The financing and organization of higher education and attendant research
activities in Europe face multifaceted challenges at present, prompting the question how
to make universities fit for the 21 century economies. The symposium aims at highlighting
the issues involved while taking stock of what is known and delineating future research
agendas.
At base lies the question of how to organize higher education
efficiently while respecting various criteria of equality, fairness, and
non-discrimination.
Opening lecture will be given by Professor Nicholas Barr,
London School of Economics.
Subtopics of interest include (but are
not confined to):
How can operational objectives for the activities of higher education
be formulated and accountability implemented?
What is the proper mix of private and public funding in the financing
of higher education? How is this related to the nexus of vouchers, tuition fees,
opportunities for student loans, and tax treatments?
Is higher education productive and growth enhancing? Can it be made
more so?
How should the organization of higher education be geared to the
developments in the labor market?
How should career structures for teachers/researchers be designed?
To what extent should time and other resources for research be
competitively obtained from specialized funding agencies? Should such competition take
place on national or international arenas?
How should faculties, departments, institutes, and (e.g. business)
schools be organized?
What methods of teaching should be used, how should curricula be
designed, and how should exams be constructed and achievements assessed and graded?
What are the effects of increased international mobility among
students and faculty?
How can discrimination be avoided? Is affirmative action the way to
redress existing imbalances?
What are the political-economic factors that explain the existing
organizational forms of higher education in different countries? What can we expect these
factors to bring about in the future?
What shape will increased competition between universities take and
what will be its consequences?
Call
for papers
l If interested in participating and presenting a paper,
please e-mail an extended
abstract as an attached pdf-file to bo.larsson@nek.lu.se
l
Deadline for submissions is 20 September 2006.
l The Foundation will provide (free) accommodation for participants and also
reimburse reasonable travelcosts. There
is no participation fee. The number of
participants is limited.
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