Improving governance or constraining autonomy?
An earlier post covered the outcomes of a review of governance in Scottish universities and reported a number of concerns about what looked like far-reaching and extremely interventionist proposals.
Following this review the Scottish government has now indicated its response and, according to the Scotsman, it looks set to adopt many of the recommendations:
THE Scottish Government has unveiled a radical shake-up of the country’s universities and colleges.
• Education secretary Mike Russell unveils plans for a shakeup of pay and quotas
• Labour’s education spokesman Hugh Henry likened the plans to a ‘power grab’
• Scotland’s colleges currently undergoing mergers following earlier plans to save money and prevent duplication of courses
Education secretary Mike Russell said he had accepted “virtually all” the recommendations of a review of university governance, which called for elected chairs, quotas for female board members and curbs on the pay of high-earning principals.
Universities Scotland has sought to respond in a measured fashion to this development. The Scotsman carries the piece by Alastair Sim:
The von Prondynski review set out a range of affirmations and challenges for the sector. Some of these are matters of public policy or of legislation, and it’s important that universities and government keep talking to find ways forward which will genuinely improve the effective and responsive governance of Scottish universities. We welcome the recognition in the minister’s statement that this will be an evolutionary process which may include adaptation of the original proposals. Let’s use the time between now and proposed legislation to make sure we are getting things right.
Let’s hope they do keep talking. The review recommendations do, on the face of it, seem to represent significant challenges to institutional autonomy in Scotland and offer not insubstantial increases in the bureaucratic burden on universities. Serious consideration needs to be given to whether these proposals will really improve governance and institutional success or, as many fear, will in fact limit the ability of Scottish universities to deliver their missions.
