Leistung und Wettbewerb – Die Entwicklung des schwedischen Hochschul- und Forschungssystems seit 1945

This paper analyzes the Swedish system of higher education and research with respect to the allocation of research resources. The main findings are a considerable expansion of the system since the post war era as well as a strong trend towards decentralization during the last decades. The earlier visible hand of close governance has left power to an invisible hand of market governance. Also, methods of New Public Management have been introduced. Despite an increasing tendency for research evaluations in Sweden the link to funding has so far been weak, however. Even if resources for research to an increasing extent are allocated through short-term project grants rather than long-term block grants a clear tendency towards funding of fewer and larger programmes rather than many small projects can be observed

Universität und Kultur in Europa: Ist der Zug von morgen gestern schon abgefahren?

This essay is trying to discuss the present developments in European research and higher education policy planning in a long-range historical perspective. The main thesis of the article is that the general development during the last 30 odd years is not only an expression of an internal scientific or a short-term financial crisis. Instead we are witnessing the effects of a process of deep institutional and cultural dissolution that goes to the heat of the traditional European university system, a crisis which eventually will widen the already huge gap between European and US research and higher learning even further. Even if the starting point of the analysis is the present day situation in Scandinavia its implications, nevertheless, are relevant to the entire European situation and development

Leistung und Wettbewerb

Der Beitrag analysiert das schwedische System der Hochschulbildung und Forschung im Hinblick auf die Allokation von Forschungsmitteln. Er zeigt eine erhebliche Expansion seit der Nachkriegszeit auf. Gleichzeitig hat während der letzten Jahrzehnte eine starke Dezentralisierung stattgefunden. Das frühere Prinzip strenger Steuerung ist in Hochschulbildung und Forschung zugunsten von Mechanismen der Marktsteuerung zurückgetreten. Ebenso wurden Methoden des New Public Management eingeführt. Wenngleich auch die Evaluierung von Forschungsergebnissen zugenommen hat, ist der Zusammenhang mit der Förderpraxis bislang schwach ausgeprägt. Obwohl Forschungsmittel zunehmend als kurzfristige Projektförderungen statt langfristiger Blockzuweisungen vergeben werden, lässt sich ein Trend zur Bevorzugung von weniger, aber größeren Programmen erkennen.This paper analyzes the Swedish system of higher education and research with respect to the allocation of research resources. The main findings are a considerable expansion of the system since the post war era as well as a strong trend towards decentralization during the last decades. The earlier visible hand of close governance has left power to an invisible hand of market governance. Also, methods of New Public Management have been introduced. Despite an increasing tendency for research evaluations in Sweden the link to funding has so far been weak, however. Even if resources for research to an increasing extent are allocated through short-term project grants rather than long-term block grants a clear tendency towards funding of fewer and larger programmes rather than many small projects can be observed