University Policy and Coordination Systems between Governments and Universities: The Experience of the Catalan University System

Abstract

The co-ordination, control and financing mechanisms for higher education institutions have been the subject of ongoing political analysis and technical debate within university systems over recent years. The interrelationships between governments (as the ones in charge of university policy), universities and society have in recent years undergone a restatement process, due principally to the widespread changes that have occurred in the higher education environment. In this context, the university system of Catalonia (Spain's most advanced and dynamic autonomous region) has, since 1997, been undergoing a new co-ordination experience between the government and universities centred around the programme-based contract formula, which has opened the way to a new system of financing and control of academic outputs for universities. The object of this paper is to critically analyse this experience (completely new to the Spanish university scene) in order to draw conclusions from the debate in progress on higher education co-ordination, financing and university autonomy.