Reconciling university autonomy with public accountability: The state,University Grants Committee and higher education in New Zealand

This article analyzes the contemporary role of the University Grants Committee (UGC) vis-à-vis New Zealand's universities and the Department of Education. Emphasis is given to the historical and political factors which resulted in devolution of the University of New Zealand in the early 1960s and brought the UGC into being. Established to guide the development of the university system in a period of budgetary expansion, the UGC assesses the financial needs of the universities and the national need for new academic programs. Recent financial exigency prompted the government to introduce restrictions on the financial autonomy of the universities. The UGC has lost some of its autonomy in consequence, but a fundamental change in its relationship to government or in its protective role with respect to the universities is considered unlikely.     

法国倡导科研诚信和反对学术不端行为的举措

在倡导科研诚信和反对学术不端行为方面,与大多数西方发达国家一样,法国在国家层面没有制定有关专门的法律法规.但是,自20世纪90年代中期以来,政府、科技界、教育学术界及公众逐步予以重视,认识到其重要性和必要性.目前,法国依靠良好的科技计划管理制度、完善的科技评价体系、规范的评价方法等途径,防止科研舞弊和抵制学术不端行为.与此同时,一些科研机构和高等教育主管部门通过建立相关的规章制度,如制定科研人员行为准则和科研成果评价机制,规范科研和学术工作.这些经验和措施是值得借鉴和学习的.     

A University Grants Commission in a South Asian setting: The Sri Lankan experience

University education in Sri Lanka in modern times has a short history of just over six decades. From 1921 to 1959 there was one University College (1921–1942) or University on the island. With the establishment of two other universities in 1959, the need for co-ordination of higher education activity through a University Grants Commission (UGC) or similar body arose.The establishment of the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE) in 1966 was part of a policy of bringing greater government influence to bear on universities and was therefore resented and resisted by the latter. However, the new body, while it lasted, served as a very effective buffer against undue government interference in university affairs. The six year period beginning in 1972 saw a process of centralization of university education under strong government control. The UGC established in 1979 has much the same powers as the NCHE, a wider range in fact than those enjoyed by the British UGC, and much greater influence in university education than the British prototype.Universities in Sri Lanka have always depended on the state for almost all their funds. While this has naturally given government much influence in shaping the structure and expansion of universities, the principle of university autonomy was strongly entrenched between 1942 and 1966. There was a departure from this in 1966, but more particularly between 1972 and 1978. The Universities Act. No. 16 of 1978 re-introduced the concept of autonomous universities. The one area in which state influence has been the predominant factor is university admissions and this influence began in the mid-1950s long before the concept of university autonomy came under systematic attack from the government's Ministry of Education.The author has been a member of the University Grants Commission since its establishment in 1979. The views expressed in this article are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of the University Grants Commission or the University of Peradeniya.     

人事、制度与终点型大学建设——以近代清华教师评聘为例

教师评聘制度是大学制度的核心内容,也是现代学术体系的重要支点。近代中国许多高校为此提供了正反两方面的诸多案例。清华大学在这方面颇具代表性,该校的教师评聘经历了长时期的复杂演变。早期清华教师队伍的升等制度极不完善,初级教师与高级教师之间的鸿沟难以跨越,严重地制约了队伍建设和办学质量的提升。1928年后,清华大学迅速建立了自由流动的竞争性评聘制,实现了师资稳定性与流动性的高水平动态平衡,延聘和培育了一批拔尖人才。梅贻琦任内,清华大学真正实现了人才引进和内部晋升并重。在西南联大时期,清华的教师制度设计与主流制度实现了磨合。青年学者需要经受更长时间的考验才能晋升教授,学界行情也水涨船高。上述变迁折射了近代中国知识界的成长历程。教师评聘标准的实质乃是学术评价和学术独立的问题,教师评聘标准的提升意味着中国开始具备更高的学术标准和更强的学术自觉。若干所一线名校的迅速发展,引领了中国的学术进步,促使中国生成了一个高水平的学术共同体,这对中国学术文教影响深远。     

The Nigerian university system: meeting the challenges of growth in a depressed economy

A phenomenal expansion of the Nigerian university system began with the oil boom of the 1970s. Following a downturn in the nation's economy and the introduction of structural adjustment programmes, government subventions to Nigerian universities have dropped appreciably, and in real terms the universities have suffered considerable decline in purchasing power. Institutional structures for monitoring efficiency have played an important role in efforts to maintain academic standards; but in the face of continued uncontrolled expansion and in the absence of basic facilities for teaching and research, the university system cannot sustain a healthy growth. Greater attention is being given to improved fiscal management, income generation by the universities and rationalisation of academic programmes. As scholarships and bursary awards for able but indigent students are resuscitated, cost recovery measures in the universities need to be intensified. Proposals for the establishment of private universities operating within guidelines prescribed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) should be re-examined.     

The Stratification of Students in Israeli Universities: Persistent Outcomes of an Educational Expansion Policy

Expansion trends of higher education systems involve the planned growth of new universities, frequently stratified lower than established ones in academic breadth and excellence as well as in the socio-demographic origins of their students. The persistence of this internal stratification of the university system subsequent to its expansion remains a controversial issue. Between the early and mid-1990s the Israeli Council for Higher Education has expanded the three ‘‘target’’ universities, aimed at peripheral or specific sectors. Compared to the three established elitist institutions, these universities have concentrated on the liberal arts and attracted students of lower social origins. The present study examines the stratification of students into elitist and target universities a few years after this particular expansion policy was abandoned in favor of college accreditation. Though the overall growth rate of university freshmen since 1995 has subsequently declined, the relative share of the target universities is still steadily growing. Our analysis of data from a 1999 national survey of freshmen in all six universities reveals that students of the target universities still tend to originate from lower status groups and ethnic minorities regardless of academic ability. Furthermore, their general study motivations, particular study considerations, and institutional choice orientations are more practical and vocationally oriented than those of students in the elitist universities. It therefore seems that expansion policies of university systems should not overlook their long-term consequences for the stratification of universities and their students.     

六所大学内部权力结构和运行机制的比较

教育部首批核准了中国人民大学等6所高校的章程,标志着我国高校章程建设取得了实质性进展.6所高校章程其文本结构各有特点,均构建了各高校内部权力治理结构,明确了行政权力、学术权力和民主管理权力的职责和相互关系,规范了各权力运行规则及制度安排.但与现代大学制度的要求也还存在许多不足的方面.     

法国大学技术学院的办学特色及启示

大学技术学院是法国高等职业技术教育的主要承担机构之一，具有鲜明的办学特色。自1999年以来，我国开始在普通高校内部建立高等职业技术学院，作为发展高职教育的重要机构，这一办学形式与法国大学技术学院相类似。因此，分析法国大学技术学院的办学特色，可以为我国普通高校高职学院的发展提供十分有益的启示与借鉴。     

高等教育质量保障规制体制的理想类型、变革趋势与启示

长期以来,高等教育质量保障有赖于学术自治与自律机制的建立,受同行评议机制与声誉机制的控制。然而,受高等教育规模扩张与国家政治经济体制变革的影响,这种传统的学术自我规制体系能否保障与提高高等教育质量开始受到广泛的质疑。以学术界利益为旨归的私人规制体制、风险与标准导向的市场型规制体制以及基于绩效责任逻辑的政府规制体制三种类型的高等教育质量保障规制体制先后确立。三种规制体制在规制标准的制定、信息搜集以及行为矫正机制等规制要素方面具有迥异的规制逻辑与特征。规制实践的经验表明,倾向于自我规制与国家规制的规制体制均存在缺陷。基于学术自由与公共利益辩证统一的诉求,三种规制体制均开始强调自治与法治、自律与他律的有机整合,并呈现出合作规制的变革趋势。中国高等教育质量保障规制体制的变革应立足于法治的原则、思维和方式,增强政府公权力的法治规约,以实现国家监督与大学自主之间的合作与平衡。     

论大学制度的公正性

大学是复杂的社会组织,其正常运行有赖于制度的规范。大学办学的有效性和办学水平的高低不但取决于是否建立了制度,而且还取决于建立了什么样的制度。公正性是大学制度的根本属性。这种公正是绝对性与相对性、无限性与有限性的统一,它既表现为程序公正,又表现为实质公正,是二者的有机统一。但大学制度的程序公正和实质公正所依据的逻辑不同,因此,二者不可避免地存在矛盾,大学制度的公正性问题往往由此而生。建设现代大学制度,必须坚持程序公正与实质公正的统一,以大学使命的实现为本位,以创建和谐校园为手段,全面提高学术生产力,建立起大学学术繁荣的内生机制。     

印度卓越大学教师劳动关系:既成矛盾与治理结构

劳动主体、雇佣主体、劳动内容、劳动客体构成了大学教师劳动关系结构的核心要素。从核心要素来看,印度卓越大学教师劳动关系存在着既成矛盾,主要表现为失衡与冲突。为扭转教师劳动关系的困厄,印度卓越大学建立了政府、市场、学术权力、中介组织多维度的治理结构。印度通过法律和政策等手段促进劳动关系契约化、学校和教师行为法制化、劳动关系和谐化发展,对于显性调节劳动关系、隐性消弭劳动关系的冲突失衡发挥了重要作用,这对我国一流大学教师劳动关系和谐发展具有借鉴意义。     

论高校纪律处分与 轻微刑事犯罪处罚的衔接 ——基于41所“双一流”建设高校纪律处分条例的分析

我国高校校规对于轻微刑事犯罪行为的纪律处分规定非常严苛且笼统，原则上遵循“犯罪即开除”的并罚标准。这种粗暴的“一刀切”规定不仅与依法治教的法治要求相悖，也面临着理论上支撑不足的困境和刑法积极主义变革的挑战。当前，我国高校对于轻微刑事犯罪行为的纪律处分亟待规范化，应修改“犯罪即开除”的绝对规定，以比例原则为基本遵循，在轻微刑事犯罪与高校纪律处分的并罚上依次审查罪行与刑事结果标准、重大不利影响标准以及教育效果标准，同时纳入对微罪扩张趋势的考量，并遵循“先刑罚后处分”的处理顺序，以达到对轻微刑事犯罪行为作出恰当合理的纪律处分之目的。     

品牌塑造下学校管理的改进

现代化进程中,信息社会改变了人的教育和生活方式,也改变了组织管理方式。在此背景下,组织管理的复杂性和艰巨性使得学校传统的集权式领导或外控式管理日渐衰弱,品牌塑造下学校管理的改进成为必然。文章对学校管理改进的价值效应和主要困境进行了分析,最后尝试于学校组织结构的改进、管理制度的改进和管理方式的改进以求突破。学校管理的改进不仅适应了教育的多需求、新发展,也更益于凝聚和塑造学校的品牌价值。     

Hong Kong University and Polytechnic Grants Committee

The political uncertainties surrounding Hong Kong's future as a British Crown Colony have not inhibited either the Hong Kong Government or its particular version of a University Grants Committee (UGC) system from devising and planning a continuing expansion of higher education at a time when most other countries are levelling off or contracting their own.This article deals with the many unique features of the Hong Kong situation of which perhaps the most important is the nature of the Hong Kong Government - traditionally colonial and potentially authoritarian, not elected yet highly sensitive to Chinese opinion both internally and externally, and highly efficient in most of its management activities in spite of a strongly laisser faire tradition.The Hong Kong UGC system is charged with much wider planning functions throughout higher education than elsewhere and is responsible for the polytechnic as well as the two universities - hence its trans-binary designation as the University and Polytechnic Grants Committee. While this has helped its overall planning and academic guidance roles, it has involved it in severe difficulties in relation to its basic financial role which requires it to develop methodologies of financial assessment of Polytechnic costs for which no overseas models exist. Its academic membership is still entirely from overseas, with inevitable repercussions on its ability to arrange adequate collective discussion and its reliance on its local secretariat who act as the Government's de facto Department of Higher Education.     

高校学业预警机制:意义、问题及对策——以福建省X校为例

随着高校对人才培养质量提升和教学管理工作创新的日益重视,各高校逐步建立并实施学业预警机制。本文以X校的实践为研究对象,介绍高校学业预警机制实施的意义、存在的问题以及对策。     

The Japanese academic profession

The historical background to the emergence of the Japanese system of higher education is described, attention being drawn to the link established between national aims and those of the university and to the system of gakubatsu (a form of patronage for graduates of a particular university). Post World War II expansion brought junior colleges (tanki-daigaku) into the sphere of higher education as well as universities (daigaku). Though formally and legally these classes of institution are equal they are in fact ranked according to the old system. Within universities there is also a ranking which is reinforced by gakubatsu. This ranking limits mobility in the academic profession; academic staff are likely to spend all their careers, undergraduate, postgraduate and as faculty members, at the same university. This system prevents Japanese scholars from taking posts abroad though it must also be pointed out that many Japanese academics go to great lengths to remain fully acquainted with western scholarship.     

A Founding Father Reflects

This paper, written by a member of the UGC and its 'New Universities Committee' in the early 1960s, follows some of the arguments of the time surrounding the expansion of the university system. It sets out the author's reflections on the experiences and aspirations of those who were central to the foundation of the new University of Sussex .     

Challenges faced by Chinese academics in the academic heartland

In an attempt to raise China’s international competitiveness, the Chinese government has instituted a series of sweeping reforms in recent years, all with the aim of rapidly expanding the number of higher education places within tertiary institutions. However, this rapid rate of expansion has led to a new set of problems, most notably a scarcity of resources, a drop in educational quality, and a weak international academic standing. In recent years, the Ministry of Education has attempted to alleviate these problems by initiating a series of employment reforms. However, the new reforms have posed a new set of challenges for university academics. Based on the data reported in this study, we can see an increased implementation of managerial measures into the university employment system. The new employment system was viewed by university academics with a great deal of scepticism and disagreement. Ultimately, after serious consideration, the academics we interviewed chose to sacrifice their standards of living in order to maintain a focus on producing serious academic work. However, they also urged the state and university to offer a more agreeable environment in which professors could concentrate on authentic academic endeavors without having to sacrifice work stability.     

The UGC's Research Rankings Exercise

The UGC's ranking of research strengths was part of a wider, radical revision of university funding. Inevitably, the exercise aroused much hostile academic criticism which stemmed from both science-based and arts-based sources: this has focused specifically on the methodology employed, the secrecy surrounding it, and the denial of appellate provision. Additional criticisms made here are: (i) the techniques devised were inadequate for the task; and (ii) that they represented a mechanistic approach to an essentially organic problem. Although the UGC exercise was deeply flawed, evaluation per se seems to have been generally accepted, however reluctantly. The exercise is unlikely to be repeated in the same form since it has been overtaken by events. Proposals for contract funding and a three-tier university system suggest that assessments will be of a different kind in future.