Berit Karseth

Governing higher education : national perspectives on institutional governance

List of Contributors. Preface A. Amaral, P. Maassen. Introduction M.I. Reed, et al. The Emergent Role of External Stakeholders in European Higher Education Governance A. Amaral, A. Magalhaes. Organisational Strategies and Governance Structures in Dutch Universities P. Maassen. Trust, the Essence of Governance? H.de Boer. The Recent Evolution of French Universities C. Musselin, S, Mignot-Gerard. University Governance and Finance: The Impact of Changes in Resource Allocation on Decision Making Structures T. Chevaillier. Between Control, Rituals and Politics: The Governing Board in Higher Education Institutions in Norway I. Marheim-Larsen. The Construction of New Curricula in a New Educational Context: Roles and Responsibilities in Nursing Education in Norway B. Karseth. Interdepartmental Functional Integration and Decentralisation of Decision Making in the Merged Colleges of Higher Education in Flanders, Belgium J.C. Verhoeven, G. Devos. New Managerialism, Professional Power and Organisational Governance in UK Universities: A Review and Assessment M.I. Reed. Higher Education Governance in the UK: Change and Continuity O. Fulton. The Structure of University Governance in Canada: A Policy Network Approach G.A. Jones. On the Road to Mediocrity? Governance and Management of Australian Higher Education in the Market Place V.L. Meek. Governance in US Universities: Aligning Internal Dynamics with Todays Needs E. El-Khawas. Governing Higher Education: Comparing National Perspectives A. Amaral, et al.

Building professionalism in a knowledge society: examining discourses of knowledge in four professional associations†

This article explores how contemporary professional associations employ discourses of knowledge as a means of promoting professionalism. By analysing policy documents from the Norwegian associations for teachers, nurses, engineers and accountants, we reveal dominant knowledge discourses and discuss how they serve to position the associations in distinct ways towards practitioners, working fields and the public community. Our analysis shows that the knowledge work of the four associations is constructed quite differently, and that this is related to differences in their notions of professional knowledge, their view on standardisation and the structure of their professional field. Moreover, all associations draw on several and partly contradictory discourses. Modern professionalism depends on a reflexive management of knowledge and learning within a context of negotiation between different concerns. We particularly discuss the challenge of balancing between professional‐internal and ‐external demands. †Berit Karseth and Monika Nerland have contributed equally to this work.

Governing Higher Education: Comparing National Perspectives

The authors of the thirteen core essays in this volume share a common belief that issues of governance are central to our understanding of higher education and the evolution of these extraordinarily complex institutions and systems. Each chapter frames the analysis of higher education governance in a somewhat different way, in part because our authors are attempting to understand governance issues in quite different contexts and they are exploring issues at different levels of the higher education system. While the operational definition of governance varies somewhat by author, the contributors to this volume share a common understanding that governance focuses on a series of questions related to the determination of what higher education is or should be in a specific context: Who decides? How do they decide? What do they decide? As Michael Reed, V. Lynn Meek and Glen Jones note in their introductory chapter, another common element in how our contributors have conceptualised governance “is the notion of the relationship or dynamic interaction of bodies and groups operating at different levels of a higher education system.”

The knowledge work of professional associations: approaches to standardisation and forms of legitimisation

This paper examines how professional associations engage themselves in efforts to develop, regulate and secure knowledge in their respective domains, with special emphasis on standardisation. The general emphasis on science in society brings renewed attention to the knowledge base of professionals, and positions professional bodies as key regulatory agencies. At the same time, knowledge takes distinctive forms in different areas of expertise, and the ‘knowledge work’ of professional associations is embedded in complex settings of actors and interests that need to be negotiated. Based on documents and interviews with core representatives, we examined approaches to standardisation in three associations that represent the main bodies of nurses, teachers and auditors in Norway. The analysis shows that all associations engage themselves in efforts to develop standards for knowledge and professional practice, but that they do so in different ways and with alternative sources of legitimisation. Standardisation is initiated for variegated purposes, and involves the ongoing negotiation of tensions between different concerns. We discuss the approaches taken in relation to conditions for professionalism, and argue that the knowledge work of professional associations is becoming increasingly important in a society where knowledge, as well as the market for professional services, is becoming internationalised.

The Relevance of Research for the Improvement of Education and Professional Practice

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the relevance of research for the improvement of professional education in universities of applied sciences and professional practice in the relevant occupations. The chapter discusses four arguments that have been used to introduce research in professional programmes: (1) Teaching will improve if the staff engage in research (research-based teaching), (2) students will learn more if they come into contact with research (research-based learning), (3) professional practice will improve if professional workers in their training learn how to base their work on research-based knowledge (research-based practice), and (4) professional programmes have an obligation to improve the knowledge basis of professional work through research (research-based knowledge production). The first three arguments focus on the importance of basing professional programmes on research, while the fourth argument concerns the importance of doing research to enhance ‘evidence-based’ knowledge. Although these arguments are closely related, they are analytically distinct and will be examined separately.

The Construction of Curricula in a New Educational Context

At the heart of every educational enterprise is a curriculum. Questions like what ought to be the aim and content of the education, how should we teach and collaborate with students, and how do we evaluate, constitute the substance of all education.

National Curricula in Norway and Finland: The Role of Learning Outcomes.

The core curricular category of learning outcomes has entered the educational policy scene in Europe. While content-oriented curricula have dominated the Nordic countries, a shift towards outcomes can also be observed. In this article, we describe the fundamental distinctions between Didaktik and learning outcomes and examine how learning outcomes are incorporated into written national curricula for compulsory schooling in Norway and Finland. We find that learning outcomes are integrated in both countries; however, the Norwegian curriculum is positioned further away from a Didaktik-based model than that of Finland. The Norwegian approach neglects an essential distinction between matter and meaning by employing an outcome-oriented curriculum.

Curriculum Trends in European Higher Education: The Pursuit of the Humboldtian University Ideas

In this chapter we focus on how the restructuring of European higher education is manifested in curriculum policies with particular interest in the consequences for universities. By critically analyzing some core European higher education policy documents, we discuss how initiatives taken by the European Union (EU) and the Bologna Process may influence universities and challenge the Humboldtian ideas traditionally defining most European research-oriented universities. We concentrate the analysis and discussion on implications for educational purposes, educational knowledge and the notion of students. The analysis shows that the new architecture of European higher education implies new models of management and governance which implies new forms of controlling institutional processes of curriculum making. The new policy stands in sharp contrast to the ideas and principles of the Humboldtian tradition. As a consequence, and despite the fact that we need more empirical evidence, there are strong indications that universities move towards stronger entrepreneurial ideas and a utilitarian ethos defined by the employment market. This new orientation has consequences for staff and student formation, notions of academic freedom, priorities in curriculum development and teaching-learning. Our analysis suggests that current academics need to be more aware of the implications of current policy and critically discuss what we mean by academic freedom and which values worth fighting for under current circumstances – particularly with regards to the relationship between educational purposes, content and students.

The Emergence of New Educational Programs in the University

This paper reports a study of how educational programs emerge within the university, using both curriculum theory and the more general theory about knowledge production. It discusses both cognitive and social arguments, stresses the necessity to relate the phenomenon of emerging educational programs to status, resource allocation, and power relations, and examines the impact of both individual and collective perspectives.

From university to professional practice: Students as journeymen between cultures of education and work

The overarching research problem addressed in this chapter is the relationship between professional/higher education and professional work. The chapter will discuss the relevance of university education for professional practice with a particular focus on professional identity formation and formation of professional responsibility. We discuss how different professional programs and their traditions and cultures shape different curricular structures that have an impact on students professional identity formation and transition to work. We will also discuss experiences with and learning of professional responsibility in the web of commitments within educational settings and how new multiple expectations emerge and lead to new learning experiences when entering work life. The argument of the chapter is based on the rationale and findings from an extensive international research program, conducted between 2001 and 2008.