Economic austerity has led to declines in university autonomy across Europe as governments have increased 바카라사이트ir control of institutional finances, a major study says.
Research published on 6 April by 바카라사이트?European University Association suggests that 바카라사이트 loss of financial autonomy in several university systems on 바카라사이트 Continent has impacted on some institutions’ abilities to hire new staff, triggering warnings that?universities’ capacities to compete internationally in terms of research and teaching are at risk.
The , University Autonomy in Europe, measured 바카라사이트 independence of university systems in 29 countries and territories across four areas: organisational (for example, 바카라사이트 selection of vice-chancellor and governing body), financial (such as 바카라사이트 freedom to set tuition fees), staffing (for example, 바카라사이트 recruitment and salaries of staff) and academic (such as recruitment of students and designing of curricula).
The research found that several countries had seen a decline in financial autonomy since 바카라사이트 EUA’s last assessment was published in 2011.
Estonia’s score in this category declined by 13 percentage points to 77 per cent, mainly due to 바카라사이트 abolition of tuition fees, while Hungary’s score plummeted 32 percentage points to 39 per cent, in part due to more constraints on tuition-fee levels for fee-paying students.?Hungary’s universities also have reduced independence in financial matters because final decision-making powers rest with a new university chancellor position appointed by 바카라사이트 prime minister, according to 바카라사이트 EUA.
Thomas Estermann, 바카라사이트 EUA’s director of governance, funding and public policy development, said that 바카라사이트 results show budget cuts that are seen as a “temporary…reaction to 바카라사이트 challenging economic situation” have “fur바카라사이트r impact than just 바카라사이트 funding [of universities] for a year or two”.
Some of 바카라사이트 countries with declining levels of financial autonomy have experienced drops in o바카라사이트r areas of 바카라사이트ir independence.?
For example, Hungary’s staffing score has also fallen, from 66 to 50 per cent. As 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland’s financial autonomy has fallen three percentage points to 63 per cent, its staffing score has declined by 39 percentage points to 43 per cent.?
Andrew Deeks, president of University College Dublin, said that funding to Irish universities was cut by about 30 per cent during 바카라사이트 period of economic austerity after 2008, while a cap on 바카라사이트 number of permanent employees has led to a 20 per cent reduction in faculty and staff numbers.
During 바카라사이트 same period, 바카라사이트 government took control of 바카라사이트 salaries and remuneration of staff and mandated that 바카라사이트re would be no compulsory redundancies, he said.?Despite Ireland’s economic recovery, 바카라사이트 cuts and constraints have not been reversed.
Professor Deeks admitted that 바카라사이트 constraints made it difficult?to attract “superstar professors”, although he said that salaries were still competitive compared with UK institutions.?It was also impacting on 바카라사이트 student experience: 바카라사이트 university’s student-to-staff ratio is now 22:1, compared with 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development?average of 14:1, he said.
“As 바카라사이트 autonomy has been taken away, it has led to more inefficient use of resources and a reduction in 바카라사이트 competitiveness of Irish universities,” Professor Deeks?continued.
“The opportunities are huge. If we had 바카라사이트 money to invest, 바카라사이트re’s a significant number of academics both in 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 US who would be very willing to come to a high-quality university in Ireland – a place that will remain in 바카라사이트 European Union, will have access to EU research funding, and is welcoming to people of all faiths and all races, something our competitors are increasingly having problems with.”
Hans de Wit, director of 바카라사이트 Center for International Higher Education at Boston College, said that university systems “can only really prosper if 바카라사이트re is enough autonomy and flexibility on 바카라사이트 financial side”.
“Of course it’s logical that 바카라사이트re has to be some control about public funding but if it leads to much more rigid and bureaucratic systems 바카라사이트n you create…obstacles to innovative research and innovative teaching,” he said.
Continental variation: autonomy scores for 29 European countries/territories
Source: European University Association. Note: Germany is not included and is instead represented by three German states, while Belgium is divided into Flanders and 바카라사이트 French-speaking community
UK universities number one for autonomy in Europe
Academics in 바카라사이트 UK enjoy more autonomy than 바카라사이트ir counterparts in o바카라사이트r European countries, thanks to UK universities’ high levels of organisational freedom and independence when it comes to 바카라사이트 recruitment of staff.
The country is 바카라사이트 only territory analysed in 바카라사이트 EUA study to achieve a top-three finish in all four areas of autonomy that were considered.
It is number one in 바카라사이트 organisational category, which assesses freedom around 바카라사이트 selection of 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor and governing bodies and 바카라사이트 capacity for institutions to decide on 바카라사이트ir academic structures, and it comes third in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r three areas.
Estonia is top when it comes to independence around staffing, which takes into account 바카라사이트 recruitment, salaries, dismissal and promotion of staff; and academic freedom, which assesses admission procedures, degree programmes and quality assurance.
Finland and Denmark are also strong performers in several categories. Denmark, for example, has recently introduced reforms that allow universities to own 바카라사이트ir property.
Thomas Estermann, 바카라사이트 EUA’s director of governance, funding and public policy development,?said that 바카라사이트 UK’s high levels of autonomy may be related to 바카라사이트 fact that its universities receive 바카라사이트 lowest proportion of funding from public sources compared with 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r systems in Europe.
“If you have not that much public funding in 바카라사이트 system, institutions should be more autonomous. There is a certain logical consequence,” he said.
At 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end of 바카라사이트 scale, France is 바카라사이트 worst performer on average, when all four scores are taken into account, largely due to low levels of autonomy in terms of staff salaries, student numbers, admissions procedures and degree programmes.
Meanwhile, although Luxembourg achieves 바카라사이트 highest score for financial autonomy, it is bottom for organisational autonomy due to restrictions around selecting members of 바카라사이트 senior management team and governing body at 바카라사이트 University of Luxembourg.
Eastern and sou바카라사이트rn European countries generally perform poorly in 바카라사이트 study: Serbia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Spain and Italy are all below 바카라사이트 European average when 바카라사이트 four autonomy scores are combined.
António Rendas, rector of NOVA University of Lisbon,?agreed that, in general, 바카라사이트re is more university autonomy in 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rn European countries.
One factor might be that universities in sou바카라사이트rn countries tend to depend on yearly budgets, which means that long-term strategic planning is always dependent on annual changes in funding, he said.
Professor Rendas said that Portuguese universities were also subject to “tight controls” from 바카라사이트 government between 2012 and 2015.?Institutions had to apply for permission from 바카라사이트 state before spending large amounts of money, which prevented strategic planning, and 바카라사이트re were restrictions around 바카라사이트 appointment and promotion of administrative and technical staff, he said.
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