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University Governance Models

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Academic Governance in the Contemporary University

Abstract

This chapter considers some of the ways in which internal university governance is understood, starting with traditional modes such as collegial and bureaucratic governance and then extending into newer forms such as network governance. There is a strong connection with theories of the relationship between universities and the state that were discussed in the previous chapter because governance modes implemented within universities often reflect, both directly and indirectly, governance modes adopted by the state, and in more recent times, by the business and corporate sectors. One of the most important points to be made by this chapter is that modes of university governance are not always implemented sequentially but can, instead, be simultaneous, leading to multiple modes of governance in operation at the same time in ways that are sometimes complementary and sometimes in tension. This is part of what makes university governance such a complex but interesting area of research. However, the chapter also argues that while understanding university governance through the lens of various modes remains useful, there is also a need for new ways of thinking about it that reflect current developments in university operations. These developments include the blurring of lines that takes place when academics take up management positions, as is frequently the case within contemporary universities, and newer forms of academic positions that are not located in schools or departments but are, instead, positioned within the centre of the university or in service departments. The chapter concludes with observations about how traditional ways of representing collegial and managerial governance as polar opposites or a dichotomy do not reflect accurately the realities of contemporary university structures and processes. Additionally, the evolution of network governance means that academic governance no longer takes place only within universities but also in other, intra-institutional spaces. These changes each have implications for ways of understanding and practising academic governance and suggest that transformation may be both desirable and required.

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  1. School of Education, Deakin University, Warrnambool, Australia

    Julie Rowlands

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Correspondence to Julie Rowlands .

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Rowlands, J. (2017). University Governance Models. In: Academic Governance in the Contemporary University. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2688-1_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2688-1_6

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