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Different worlds of autonomy: reflections from the perspective of financial autonomy of higher education institutions. Dr Vuokko Kohtamäki, University of Tampere, Finland 19.9.2011. Autonomy & fundamental features of higher education institutions (HEIs). Autonomy: value and principle.
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Different worlds of autonomy: reflections from the perspective of financial autonomy of higher education institutions Dr Vuokko Kohtamäki, University of Tampere, Finland 19.9.2011
Autonomy & fundamental featuresof higher education institutions (HEIs) • Autonomy: value and principle
Autonomy & fundamental features of HEIs tensioned, complex organisations conflicting goals fragmented interaction with surrounding society non-rational decision-making tribes and territories with distinctive cultures sluggish to change
Financial autonomy: narrow approach Degree of financial autonomy: freedom to allocate funds raise funds set tuition fees take loans make investments etc.
Potential problems of (more) financial autonomy HEI-external stakeholders • Increasing dependence of external stakeholders • Stronger environmental pressure • More reporting responsibilities • Misuse of financial autonomy Inside HEI • Tensions between institutional level autonomy and individual level autonomy
“Entrepreneurial autonomy has worked to make our universities among the best in the world. The entrepreneurship, competition and accountability delivered by autonomy is the right management structure for the future, too. (Executive Director State Universities of Michigan 2010) “The emphasis on getting universities into partnership arrangement with other funders… does potentially open the doors to stresses between different cultures and objectives, and to unhealthily mixed motives.” (Oxford’s Vice-Chancellor 2000) “Can leaders and managers enable their institutions to secure vital revenue, without diluting the values and conditions that have made universities unique and valuable to society?” (Etzkowitz, H. and Leydesdorff, L. 1997) “Any attempt by government to influence university decisions...would be strenuously resisted by the universities on the basis that this could lead to breaches of academic freedom.” (McKinney v. University of Guelph 2010)
Ačiū!Thank you for your attention! vuokko.kohtamaki@uta.fi