Contents
https://doi.org/10.24193/JRHE.2017.2
Simona Torotcoi ,
Politics and Policies of Higher Education: Policy Transfer and the Bologna Process
Abstract: In this paper, I show how a policy transfer framework can be applied to higher education in Europe, and can provide a different understanding on the relationship between multi-level governance, policy transfer and policy implementation. First, the paper offers an overview of the multi-level-ness of the European Higher Education Area (levels, actors, issues). This is paramount in a time in which discussions about governance and implementation issues are on the verge. Secondly, building on the given context, this paper applies to higher education a framework for analysing policy transfer (Dolowitz and Marsh 2000, p. 9). Thirdly, and most importantly, by combining the policy transfer and policy implementation literature, this paper puts forward a framework for analysing what facilitates or obstructs transfer in multi-level, multi-actor setting. Differentiating between three levels of implementation, namely: adoption, transposition and institutional implementation would reflect into a more appropriate approach for researching the different implementation outcomes, since the Bologna Process relies on national and institutional elements. This is significant because higher education is not an area under EU competencies; however there are similarities with other areas, e.g. the EU social policy, in terms of the method employed (OMC) to achieve the set goals, the role of the EU institutions, etc.
https://doi.org/10.24193/JRHE.2017.2.1
Daniel David, Ovidiu Andronesi, Carmen Buzea, Bogdan Florian, Silviu Matu & Lazăr Vlăsceanu,
The 2017 University Metaranking. Romanian University Ranking
Abstract. This article continues the work done for the 2016 University Metaranking and updates its results for the 2017 edition, with the new data available for 2017. The 2017 University Metaranking relies on the results of the performance of Romanian universities in international league tables / rankings in the field of higher education. The results are discussed from a qualitative and quantitative point of view; furthermore, a sensitivity analysis is also applied to them. Moreover, alongside the global results, the article discusses results on domains and subjects. Starting from the resulting metaranking, the article proposes a possible classification of Romanian universities into four classes and also suggests possible future public policies concerning especially (research) funding of performant universities at national level. Potential international and national developments are also discussed, with a view of supporting Romanian universities to improve their performance at international level.
https://doi.org/10.24193/JRHE.2017.2.2
Claudia Rus, Sofia Chirică, Dan Chiribucă & Simona Mălăescu,
University Culture: An Analysis at the Level of Research and Educational units (using the Competing Values Framework)
Abstract. The aim of the present study was to investigate the current organizational culture in one large Romanian university, using the Competing Values Framework (CVF). Specifically, we aimed to identify the current overall culture profile and the cultural dominant dimensions at the level of the education and research units. The data was provided by 898 participants, coming from 96 teaching and research units, using a paper-and-pencil form of the ipsative Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument, Part 1. The data was analysed at the level of the organizational units. The results indicated that the overall culture profile of the analysed units comprises a combination of the four cultures, with the predominance of the values of bureaucratic and human relations/clan cultures. This profile was not fully invariant across the six dimensions of the organizational culture: (1). dominant characteristics; (2). organizational leadership; (3). management of employees; (4). organizational glue; (5). strategic emphases, and (6). success criteria. The predominance of the values of bureaucratic and human relations/clan cultures is confirmed in three of the six cultural dimension profiles, namely, the organizational leadership, strategic emphases, and success criteria.
https://doi.org/10.24193/JRHE.2017.2.3
Sonia Pavlenko, Cristina Bojan,
The University between Theory and Practice. How Romanian Aspiring University Leaders Understand the University
Abstract: The debate regarding the essence of the university has been going on for centuries. Certain elements of its definition may be age (or century) -specific, illustrating the university’s adaptation to the contemporary needs of the society, while others are invariable throughout the centuries. Therefore, it is always a challenge to define the common elements defining the university, applicable at the time of investigation. Our article focuses on the question: How do individuals running for leadership positions in Romanian higher education see/understand the university?. We consider them to be highly informed actors in this field, and their views are a well-informed source of primary information. Firstly, the article reviews existing approaches and definitions of a university, trying both to identify is specifically as a higher education institution and to distinguish it from potentially similar institutions. Then, through qualitative analysis of selected electoral manifestos, it identifies a number of characteristics of the institution. Based on the characteristics identified, the article discusses possible implications of the findings for the Romanian higher education field.
https://doi.org/10.24193/JRHE.2017.2.4
Attila Gábora , Simona Mălăescu, Sonia Pavlenko,
Pull Factors Attracting Romanian Students to Babeș-Bolyai University
Abstract: Student recruitment and the geographic area from where a university is recruiting its students play a key part in institutional development and in the position a university holds in national and international rankings. Therefore, successful universities assign important resources to attracting students to the educational programmes they offer. The location of the university also plays an important role in student motivation when choosing an educational offer. In this article, we focus on the main pull factors that attract students to Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, we analyze how the city and the university’s pull factors have changed in the past years, assuming that these changes, namely the institution’s and the city’s increasing attractiveness, had an influence on the recruitment area of students. Our hypothesis is that the increasing attractiveness leads to more students coming from a national recruitment area, instead of local and regional areas, where the main base of students of the institution used to be in the past. In the second part of this article we present recruitment data for the past five years, focusing on the recruitment area and the county of origin of the students, in order to confirm our hypothesis.
https://doi.org/10.24193/JRHE.2017.2.5
