Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Old Players—New Rules: Higher education institutions’ response to educational demand

  • Published:
Tertiary Education and Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Performance indicators and performance-based funding are becoming integral components of higher education (HE) policy around the globe. We explore some of the implications of this type of policy on Norwegian HE. We believe the case will be of significant interest to policy-makers, stakeholders and academics alike, not least because our empirical analysis indicates that competition for students is relatively stable and not particularly aggressive across groups of higher education institutions (HEIs) and over time. Despite this fact, a few HEIs have improved their share of applications, while others have fallen behind in the competition for students. The paper is based on a unique data set drawn from the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service during the period 2003–2009.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aamodt, P. O. (1995). Floods, bottlenecks and backwaters: An analysis of expansion in higher education in Norway. Higher Education, 30(1), 63–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aamodt, P. O., Hovdhaugen, E., & Opheim, V. (2009). Effects of a national higher education reform on the academic progress of students. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 15(2), 220–234.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aamodt, P. O., & Kyvik, S. (2005). Access to higher education in the Nordic countries. In T. Tapper & D. Palfreyman (Eds.), Understanding mass higher education: Comparative perspectives on access (pp. 121–138). London: RoutledgeFalmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Becher, T., & Trowler, P. (2001). Academic tribes and territories: Intellectual enquiry and the culture of the disciplines (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker, G. S. (1975). Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boudon, R. (1974). Education, opportunity and social inequality. New York, NY: John Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourdieu, P., & Passeron, J.-C. (1977). Reproduction in education, society and culture. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, R. (1984). Towards a theory of college choice: A model for college search and choice behaviour. Edmonton: University of Alberta Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, B. R. (1983). The higher education system: Academic organization in cross-national perspective. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frolich, N. (2008). The politics of steering by numbers: Debating performance-based funding in Europe. NIFU STEP Report No. 3/2008. Oslo: NIFU STEP.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freiich, N. (forthcoming). Multi-layered accountability: Performance funding of universities. Public Administration.

  • Frelich, N., Brandt, S., Hovdhaugen, E., & Aamodt, P. O. (2009). Coping by copying? Higher education institutions’ student recruitment strategies. Tertiary Education and Management, 75(3), 227–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frelich, N., Schmidt, E. K., & Rosa, M. J. (2010). Funding systems for higher education and their impacts on institutional strategies and academia: A comparative perspective. International Journal of Education Management, 24(1), 7–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frelich, N., & Stensaker, B. (2010). Student recruitment strategies in higher education. Promoting excellence and diversity? International Journal of Education Management, 24(4), 359–370.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frelich, N., & Strom, B. (2008). Higher education and incentives: Evidence from a Norwegian funding reform. European Journal of Education, 43(4), 563–576.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldthorpe, J. H. (2000). On sociology. Numbers, narratives and the integration of research and theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hossler, D., & Gallagher, K. (1987). Studying college choice: A three-phase model and the implication for policy makers. College and University, 62(3), 207–221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hovdhaugen, E., Frelich, N., & Aamodt, P. O. (forthcoming). Informing institutional management: Institutional strategies and student retention. European Journal of Education.

  • Kyvik, S. (2009). The dynamics of change in higher education: Expansion and contraction in an organisational field. Dordrecht: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsen, I. M. (2007). Om styling og ledelse av universiteter og hogskoler. Mellom fagfellesskap, hierarki, politikk og marked [On the management and governance of higher education institutions. Between disciplines, hierarchy, politics and the market]. Oslo: Unipub AS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liefner, I. (2003). Funding, resource allocation, and performance in higher education systems. Higher Education, 46(4), 469–489.

    Google Scholar 

  • March, J. G., & Olsen, J. P. (1996). Institutional perspectives on political institutions. Governance, 9(3), 247–264.

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). (2008). Tertiary education for the knowledge society (Vol. 1). Paris: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pollitt, C., & Bouckaert, G. (2000). Public management reform: A comparative analysis. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, J., & Taylor, R. (2003). Performance indicators in academia: An X-efficiency approach? Australian Journal of Public Administration, 62(2), 71–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, G. (1992). Changing patterns of finance in higher education. Bury St Edmunds: St Edmundsbury Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Erica Waagene.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Frølich, N., Waagene, E. & Aamodt, P.O. Old Players—New Rules: Higher education institutions’ response to educational demand. Tert Educ Manag 17, 163–179 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1080/13583883.2011.552628

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13583883.2011.552628

Keywords

Navigation