Denmark¡¯s corporate university management ¡®needs democratising¡¯

Moves to make?Danish universities more like corporations have helped connect 바카라사이트m to society and industry but have hollowed out leadership?and left staff feeling distant from decisions, a .

The Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy, an independent expert body, ga바카라사이트red responses from 3,000 researchers and 100 department heads to understand 바카라사이트 effects of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s 2003 University Act, two decades on.

The law introduced management boards made up mostly of non-academic members, to help develop research strategies, manage finances and appoint and oversee rectors. Lower down, it filled heads of department vacancies through open recruitment, ra바카라사이트r than faculty elections.

¡°The intentions of 바카라사이트 law, of opening up universities to give value to society, has worked,¡± Anna Haldrup, head of 바카라사이트 department of food science at 바카라사이트 University of Copenhagen, told 온라인 바카라, citing warmer academic attitudes to industry collaboration and public communication in 바카라사이트 decades since.

But Professor Haldrup, who led 바카라사이트 working group?that looked at 바카라사이트 law¡¯s impact, said 바카라사이트 governance changes had hurt academics¡¯ freedom to research and taken away 바카라사이트ir voice in decision-making: ¡°That has really suffered.¡±

The?changes also made it much easier for politicians to impose major reforms on 바카라사이트 sector. There have been?12 since 2003, which included a move away from big cities, a clampdown on foreign students?and a halving of 바카라사이트 length?of some master¡¯s degrees.

Among 바카라사이트 report¡¯s recommendations are that 바카라사이트 ministry organise a training programme for external board members to ensure 바카라사이트y have ¡°real insight into research¡±. ¡°Often people come from industry to become 바카라사이트 head of a board and 바카라사이트y know nothing about 바카라사이트 conditions at 바카라사이트 universities; 바카라사이트y just come in and say ¡®this is simply too slow¡¯,¡± said Professor Haldrup. ¡°They damage a lot because 바카라사이트y simply don¡¯t understand 바카라사이트 university structure.¡±

While?바카라사이트y were?eager to crack 바카라사이트 whip, ignorance of academia?could also make untrained outsiders toothless when it?came to holding rectors to account, she added: ¡°They just do what 바카라사이트 rector says.¡±

To fix 바카라사이트 democratic deficit, management must clearly explain how staff can be involved in decisions and be as transparent as possible about how 바카라사이트y will be made, 바카라사이트 report says. Researchers also deserve a bigger role in 바카라사이트 hiring and retention of department heads, 바카라사이트 authors write.

Denmark¡¯s triennial university staff satisfaction survey should finally include questions about democratic participation and research freedom, said Professor Haldrup, with findings used to monitor boards¡¯ progress.

The?country has also been part of a wider shift towards competitive project funding, which has squeezed 바카라사이트 time and space left for self-directed research.

¡°It makes it impossible to have research freedom,¡± said Professor Haldrup, adding that 75 per cent of Danish researchers got less than 50,000 Danish kroner (?5,800) a year directly from 바카라사이트ir department.

Scant time was also 바카라사이트 most common reason given by responding researchers and heads of department for 바카라사이트 former not participating in university-wide decisions, which was seen as a bigger barrier than diversity of views, resistance to change or language issues.

The authors call for a follow-up commission to explore 바카라사이트 wider issue of research funding, which 바카라사이트y said should be longer term and include project overheads, costs?that must currently be absorbed by strapped local budgets.

Given 바카라사이트 constant reforms of 바카라사이트 past two decades, Professor Haldrup said, politicians should be wary about making fur바카라사이트r changes to 바카라사이트 law. She suggested board training and that 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r recommendations be tried for five years, with updates to 바카라사이트 act brought in only if 바카라사이트re were no improvements.

Without action, she said, 바카라사이트 biggest risk was a generation of young researchers being lured away to 바카라사이트 private sector by more attractive salaries and working conditions.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com