The emergence of a concept identified as "institutional academic freedom" is explained and how it confounds the distinct values and standards traditionally used in analysis of cases involving individual rights in higher education is shown. Problems of maintaining traditional concepts of academic freedom are identified. (Author/MLW)

Discusses science policy issues and concern in China, focusing on how to balance the imperative for centralized planning and coordination in developing and using scientific and technical capabilities with the desirability of vesting a larger measure of decision-making authority in individual scientific and technical institutions and enterprises.…

Describes characteristics of continuing education agencies (resource and organizational insecurity, need for flexibility, autonomy), type of cooperation (cosponsorship, referral, donation, coordination), essential resources (money, learners, staff, information, domain, power), hidden costs (time, dislocation, goal dislocation, goal displacement,…

This study examined the ways in which for-profit comprehensive management educational management organizations (EMOs) operating charter schools respond to the need to balance school autonomy and flexibility with the fact that centralized operations require consistency, coordination, and legal constraints. The study focused on the perspective of…

Three broad subthemes were addressed in a conference focusing on the responsibilities of universities. These were anticipating change relative to university development, the international knowledge enterprise, and academic freedom and university autonomy as prerequisite for the university meeting its responsibilities. Following an introduction,…

Examines the impact the Coons and Sugarman voucher plan would have on both private and public schools. Expresses fear that religious schools would have to abandon their affiliations and that public schools would become dumping grounds for disorderly and low achieving students. (IRT)

Consortia have much to offer higher education but are often unappealing because of undue emphasis on reducing costs, inadequate attention to the range of possibilities, and mismatching of membership and mission. Four types of consortia exist according to purposes (special and general) and membership (heterogeneous or homogeneous). (MSE)

The Further and Higher Education Act (1992) heralded a significant change in funding the British further education sector. Incorporation of colleges means that financial decisions are now made at a college level, not by local education authorities. In assuming financial accountability, colleges have struggled to make commercial decisions in a…

Describes how, with budgets tightening, the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University at College Station are among the elite public institutions wondering if they should trade state money for greater autonomy. (EV)

This introduction to three papers presented at a one-day conference on scholarship, research, and teaching notes the complexity of issues facing higher education, the difficulty of relating decision making at the national level to what actually happens in the lecture room or laboratory, and the centrality of curiosity and commitment to both…

Concern that British further-education colleges are market driven led to recommendations for regional planning and collaboration. Interviews with five college principals and analysis of colleges' strategic plans found that colleges are unlikely to cooperate unless a sufficient degree of autonomy for individual institutions is provided. (SK)

The concept of the autonomous learner underlies discourse in self-directed, experiential, transformative, and lifelong learning. However, full autonomy is rarely possible for reasons of culture, gender, and class. Extensive accountability requirements also limit the autonomy of learners, teachers, and institutions. (Contains 54 references.) (SK)

Explores the economic and political contexts of assessment in New Zealand adult education. Discusses assessment in relation to power, objectivity, reliability, and validity, suggesting that accountability prevails over autonomy. Advocates a context-dependent learner-teacher partnership for assessment in adult education. (Contains 54 references.)…

Explores entrepreneurialism in universities, stressing that when done right, it strengthens university collegiality, autonomy, and educational achievement. Discusses formation of an entrepreneurial narrative, a convincing story that depicts what progressive universities are like as they combine the new and old in a revised form of organization.…

The uniqueness of the Kibbutz Artzi "social movement" of educators is illustrated and summarized in two articles: (1) The first (previous) article, "The Education Department of the "Kibbutz Artzi" as leader of "a social movement of educators" (1926-2000) influencing the environment in the sphere of formal…