Autonomy and governance models. Emerging paradoxes in Spanish universities

Higher Education Institutions have to respond today to an increasing number of societal and economic demands. The European Commission, as well as different national European governments, are recommending and developing initiatives to provide universities with more institutional autonomy in order to allow them to better satisfy such needs. Two case studies at two different Spanish universities have been analysed using Grounded Theory methodology, which show that real autonomy (not only legal) may be difficult to effectively implement without rethinking, and eventually changing, the university governance system. By analysing the Spanish case, the article shows that a number of interesting paradoxes emerge from the public discourse and argues that the governance models based on a collegial decision-making process, particularly widespread in Southern European countries, may be a constraint on the necessary transformations and management changes.

ELENA PÉREZ Susana;  SANCHEZ Paloma; 

2015-09-10

Taylor and Francis

JRC77546

1460-7018,   

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13603108.2012.716089#abstract,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC77546,