UNIV.-PROF. MAG. DR. ERICH THÖNI University Coordinator for INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. UNIV.-PROF. MAG. DR. ERICH THÖNI University Coordinator for INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Innsbruck Coordinator ASEA-UNINET and EURASIA-PACIFIC-UNINET LEOPOLD FRANZENS UNIVERSITY OF INNSBRUCK (Austria)

2. Images of Innsbruck

3. ‘Innsbruck University (UI):A case study on approaches to institutional change with the emphasis on quality assurance’ Workshop: Change management and institutional development of quality assurance system (in HE)

4. Innsbruck Austria Tyrol Location of Innsbruck

5. Facts and Figures • Founded 1669 • 4 Nobel Laureats • Today: • 6 Faculties (lost 1 by 1.1.04) • 80 fields of study • 23.000 Students (7.300 foreign) • 181 Prof.,1.120 Assoc. Profs., Ass.-Profs. And Lecturers, 1.200 Admin. Staff • International relations since its start • Library: 3 mio books, 1.700 manuscipts, 8.000 periodicals, 1.050 (old) handwritings

6. International Relations • 12 Partnership/Special Cooperation Agreements • Cooperation-, Joint-Study- and Student Exchange Agreements with +250 european und 83 extra-european Universities • Co-Founder of ASEA-Uninet (50 Univ.) and EURASIA-Pacific Uninet (40 Univ.) • Partner of many Worldwide, all EU and National supporting programs for R&T and Education

7. International Relations • 12 Partnership/Special Cooperation Agreements: • Universität Freiburg (D) • Universität Padua (I) • Universität Trient (I) • Universität Genua (I) • Universität Lublin (PL) • University of Notre Dame (USA) • University of New Orleans (USA) • University of Florida (USA) • Universität Sarajewo (BIH) • Chulalongkorn Universität Bangkok (Thailand) • Chiang Mai Universität (Thailand) • Gadjah Mada Universität Yogyakarta (Indonesien)

8. Overview • Some Pre-remarks • Austrian HE reform alongside European developments • Innsbruck’s organizational reform and intentions of organizational innovations • Innsbruck’s performance oriented reforms • Internationalization – A core concern of university reform • Some conclusions

9. Some Pre-remarks • What is the purpose of today’s universities?A worldwide overview shows no clear answer for 21st C.We will discuss this issue in part II. • Today, universities are questioned on their academic value system and response to these demands • Many universities, therein different actors perceive these developments as threats and take a defensive stance

10. Some Pre-remarks • At present the struggle on public vs. private provision of HE is (again) on • There are several models given – all develop into a mix of PP within an international public policy framework • Crucially important is the development and acceptance of a common definition of ‘quality’ and ‘QA’: • What does quality in HE actually mean? • There is no clear definition for tertiary education!

11. Some Pre-remarks • Several concepts are around • none yet approved to be enough ‘outcome oriented’ • In part II we will discuss • “How good is good?” • Let us now enter the “Case study on approaches to institutional change with the emphasis on QA“ and special reference to Austria’s University Act (UA) 2002 and its implementation at Innsbruck’s University

12. Some Pre-remarks University law 2002 – General background info • Demand on higher education rising faster than supply of resources • Education gets global business: globalization – internationalization • Shift from hypothesis based to problem based research • Publicly assisted – privately run • Austria is approaching USA, but completely different starting point

13. Some Pre-remarks University law 2002: Austria-USA – a simple comparison • Financial support (education is a public good, thus it should be funded by public) • Tuition fee (700 € versus 4700 € on average; amounts to about 10% of budget in A and 20% in USA!!) • Dimension of budgets/finances play a different role, e.g. • Open admission policy versus entrance exams

14. Some Pre-remarks University Reform acts in Austria from 1993 • University Organisation Act of 1993 (UOG 1993) • Provided basis for ‘institutional autonomy’ of universities • University Studies Act of 1997 and amendment of 99 • Simplified the Study Law • introduced the two-cycle European study architecture • Decree of 2000 • Introduced tuition fees (winter term 2001/2002 onwards) • University Act of 2002 (UG 2002) introduced • ‘real autonomy’ • ‘global budget’ for several years • ‘achievement agreements’ • reform of studies

15. Overview • Some Pre-remarks • Austrian HE reform alongside European developments • Innsbruck’s organizational reform and intentions of organizational innovations • Innsbruck’s performance oriented reforms • Internationalization – A core concern of university reform • Some conclusions

16. Austrian HE reform alongside European development • Reform Act of 1993 shifted decision-making powers from the Ministry to the universities • Over time the limits of the ‘restricted autonomy’ got obvious. Therefore… • universities should be granted full legal capacity • management culture similar to that of private companies • new Act for ‘Modern Studies and Research’ • new employment law to facilitate the extended autonomy • new employment generally based on contractual law • 1993-Reform was formally ‘fully implemented’ in 2000 • Preparation of a new act in 2001 which should be enacted by 2002 and implemented immediately

17. Austrian HE reform UA 2002 – Intensions and fundamentals • New organisational types, like ‘Universitätsrat’, ‘Rektorat’ • New tasks for ‘Rektor’, ‘Senate’, and the Ministry • Separation of Medical Faculties into Medical Universities • More self-reliant and more entrepreneurial and responsible universities • New law and governance structure • ‘Speed kill’ implementation • Competition of universities with ‘rival knowledge organisations’  All that to motivate for adjustment and quality upgrading

18. Austrian HE reform UA 2002 – Intensions and fundamentals • Financial Autonomy/Finanzautonomie • Autonomy over all Human Resources/Personalautonomie • Organizational Autonomy/Organisationsautonomie • The Organizational Plan (OP) should serve the transformation of the Development Plan (EP) and by it of the mission and aims of the university

19. Austrian HE reform UA 2002 - Different opinions • Not many actors at UI and in all Austria were for the 2002-Reform • Several reasons why actors perceived these changes as threats and therefore changes were to oppose • This is one of the important issues in part II !!!

20. Austrian HE reform UA 2002 - General change management at Ministry level Some documented consequences: • New, uncommon university structure • General Budget Consolidation – reduction of means • Pecuniary consequences for Austrian universities: • funding cuts • few to no own funds • nearly no ‘sponsorship tradition’ • few to no own ‘business’ property • new personal based on contractual business law • lower provided pay funds than foreseen by law

21. Austrian HE reform UA 2002 - General change management at Ministry level • introduced tuition fees went into federal budget in 2003 • too low funds for the transformation and implementation costs • too low funds to separate Medical Universities • Non-pecuniary consequences for Austrian universities : • Information gaps • Split between professors into leaders, followers and resisters • Demotivation of the ‘Mittelbau’-level (issue for part II) and especially of the administrative staff • Few reaction at student side, except recently in Vienna

22. Austrian HE reform General change management at Ministry level • Meanwhile (2001 to 2004) the Motto to profile universities got more realistic • From “Towards World-class” • to Minister Gehrer’s: • “We want universities with elite-organizations”, i.e. no elite-university, but each university should observe that their core areas play ‘in the highest European league’, ranking in the foremost in Europe!!(Die Presse 2004, Sonderausgabe)

23. Austrian HE reform UA 2002 - General change management at Innsbruck level • Cons immediate: • E.g. consequence for Innsbruck- budget: in 2003: € 7.1 mio. less than 2002(in 2004: only 2% more than 2002 while enlarging tasks) • Led to: • Personal recruitment stop at all levels • Means to invest had to be redirected to pay • Reduction of operational means and means to invest • Cons medium/longer term: • Reduction in the ‘supply’/offer in research and teaching • HEI closer to business better off

24. Austrian HE reform UA 2002 - General change management at Innsbruck level • Pros: • Change in the ‘supply’/offer in research • Change in education/teaching implies reconfiguration, stratification, reorientation • To profile the UI, around e.g. new focal points of research(new ‘brands’ of the university): • ‘Alpine Space’ • ‘Quantum informatics’ • ‘Microbiology’ • ‘World order and force’

25. Overview • Some Pre-remarks • Austrian HE reform alongside European developments • Innsbruck’s organizational reform and intentions of organizational innovations • Innsbruck’s performance oriented reforms • Internationalization – A core concern of university reform • Some conclusions

26. Innsbruck’s Organizational reform Innsbruck’s Organizational reform • Pre-Discussions on a new ‘Organizational Plan’ • Loidl –Plan (Future structure around Research knots) • Question-catalogue for existing faculties • Answers – basis for core concerns and of future ‘Ziel- und Leistungsvereinbarungen’ (Aims and performance agreements/achievement agreements) • Faculties – propose their own structures • Codetermination in ‘Counselling boards’ • Rektorat – more obligations in information(!!), consultation (!!), accountability (!!)

27. Innsbruck’s Organizational reform Core concerns/areas (Schwerpunkte) • Core concerns/areas express ‚competence‘ in Research, Education/Teaching and Administration • Core concerns/areas are established as a ‚voluntary network‘ between several researchers (confirmed by the Rektorat after evaluation) • Core concerns/areas are permanently evaluated and exist for a certain period • Core concerns/areas profile a university internally and externally and allow for targeted support of excellence

28. Innsbruck’s Organizational reform The Statute of the University (permanently revised) • Up to now – definitively introduced: • New guidelines for study reform (alongside ‘Bologna’) • Lecture evaluation procedure and its implementation • Alumni integration • Assignment of functions like ‘Universitätsstudienleiter’(Vice Rector for Academic Affairs)

29. Innsbruck’s Organizational reform The new Organizational Plan • Requests • Transparancy • Participation • Economic, efficient, effective behaviour • Guiding via achievement/performance agreement • Therefore • Lean Structure with 2 (ev. 3??) levels

30. Innsbruck’s Organizational reform The new Organizational Plan

31. Innsbruck’s Organizational reform The new Organizational Plan

32. Innsbruck’s Organizational reform The new Organizational Plan

33. Catholic-Theological Faculty Faculty for Business Administration Faculty for Political Science and Sociology Faculty for Economics and Statistics Law Faculty Faculty for Education and Communication Faculty for History and Cultural Sciences Faculty for Languages and Literature Faculty for Biology Faculty for Chemistry and Pharmacy Faculty for Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty for Mathematics – Informatics-Physics Faculty for Psychology Faculty for Architecture Faculty for Civil Engineering Innsbruck’s Organizational reform The new Organizational Plan

34. Innsbruck’s Organizational reform The new Organizational Plan • Time schedule: • Provisional Organizational plan by the Rektorat on 22.12.2003 • Faculty hearings 23.1.2004 • Last change 30.3.2004 • Discussion in Senate • Decision by University Board by Mid of June 2004 • ‘Remainders’ remain with the Rektorat • Incentives/Disincentives • Asymmetries vis à vis Development

35. Innsbruck’s Organizational reform The new Development Plan(to be finished by Summer 2004) • Long-term profile and core concerns in research • Teaching with special reference to realistically expected resources • Some documented consequences: • Leaders, followers and resisters • Difficult development track (organization ahead of development)

36. Overview • Some Pre-remarks • Austrian HE reform alongside European developments • Innsbruck’s organizational reform and intentions of organizational innovations • Innsbruck’s performance oriented reforms • Internationalization – A core concern of university reform • Some conclusions

37. Innsbruck’s performance oriented reforms • Innsbruck’s Research reform • Changes alongside the European Research Area (EuRA) • Innsbruck’s Study reform • Newest innovations and intentions alongside the European Higher Education Area (EuHEA) • Innsbruck’s Administration reform • Centralization on cost efficiency reasons • Innsbruck‘s Public Service Reforms - stronger cooperation with provincial government, town and regional business on transformation of knowledge

38. Innsbruck’s performance oriented reform European Research Area • Restructuring alongside core concerns/areas • Concentration vs. deconcentration • Consequences: • Support of junior scientists • Lack of Graduates in Maths, Science and Technology • Gender problems • Research evaluation (in preparation) • Extension of knowledge transfer into business

39. Innsbruck’s performance oriented reform European Higher Education Area • Bologna process and its further implementation • Open fields: • Improving the quality of teachers • Asymmetries in recruitment • optimization of student services • New intentions: • LLL and ‘New attractive learning’ language skills • Increasing ‘Mobility’ and • Increasing ‘International Seminar Rooms’ en place • Consequences: • Budget restrictions, recruitment stop, only few changes • like ‘Chipcard’ as (only) student document

40. Innsbruck’s performance oriented reform Administration • Leftovers of former Administration reform (NPM) • Overstressed and underpaid personal • Recruitment stop • Dismissal from ‘Bundeshaushaltsrecht’/Federal budget law • New business accounting system - SAP • Consequences Short-term: • Slight lifting of recruitment stop in 2004 • Centralization intentions • SAP: Upgrading of knowledge on revenues, expenditures, costs, etc. • Consequences Medium-term: • Lean and efficient administration • Introduction of an ‘education passport’ for continuous training

41. Overview • Some Pre-remarks • Austrian HE reform alongside European developments • Innsbruck’s organizational reform and intentions of organizational innovations • Innsbruck’s performance oriented reforms • Internationalization – A core concern of university reform • Some conclusions

42. Internationalization Internationalization • Positioning of the UI • ‘Cooperation’ dominates vis-à-vis industrial, semi-industrial, and developing countries in mobility • ‘Competition’ dominates over ‘brightest minds’ • European/Austrian/Innsbruck’s ‘HE marketing’ • European mobility • En place intentions • Third countries’ handling (China, Latin-America ….) • Consequences: • Internationalization – a real centre focus? • Innsbruck’s HE-marketing – not yet transformed! • Alumni-work: a forgotten field for many years

43. Overview • Some Pre-remarks • Austrian HE reform alongside European developments • Innsbruck’s organizational reform and intentions of organizational innovations • Innsbruck’s performance oriented reforms • Internationalization – A core concern of university reform • Some conclusions

44. Some conclusions Some conclusions: General • World-class university? • Should that be the motto for the entire university or only for some departments? • What about the others? • What is a world-class university? • What is and who does the appropriate international evaluation? • Discussion in part II !!!!!!

45. Some conclusions: Innsbruck University • Own (authors) conclusions: • Focus on a realistic and for all transparent perspective of the university • Avoid overemphasizing and setting up of unrealistic expectations in an environment not allowing for • A comprehensive university is squeezed at several edges: • research • education • administration • societal service

46. Special conclusions on Innsbruck University • Trade-off between open access to universities and global budgets, long termed, though ceiled • Funding through research needs first of all funding of research! • Success within EuRA and EuHEA depends mainly on sufficient and efficient ‘outfit’ of the Austrian HEIs • There should be a certain ‘tenure ship’ and therefore ‘job security’ in Austria’s academic, esp. research careers • Staff switches between universities and business should be possible, but not permanent

47. Special conclusions on Innsbruck University • By means of the UA 2002 Austrian Universities received an appropriate legislative frame, • Yet, the motivation is down and • yet, the necessary financing, long termand lasting, is missing!!!!

48. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Erich Thöni University Coordinator for Int. Relations University of Innsbruck Universitätsstraße 15 A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria E-Mail: erich.thoeni@uibk.ac.at