Governing bodies Working definition: bodies collectively - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Governing bodies Working definition: “bodies collectively responsible for overseeing the institution’s activities” (not executive, not academic) Examples: Council, Governing Board (UK) - Raad van Toezicht (NL) - Bestyrelsen (DK) - Recteur d’Académie (FR) - Governing bodies, OECD, 24 and 25 August 2006

General observations  Conduct always to be evaluated in the context of the governance triangle: relationships between governing bodies, executive bodies and academic bodies  Huge variety across countries, historical roots in continental, US and Anglo-Saxon models  Developments: corporate governance, effective governance, autonomy & state relationship, etc. Governing bodies, OECD, 24 and 25 August 2006

Governance problems Much change in governance without - thought-out analyses of benefits and shortcomings of existing structures Change has brought about some confusion - on roles and responsibilities The role of lay persons - A black box: what they do, and how and - why is under-researched Governing bodies, OECD, 24 and 25 August 2006

Questions How to improve the transparency of governing bodies? What do they actually do? - Do they need to be more accountable - (codes of conduct)? Governing bodies, OECD, 24 and 25 August 2006

Questions How can we be assured that governing bodies’ members have a sufficient understanding of academia? - do they need specific training? - should they have an academic background anyway? Governing bodies, OECD, 24 and 25 August 2006

Questions Given their role as “watchdog”, can members of governing bodies act as whistleblowers? Governing bodies, OECD, 24 and 25 August 2006

Questions What is the relationship between academic governance and strategic governance? Governing bodies, OECD, 24 and 25 August 2006

Questions How does the Governing board actually engage in the management of a higher education institution? Governing bodies, OECD, 24 and 25 August 2006

References  Ackroyd, P., & Ackroyd, S. (1999). Problems of university governance in Britain. Is more accountability the solution? International Journal of Public Sector Management, 12 (2), 171-185. Amaral, A., Jones, G. A., & Karseth, B. (2002). Governing higher education: Comparing  national perspectives. In A. Amaral, G. A. Jones & B. Karseth (Eds.), Governing higher education: National perspectives on institutional governance (pp. 279-298). Dordrecht: Kluwer. Bennett, B. (2002). The new style boards of governors - Are they working? Higher  Education Quarterly, 56 (3), 287-302. Clark, B. R. (1983). The higher education system. Academic organization in cross-  national perspective . Berkeley: University of California Press. Clark, B. R. (1998). Creating entrepreneurial universities: Organizational pathways of  transformation . Oxford: Pergamon. Commissie Glasz. (2000). De raad van toezicht in het HBO [ governing bodies in higher  professional education] . The Hague: HBO-raad.  Committee of University Chairmen. (2004). Guide for members of higher education governing bodies in the UK. Governance code of practice and general principles : CUC.  De Boer, H. (2003). Institutionele verandering en professionele autonomie . Enschede: Center for Higher Education Policy Studies.  De Boer, H., Goedegebuure, L., & Huisman, J. (2005). Gezonde spanning. Beleidsevaluatie van de MUB . Enschede: Center for Higher Education Policy Studies. Knight, M. (2002). Governance in higher education corporations: A consideration of the  constitution created by the 1992 act. Higher Education Quarterly, 56 (3), 276-286. Governing bodies, OECD, 24 and 25 August 2006

References Lanzendorf, U. (2004, 17-19 September). Humboldt well advised? University councils in  Austria and Germany. Paper presented at the 17th Annual CHER Conference, Enschede, the Netherlands. Mayntz, R. (2002). University councils: an institutional innovation in German universities.  European Journal of Education, 37 (1), 22-29. Musselin, C., & Mignot-Gerard, S. (2002). The recent evolution of French universities. In  A. Amaral, G. Jones & B. Karseth (Eds.), Governing higher education: National perspectives on institutional governance (pp. 63-85). Dordrecht: Kluwer. Neave, G. (1998). The evaluative state reconsidered. European Journal of Education,  33 (3), 265-284. Neave, G., & Van Vught, F. A. (Eds.). (1991). Prometheus bound. The changing  relationship between government and higher education in Western Europe . Oxford: Pergamon.  Reed, M. I. (2002). New managerialism, professional power and organisational governance in UK universities: A review and assessment. In A. Amaral, G. A. Jones & B. Karseth (Eds.), Governing higher education: National perspectives on institutional governance (pp. 163-185). Dordrecht: Kluwer. Shattock, M. (1999). Governance and management in universities: the way we live now.  Journal of Education Policy, 14 (3), 271-282. Governing bodies, OECD, 24 and 25 August 2006