The Timeframe of Performance-based Allocation Systems and its Strategic Impact in Higher Education Institutions

Even under conditions of enhanced autonomy for higher education institutions, the State retains political responsibility for the higher education sector, for which “new governance instruments” have been developed. These must coordinate with each other if the overall strategy is not to be thwarted by contradictory outcomes. Furthermore, it is important to take the dimension of time into account, since the intruments produce outcomes at varying rates. The system by which the North Rhine-Westphalia State awarded 20% of the public budget to higher education institutions on the basis of performance indicators will be efficacious in a different timeframe than the merger (also State-prescribed) of the Unviersity of Duisburg-Essen. Its outcomes follow a different “lifecycle”. It appears that the two instruments have not yet been successfully coordinated.

30.06.2008 | Lothar Zechlin (Duisburg-Essen)