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The Regionalization of Higher Education The case of Norway

The Regionalization of Higher Education The case of Norway. NORPOL Project, Poznam September 2-4, 2009. Rómulo Pinheiro, Research Fellow University of Oslo rmtpinhe@uv.uio.no. Setting the Stage . Population: 4.8 Mill. (09) – 6.9 Mill. by 2060* Geography: 323k km2

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The Regionalization of Higher Education The case of Norway

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  1. The Regionalization of Higher Education The case of Norway NORPOL Project, Poznam September 2-4, 2009 Rómulo Pinheiro, Research Fellow University of Oslo rmtpinhe@uv.uio.no

  2. Setting the Stage • Population: 4.8 Mill. (09) – 6.9 Mill. by 2060* • Geography: 323k km2 • Immigrants: 9.7%; 7.6% non-Western (08) • Inhabitants (per km2): 16 (08) • Population Growth: 1.3% (08) • GDP per capita: +/- 50K USD (07) • HE investments: 1% GDP (07) • R&D Investments (07): • 1.65% GDP (34K man years) • 11K man years (HEIs)

  3. Tertiary Education • 7 universities • 6 specialised institutions (university level) • 26 university-colleges (2 private) • Tertiary Enrollments (08): • 225K (6K overseas) • 49% University level. 45% colleges. 9.3% Private (spes. univ.) • 61% female enrollment • Tertiary attainment (06) • (25-64 y.o.): 32.9% • (25-34 y.o.): 41.5% Sources: Statistics Norway & OECD

  4. Regional Landscape 434 Municipalities 79% population in urban areas Decline 20-24 y.o. after 2015/25 (Northern Noway -12%) Northern counties: Indigeneous Minorities: Sami, Kverne.

  5. Regional Policy/HE Policy (Summary of main phases) • Three main waves or phases (see slides for details): • Phase 1: Expansion (late 1960s- late 1980s) • Regional colleges + North most university at Tromsø • Phase 2: Integration/Consolidation (early 1990s-2003) • Notion of Network Norway • Mergers amongst colleges • Common legal framework • Phase 3: Differentiation (2003-today) • Quality Reform: Institutional ”Profiling” • Stjernø Commission’s report: 4 proposed models • Merger of Uiv. Tromsø w/ regional college (expected to play a key role in new High North strategy)

  6. Regional Policy/HE Policy (1/3)Phase 1: Expansion • Ottosen Commission (1965) • Creation of Regional Colleges across the country (Key words: Massification, democratisation, local relevancy/vocational) • System coordination via ’regional councils’ for HE • Regional colleges attracted primarily regional publics (Berglund 2004) • Reduce pressures on universities (resistance towards proposed reforms) • 1970s: Creation of Northern most university in the world (above Artic circle, at Tromsø) • Rationale: Train teachers and doctors for the region • Revert ’brain drain’ patterns to the South: Oslo/Bergen/Trondheim • Complacency after period of innovativeness. Drift process follows initial claim of distinctiveness – ”Not like Oslo or Bergen!”

  7. Regional Policy/HE Policy (2/3)Phase 2: Integration/Consolidation • Early 1990s: Hernes Commission (1988). Notion of a ’Network Norway ’. Increased Ministerial supervision. Division labour by type HEI. Focus: Quality and Internationalisation. Studies indicate that policy impacted positively on public & private service sectors at the regional level (Sæther et al 2000). • Mid 1990s: Merger of small professional schools (teachers, nurses, etc.) w/ regional colleges. Emergence of binary system: 4 Universities vs. 26 Colleges (previously 98 vocational colleges). • 1996: Inclusion of state colleges in the same legal framework (Act) as universities. Changes in college governance (elected leaders) & graduate education/research (selected areas)

  8. Regional Policy/HE Policy (3/3)Phase 3: Differentiation • 2003/4: Quality Reform in HE (Bologna++) • Colleges allowed to become universities; if 2/4 PhD programs have ”regional relevancy & national significance” • 2007: 2 new universities (Ås & Kristiansand/South East) – 2 new specialised university institutions. • 2008: Stjernø commission: Future outlook of the system. Integration models; Multi-campus, Big colleges, networks, mergers. Negative reactions but gradual adaptations • 2009: Univ. Tromsø merges w/ local College. Idea of a ”University of the North” rejected by Bodø (College). New UiT a key actor in Norway’s High North Strategy. Regional dimension being re-discovered – distinct research profile!

  9. Key Lessons (?) • Policy matter – for the good or worse! • Geography matters – regional publics of HE • Demographic trends matter – consolidation driven by decline in student numbers (pos-2015) • University matters – Tromsø seen as a huge success case of ’regional policy’. High North strategy impossible without Tromsø as a knowledge hub for the region. • Leadership matters (Marek) – Univ. Tromsø has engaged & pro-active Rector

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