Public Policy and Universities: The Interplay of Knowledge and Power

Description

Higher education is undergoing unprecedented transformation. In the global knowledge economy universities are of paramount importance to governments worldwide. This creates a strong rationale for an element exploring how the interactions between universities and the state are being reconfigured, while highlighting the role policy analysis can play in explaining these dynamics. Specifically, this element draws on four theoretical approaches - New-Institutionalism, the Advocacy Coalition Framework, the Narrative Policy Framework, and Policy Diffusion and Transfer - to inform the analysis. Examples are drawn from a range of countries and areas of potential research informed by policy theory are identified. This element features a section dedicated to each of the three main missions of the university followed by an analysis of the institution as a whole. This reveals how universities, while typically seeking greater autonomy, remain subject to a multifaceted form of nation state oversight as they continue to globalise in an uncertain world.

'This book is a timely addition to the research on higher education policy. The strength of the book lies in its analysis of how universities are shaped by public policies and how mutual influence of universities and governments evolves over time. In addition, this book is well organised and informative, which makes it a valuable reference for researchers, policy makers, and others involved in the development and evaluation of higher education policies.' Educational Review