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Values and value tradeoffs in higher education policy

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Abstract

Public policies represent tradeoffs between values. Policy analysts should see one of their main tasks as identifying the nature of such tradeoffs, both as a general phenomenon and as they vary between specific policy areas. In this article five basic values of higher education are identified: equality, excellence, autonomy, accountability and efficiency. Their occurrence in Swedish higher education is analyzed, as well as the specific tradeoffs arrived at within the framework of that policy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Political Science, University of Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden

    Rune Premfors

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  1. Rune Premfors
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I am grateful to Professor Burton Clark of the University of California at Los Angeles for providing me with the opportunity to write this article.

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Premfors, R. Values and value tradeoffs in higher education policy. Policy Sci 14, 365–378 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00137397

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