Governance’ as a bridge between disciplines: Cross-disciplinary inspiration regarding shifts in governance and problems of governability, accountability and legitimacy. European Journal of Political Research, 43, 143–171.Google Scholar
Klein, P. G. (2005) The make-or-buy decision: Lessons from empirical studies. In Menard, C and Shirley, M. M. (Eds), Handbook of new institutional economics, pp. 435–464. Dordrecht: Springer.Google Scholar
Koch, P. (2013) Overestimating the shift from government to governance: Evidence from Swiss metropolitan areas. Governance, 26(3), 397–423.Google Scholar
Krücken, G. (2003) Learning the ‘new, new thing’: On the role of path dependency in university structures. Higher Education, 42, 315–339.Google Scholar
Leisyte, L., and Kizniene, D. (2006) New Public Management in Lithuania’s higher education. Higher Education Policy, 19(3), 377–396.Google Scholar
Maassen, P. A., and van Vught, F. A. (1988) An intriguing Janus-head: The two faces of the new governmental strategy for higher education in the Netherlands. European Journal of Education, 23(1–2), 65–76.Google Scholar
Mahoney, J., and Thelen, K. (2010) Explaining institutional change: Ambiguity, agency, and power. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Neave, G. (2001) The European dimension in higher education: An excursion into the modern use of historical analogues. In Huisman, J, Maassen, P, and Neave, G (Eds), Higher education and the nation state: The international dimension of higher education, pp. 13–73. Amsterdam and London: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
Nokkala, T., and Välimaa, J. (2017) Finland: Mergers in the context of continuity. In de Boer, H, File, J, Huisman, J, et al. (Eds) Policy analysis of structural reforms in higher education: Process and outcomes, pp. 225–244. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
OECD (2008) Tertiary education for the knowledge society (2 volumes). Paris: OECD.Google Scholar
Paradeise, C., Reale, E., Bleiklie, I., and Ferlie, E. (Eds) (2009) University governance: Western European comparative perspectives. Dordrecht: Springer.Google Scholar
Pechar, H., and Andres, L. (2011) Higher education policies and welfare regimes: International comparative perspectives. Higher Education Policy, 24(1), 25–52.Google Scholar
Perellon, J. F. (2005) Path dependency and the politics of quality assurance in higher education. Tertiary Education and Management, 11(4), 279–298.Google Scholar
Pierre, J., and Peters, B. G. (2000) Governance, politics and the state. Basingstoke: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Pollitt, C., and Bouckaert, G. (Eds) (2004) Public management reform: A comparative analysis (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Rhodes, R. A. W. (1996) The new governance: Governing without government. Political Studies, 44, 652–667.Google Scholar
Rinne, R. (2012) The Nordic university model from a comparative and historical perspective. In Kauko, J, Rinne, R, and Kynkäänniemi, H (Eds), Restructuring the truth of schooling: Essays on discursive practices in the sociology and politics of education, pp. 85–112. Jyväskylä: Finnish Education Research Association.Google Scholar
Salazar, J., and Leihy, P. (2013) Keeping up with coordination: From Clark’s triangle to microcosmographia. Studies in Higher Education, 38(1), 53–70.Google Scholar
Scharpf, F. W. (1997) Games real actors play: Actor-centered institutionalism in policy research. Boulder: Westview Press.Google Scholar
Scott, A., and Pasqualoni, P. P. (2016) Invoking Humboldt: The German model. In Côté, J. E. and Furlong, A (Eds), Routledge handbook of the sociology of higher education, pp. 211–222. London and New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
Sundström, G., and Jacobsson, B. (2007) The embedded state. From government to governance: The case of Sweden. Stockholm: SCORE.Google Scholar
van Vught, F. (Ed.) (1989) Governmental strategies and innovation in higher education. London: Jessica Kingsley.Google Scholar
van Vught, F. (1995) Policy models and policy instruments in higher education: The effects of governmental policy-making on the innovative behaviour of higher education institutions. Vienna: Institute for Advanced Studies.Google Scholar
van Vught, F., and de Boer, H. (2015) Governance models and policy instruments. In Huisman, J, de Boer, H, Dill, D. D., and Souto-Otero, M (Eds), Handbook of higher education policy and governance, pp. 38–56. London: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
van Wageningen, A. C. (2015) The legal constitution of higher education policy and governance of the European Union. In Huisman, J, de Boer, H, Dill, D. D., and Souto-Otero, M (Eds) International handbook of higher education policy and governance, pp. 95–113. London: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Whitley, R. (2012) Transforming universities: National conditions of their varied organisational actorhood. Minerva, 50(4), 493–510.Google Scholar
Williamson, O. E. (1991) Strategizing, economizing, and economic organization. Strategic Management Journal, 12(2), 75–94.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×