University Autonomy: Higher Education in Russia Since Perestroika

by Bain, Olga

• ISBN13: 9780203499931
• ISBN10: 020349993X
• Copyright: 2003-05-01
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Summary

This study focuses on the national higher education policies and institutional strategies that foster or hinder individual Russian universities in applying newfound principles of autonomy.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Reforming Higher Education in Russia

Purpose of the study

Soviet legacy, or why changes were needed in higher education (HEd)

Perestroika movement in Russian education (1986-1990)

Regional policy in HEd reform and its implications for institutional behaviour

The status of HEd institutions in the old system and the consequences of the new stratification

The transformation of Russian higher education in the 1990s

Conclusion

Theoretical Context and the Model of Analysis

Towards a definition of university autonomy along the state-university relationship continuum

University autonomy from organizational and sociological perspectives

Autonomy of Russian Universities in the context of overarching policy from centralized planning to market

Autonomy of Russian universities in the context of center-periphery relations

University-state relations: strong versus weak central state

Centralism and localism of organizational governance: governments and universities

Factors that increase scope for local unit autonomy

Financial capacity for university autonomy

Austerity driven financial strategies of universities

Relevance of institutional autonomy

Statement of research problems and organization of the study

Research strategies and methods

Decentralization and Regional Autonomy in the Russian Federation

Introduction

Rationale for regional decentralisation and "regional ascendance"

Legal framework: conception of the state

Politics of central-regional relations and regional leadership

Regional economic discrepancies and their implications for educational provision

Issues of fiscal federalism

Conclusion

Changes in the Higher Education Sector Towards Increased Institutional Autonomy

Introduction

Context and key actors in the Russian higehr education policy

Between state and market: higher education reform trends

Factors effecting higher education today

Actors affected by national policy towards more institutional autonomy

The key areas for institutional autonomy and the current state of affairs

The financial challenge and some examples of university responses

Predicaments of institutional autonomy in higher education

Conclusion

Case Studies of Three Universities

Introduction

St Petersburg State University

Novosibirsk State Technical University

Kemerovo State University

Conclusion

Discussion and Conclusions

Strategies of individual universitiesto enhance institutional autonomy

Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research

Principles of autonomy

Effects of increased university autonomy

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