Changing governance models in higher education: The case of the new managerialism

Abstract

Universities are subject to profound changes of political management. The article endeavors – from a comparative point of view – to assess to what extent the new managerialism and the new public management respectively have infiltrated governmental strategies and modified existing governance models of higher education. This is done by, first, developing a revised heuristic framework of governance models; second, by assessing the merits and problems of the new managerial governance model in comparison with other governance models; and, third, by using empirical evidence of countries. Political-institutional factors are discussed in order to explain for variations in strategies and success of implementing the new governance model. It is concluded that there are two dangerous paths of future university development: universities have to learn how to avoid either permanent immobilism or becoming mere market-driven organizations with calculate frameworks. © 1999 The Swiss Political Science Review.