Report from working group 4

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The Bologna ProcessBergen, 19-20 May

• Report from working group 4
• INSTITUTIONAL AUTONOMY AND GOVERNANCE
• Rapporteur Christina Ullenius

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How should public responsibility and
institutional autonomy be balanced in the Bologna
Process for optimal co-operation and division of
labour between public authorities and autonomous
institutions?

• Are there elements of institutional autonomy that
  are essential to the Bologna Process?

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Does increasing institutional autonomy imply a
stronger and more centralized institutional
leadership? (Such as the appointment of a
University President by the Executive Board
instead of the Academic Senate electing a
Rector?).
4
Does increasing institutional autonomy imply a
stronger influence from external decision-makers
(ministry of education) on the composition of the
institutional leadership?

• Finally
• Should this theme be brought forward for further
  discussion in the Bologna process after Bergen?

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Autonomy - accountability

• Autonomy defined within a legal framework
• Higher education institutions accountable to
  society at large
• Governments accountable to HEI for providing the
  necessary means to achieve Bologna objectives

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The necessary means to obtain Bologna objectives

• A legal framework and financial means
• Trends IV identifies national level regulation
  that interferes with or restricts implementation
  of change
• Creative HEIs in a decentralised system
  contribute best to Bologna objectives mobility,
  compatibility, comparability.
• How do we prove that we do the job better if we
  have autonomy on some issues?

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The necessary means to obtain Bologna objectives
to be granted to HEI

• A legal framework formal autonomy
• Academic autonomy curricula, programs
• Financial autonomy to prioritise
• Admission of students
• Recruitment, selection and management of staff
• Internal structure, governing bodies, etc

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The necessary means to obtain Bologna objectives
- governments

• A legal framework
• State regulated degree structure
• Standardised credit system, e.g. ECTS
• Student support

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Guiding principles

• Governance should be developed in balance with
  cultural framework
• Grant student participation
• Transparent decision-making structures
• Interaction with stake-holders
• Improved managerial skills in HEI leadership
• Avoid overregulation

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ConclusionsThere are issues to be brought
forward in the Bologna process

• Best practice in governance?Change is necessary
• Remove legal obstacles to change and creativity
• Focus on QA, outcomes
• Trust in institutions to take charge of
  implementation of the Bologna process