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Encyclopedia of International Higher Education Systems and Institutions pp 1–7Cite as

Policy Outcomes and Effects in Higher Education

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Synonyms

Impact

Definition

Outcome refers to changes resulting from a certain action (such as a policy decision).

Introduction

Evaluation of the outcomes and effects attributable to policy-making processes and their resulting policies has long been part and parcel of higher education practice and scholarship. The variety of contributions on the theme is overwhelming and makes the study of policy outcomes and effects in higher education an empirically complex undertaking, both in methodology and in concepts. Aiming to deconstruct the complexity, this entry opens with a clarification of major terms and contexts relevant to the problematic. Terminological clarification is followed by presentation of major conceptual premises and the methodological challenges associated with the evaluation of impacts. Three challenges – causality, isolation of net effects, and utility in complex environments – are discussed in some detail, leading into a concluding outline of an agenda for future research....

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

    Jan Kohoutek & Martin Nekola

Authors
  1. Jan Kohoutek
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  2. Martin Nekola
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jan Kohoutek .

Section Editor information

  1. CIPES, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Alberto Amaral

  2. Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    António Magalhães

  3. Centre for Research in Higher Education Policies (CIPES), Porto, Portugal

    António Magalhães

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Kohoutek, J., Nekola, M. (2018). Policy Outcomes and Effects in Higher Education. In: Encyclopedia of International Higher Education Systems and Institutions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9553-1_139-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9553-1_139-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-017-9553-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-9553-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference EducationReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Education

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