The current structure of governance and decision making in Swedish higher education and the effects of recent national reform on perceived and actual autonomy at the central, regional, and local levels are discussed. An initial desire for more decentralized decision making has turned to increasing demand for more guidance by central organizations.…

The effect of external factors on higher education curricula cannot be fully understood unless attention is paid to governing and controlling factors and to the historical, societal and economic context of the programs. The current market-orientation of regional colleges and the implementation of a nurse education reform are discussed. (Author/MLW)

A theory of university autonomy is evolved that considers such elements as research, student recruitment and admission, physical environment, and administrative organization. The higher education systems of Sweden (before and after reform), Germany, the United States, and Britain are compared. (MSE)

Compares national higher education quality assessment systems in Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, focusing particularly on the balance between internal and external societal needs in the systems' design and organization. Results indicate that systems are highly adjusted to each country's specific governance strategies, resulting in very…

Evolution of the relationship between academic and administrative functions in Swedish universities is traced over 30 years. Attention is given to a shift toward administrative power during a period of university democratization, and partial restoration of academic leadership in the 1990s. Two distinct patterns of administrative structure are…