Governance in higher Education: The university in a state of flux (2001)

Werner Z. Hirsch and Luc E. Weber (eds)
Economica, Glion Colloquium Series Nr. 1, London, Paris, Genève, 2001

The structures, missions and challenges of Western European and American universities have much in common. But there also exist significant differences, particularly in the way that these institutions are governed. The 2000 Glion Colloquium addressed the defining issues of governance in research universities. Participants examined governance in a university as the formal and informal exercise of authority under laws, policies and rules that articulate the rights and responsibilities of various actors, including rules by which they interact so as to help achieve the institution’s academic objectives. To be effective, a powerful governance process must be embedded in an appropriate structure suited to the institution’s purposes and consonant with its culture. Universities will be at risk if they do not adapt governance to align more rapidly to their changing environment and new challenges. The 14 contributions assembled in this book examine the contours and dimensions of university governance in research-intensive universities, seek to develop cogent governance principles and offer appropriate initiatives and recommendations.
Universities will be at risk if they do not adapt more rapidly to their changing environment and new challenges. This concern of participants of the May 1998 Glion Colloquium in Glion, Switzerland concluded that the governance of universities is becoming increasingly crucial, particularly for research-intensive universities. Therefore, the Glion Colloquium devoted its January 2000 meeting in Del Mar, Calif., to governance.
The structures, missions and challenges of Western European and American universities have much in common. But there also exist significant differences, one relating to governing boards. In the United States, these boards fulfill important functions. But in Western Europe they do not exist at all, or only in a weaker form. Some European countries have boards similar to the American boards, but with less or little decision power. Others have no board or a board without authority; they have instead “participation councils” where the different internal stakeholders are represented. Moreover, some of the roles exercised by American boards are played by the State.