Marketization in higher education policy: an analysis of higher education funding policy reforms in Western Europe between 1980 and 2000

Dolenec, Danijela (2005) Marketization in higher education policy: an analysis of higher education funding policy reforms in Western Europe between 1980 and 2000. Masters thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science.

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Abstract

Establishing patterns of higher education funding policy change in Western Europe in the period from 1980s to 2000 is the main objective of this study. Patterns of change are traced using the typology of welfare state regimes developed by Esping- Andersen (1990). The main assumption is that key institutional features of a welfare regime govern reform trajectories in higher education funding policies. However, in pursuit of a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics and sources of reforms, the study first offers an analysis of key contextual factors that influenced a doctrinal shift towards the marketization of higher education (section 2) and then provides a definition and analysis of marketization mechanisms in higher education (section 3). These two elements are essential for understanding the nature of the reforms in the period. After that Esping-Andersen’s typology is used to develop assumptions about regime-typical trajectories of higher education funding policy change (section 4) against which individual countries are examined (section 5). Information is gathered from primary sources: country reports, legislation, policy papers, official websites, and international organisations’ reports. Following Esping- Andersen’s typology, first Scandinavian, then Liberal and Continental European countries are presented. The initial impression of all the countries converging on marketization reforms is exposed as more complex, and key differences are pointed out. The study shows regularities within regimes do exist, and they broadly conform to the welfare regime typology. This is a relevant finding since it supports the historic institutionalists’ assumption that institutions, in this case of welfare regimes, ‘structure a nation’s response to new challenges’ (Hall and Taylor 1996). However, countries do not completely conform to type. This is partly due to the deficiency of an ideal-type classification, but more importantly it seems due to the fact that higher education funding policy cannot be fully explained by using the social policy lens.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
Additional Information: Language: English.
Uncontrolled Keywords: Welfare state typology; higher education policy; marketization
Subjects: J Political Science > JA Political science (General)
Depositing User: Karolina
Date Deposited: 11 Jan 2017 14:16
Last Modified: 11 Jan 2017 14:16
URI: http://idiprints.knjiznica.idi.hr/id/eprint/660

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