University governance and academic research : case studies of research units in Dutch and English universities

The central research question of our study addresses the effects of governing models on the research practices of basic research units in public universities in the fields of medieval history and biotechnology. We have used two organisational theories: resource dependence and neo-institutional theory. They provided a range of possible responses of research units to changes in institutional environments. Based on the work of Oliver (1991) we have distinguished three organisational strategies: passive compliance, symbolic compliance and proactive manipulation. In order to interpret the perceptions, responses of the basic research units and the consequences for their research practices meaningfully, we have taken into account the particular characteristics of the world of research and science. For this purpose, we have used the credibility cycle model of the research organisation that was introduced by Latour and Woolgar (1979). \ud Our analysis has shown that respondents in all cases of our study perceive their institutional environments as changing. All eight basic research units in the two countries respond to their changing institutional environments by attempting to reduce uncertainty as predicated by resource dependence theory and to maintain stability in their core activities as predicted by neo-institutional theory. They also try to maximise their credibility building prospects by either adhering to the rules and norms of their (changing) institutional environments or by actively engaging in a dialogue with their audiences, especially with their major resource providers. In their responses the basic research units are using different strategies from passive and symbolic compliance to pro-active manipulation. All research units prefer to maintain stability in their activities, but not all of them have been equally successful in this respect. This study has shown that shifts in governance influence research practices to a certain extent

Understanding knowledge disclosure of bioscientists: more than a question of contextual and organizational ambidexterity?

This paper focuses the extent to which university scientists integrate scientific excellence and industry relevance in their knowledge disclosure. Universities are increasingly expected to be entrepreneurial and to fulfill the traditional missions of teaching and research and to transfer the knowledge and commercialize it. The paper reports on four case studies that analyze practices of knowledge disclosure of university scientists in biotechnology research units. We relate those practices to the contextual ambidexterity of university scientists with the organizational ambidexterity of research units. We build on longitudinal empirical data, gathered between October 2005 and November 2008 at two research universities in the Netherlands and two in the United Kingdom

Analysing the Transformation of Higher Education Governance in Bulgaria and Lithuania

Drawing on sociological neo-institutional theory and models of higher education governance, we examine current developments in Bulgaria and Lithuania and explore to what extent those developments were shaped by the Bologna reform. We analyse to what extent the state has moved away from a model of state-centred policy design and control to a model of governance based on the ‘evaluative state’ Neave (1998), in which the state ensures ‘product control’ and promotes competition and quality. To do so, we look, in particular, at funding policy and the emergence of a system of quality assurance. To conclude, we examine whether the governance patterns of both countries have converged and identify the factors accounting for potential variations

Professional autonomy in English and Dutch universities: the influence of reforms on the research practices in Public Research Universities

Presented at the GLOBELICS 6th International Conference 2008 22-24 September, Mexico City, Mexico.Originally included an erroneous co-author attribution to M. Van der Steen, and J. Enders. Corrected April 2016.This paper presents the findings of an international comparative study of higher education policy influence on the basic units of knowledge production in biotechnology and history at public research universities (Leisyte, 2007a). The aim of the paper is to explore how higher education and research reforms in England and the Netherlands have influenced professional autonomy of certain basic research units. The paper uses the interview data collected in 2005, supplemented with the document and secondary literature analysis. In order to understand change in the professional autonomy we look at research practices of basic research units, such as, their freedom to choose lines of research. The paper starts with the overview of the higher education and research reforms in England and the Netherlands since 1980s. After setting the context, the theoretical and methodological underpinnings are presented. The paper proceeds with the exploration 1 PhD ([email protected]) 2 Research Associate, Center for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS), University of Twente Paper presented in the Prime-Latin America Conference at Mexico City, September 24-26 2008 2 of the professional autonomy of basic research units in biotechnology and medieval history in both countries looking at stability and change in their research practices. The major findings are summarized in the last part followed by a reflection on the comparison between the two fields of research and two countries

Students as stakeholders in quality assurance in eight European countries

How are stakeholders represented in higher education institutions’ decision-making bodies that influence the quality of education, and are their viewpoints taken into account? This paper addresses this question taking into account the empirical evidence from eight countries in Europe. Findings indicate that formal barriers are largely absent, that stakeholder influence has grown somewhat over recent years, but that actual influence of stakeholders can be further optimised in higher education institutions