EVALUATING THE TEMPUS PROGRAMME: SUCCESSES AND PROBLEMS OF HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE 1

An account of the results of a TEMPUS evaluation is given. It reflects the experiences of the evaluators in the course of their work. While the TEMPUS Programme can be characterized as being very successful, the evaluation nevertheless unearthed a number of problems. The pure numbers and facts presented for the quantitative and structural development of higher education in central and eastern Europe are quite impressive. They are set against an assessment of the quality of cooperation between central and eastern European partners and western partners and of the relations between the institutional, the national, and the supranational levels of higher education development. The account is framed by a critical reflection of the role of western experts and evaluators in central and eastern Europe.