The Diversification of Higher Education in the Comparative Perspective

1st Global Convention of UNESCO Chairs in Higher Education Dubrovnik, Croatia, 14-15 October 2011

Futao HUANG, Professor & PhD.

Research Institute for Higher Education, Hiroshima University, Japan futao@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
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Major research questions

What is higher education diversification? What are major patterns of higher education diversification ? What is the rationale for the diversification of higher education?

What is diversity in higher education

Various definitions were attributed to the terminology, for example, a description was made in the OECD document in a broad sense: the existence of distinct forms of post-secondary education, of institutions or groups of institutions in a state or nation that have different and distinctive missions, educate and train for different lives and careers, have different styles of instruction, are organized and funded differently, and operate under different laws and relationships to government. (OECD, 1998)
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Two approaches to discussing about higher education diversification

Two approaches will be made to address the issues concerning the diversification of higher education systems in Europe, the US, and Asia as follows: Diversification in higher education structure, focused on types of higher education institutions and levels of educational programs. Diversification in higher education functions or specialization of function.

Diversification in higher education systems

The Medieval Universities
Medieval

Oxbridge
Research University Modern Nonuniversity sectors 20th C. Nonuniversity sectors Fachhochschul en IUTs Polytechnics Grandes coles Traditional university
Land-grant college

Graduate Ed.
community college

Post-secondary & tertiary education

Russia

Germany

France

England

U.S
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CHINA

JAPAN

From higher education system to postsecondary education system

HIGHER EDUCATION University-type Ed. Non-university-type Ed.

FURTHER EDUCATION Adult Ed. Postsecondary Institutions

Postsecondary Education System

A conceptual description of the postsecondary education system in the US

Formal & informal learning opportunities

Specialized colleges

Non-accredited institutions

University-type

Source: The National Commission on the Financing of Postsecondary Education, 1973.

Diversification of HE systems in Europe during the Bologna process

Levels of programs
loosely-structured systems in each nation (more diversified) Research or comprehensive universities AND Higher professional & vocational institutions Clear division of labors between two sectors Convergent and compatiable three-cycled system at a European dimension (more integrated)

I II

Types of institutions

Maintaining the dual system: Norway and the Netherlands. Blurring the binary division: Germany, Austria, Finland, Portugal , Switzerland. Diversifying ranks and profiles of individual institutions, esp. a division between different universities.

Function

Diversification of HE systems in the US

Levels of programs
Several levels of educational programs at a system level Research and comprehensive universities AND Junior and four-year colleges Clear functional differentiation according to relevant institutions Growingly diversified levels of educational programs, esp. at a junior and four-year colleges. No radical changes in classic research universities in comparison to a more diversifying non-university colleges and especially diversification within institutions No distinguished changes in specialization of function among existing institutions.
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Types of institutions

Function

The impact of Western models on the formation of Asian higher education system
Late 19 C. -1945
th

Colonized & non-colonized countries Socialist countries

Westernization

Major European countries: Germany, U.K., France

Former Soviet models US models

Soviet Union

1945 -1980s

Market-oriented countries

U.S.A.

Since 1990s

Individual countries Developed & emerging countries

Internationalization

North America UK, Australia & some European countries

Asia

West world

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Diversification of HE systems in Asia since 1990s

Levels of programs An emphasis on undergraduate studies
More universities and junior colleges (Japan & Korea), less non-university sector

Integrated structure of Bachelor, Master-level and Doctoral programs at a national level Creating world-class research universities and expanding lifelong education
Creating research universities, expanding non-governmental vocationoriented institutions and transnational institutions

Types
Less universities & colleges, but more higher vocational institutions (China & Vietnam)

Increasing functional differentiation among various sectors, esp. emphasizing research function of universities
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Quantitative growth in China

Type
Largest and fastest growth of enrollment in regular fouryear universities. Particularly a rapid increase in numbers of students in Independent Colleges , which were initially attached to national or public institutions being operated with private mechanisms. They are often regarded as non-government sector.

Sector

Educational Largest and fastest increase of enrollment at undergraduate level level Field of study
Undergraduate: drop in engineering, agriculture and medicine and rise in economics, literature. Short-cycle programs: drop in literature and engineering and rise in economics, education and law.
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and qualitative enhancement in China since mid- 1990s

The first step to improve research quality of some key universities A second step to establish some world-class universities

Project 211 of 1995

To finance Peking University and Tsinghua University intensively with the purpose of enabling the two universities to reach or approach a higher level in the world. To enhance the quality of 25 other leading universities through provision of additional public revenue. To make efforts to improve the quality of over 300 key disciplines in different institutions. By September 2010, over 100 universities had been selected and given special financial support by both central government and local authorities.

Project 985 of 1998

Initially, only Peking University and Tsinghua University, the two top universities in China, were selected to be funded intensively by the central government. Since 2000, the number of universities that have been funded by the MOE, together with other Central ministries and local authorities has kept on growing. By 2010 they amounted to 39.

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Policy on facilitating seven functional differentiations among HE institutions in Japan since 2005
A center for research and education at a international level The production of highly specialized professionals The production of graduates with wide vocational knowledge and skills A comprehensive liberal or general education Education and research focused in specific fields (art, physical education, etc.) A center for providing regional lifelong learning opportunities Making contributions to society (regional contribution, academic-industry collaboration, and international exchange, etc.) (The Central Council for Education, 2008).
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Similar rationale for diversifying higher education systems in Europe, the US and Asia
-Massification of higher education A call for higher education system and individual institutions to be more diversified and responsive to the diverse body of students and their needs. -Knowledge-based society Demanding higher education institutions to produce graduates with creativity and competencies and to establish a closer linkage to industry and be more responsive to social needs -Globalization & internationalization Asking higher education institutions to be more competitive at a global level and internationalized at a regional, national and institutional levels in educational values & beliefs, personal mobility, educational programs, campus, and medis of instruction .
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Particular drivers for diversifying higher education systems in Europe, the US and Asia respectively Europe
- Existence of national identity and traditions The US
Responsive to various stakeholders - A near universal access to higher education
-

While a integrated degree-programs structure is being pursued, remarkable diversities still exist among national systems. An increasing diversification within institutions, esp. an expansion in shorter and more vocationallyoriented institutions and a closer linkage between two- and four-year colleges . Diversifying HE systems by expanding private sector and incorporation of public sector, and building up world-class universities.
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Asia
-Massification -Marketization -National strategy

Open for discussion

Differing from the increasing tendency of diversification within institutions in the US, there exists a considerable diversity in higher education system at a national level, though an convergent trend in the unity of European higher education system at a supernational dimension could be found . In many Asian countries, there has emerged not only new types of institutions and new levels of programs, but also trends of diversifying national higher education systems through specialization of function. However, in China, there has appeared a tendency of homogeneity among various institutions, while in Japan a hierarchical differentiation has occurred.

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Open for discussion (continued I)

The expansion of student enrollments has significantly led to a increasing diversification of higher education structure by creating new teaching-centered sectors or types and new levels of programs, however, no clear evidence shows that it has also caused a dramatic functional differentiation of higher education systems in Europe, the US or Asia. The diversification of the US higher education is stimulated more by market forces and the responsiveness by each institution to the needs of students, industry, employers in particular. In contrast, in Japan, China, and most European countries, the government has assumed leadership in guiding the direction, content and even the level of the diversification of higher education.
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Open for discussion (continued II)

Apparently, drivers such as massification, marketization, internationalization, globalization, and even national policy have greatly contributed to the diversification of both higher education structure and its functional differentiation, it is likely to see that responsiveness of national higher education systems to needs and interests of community, business, government, general citizenry (as well as to parents and students), as is exemplified in the US case study, may lead to a more diversified higher education structure or system.

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References
OECD (1998). Redefining Tertiary Education. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). pp. 40-41. Paris. RIHE (2011). Diversifying Higher Education Systems in the International and Comparative Perspectives (Report on the International Workshop on University Reform, 2010), Research Institute for Higher Education, Hiroshima University, Japan. Teichler, U. (2004). Changing structures of the Higher Education Systems: The Increasing Complexity Underlying Forces. UNESCO Forum Occasional Serials No. 6. pp-3-16. Paris. The National Commission on the Financing of Postsecondary Education (1973). Financing Postsecondary Education in the United States, Washingtong D.C. The Central Council for Education (2008). Daigaku no Kino Betsu Bunka to Daigaku Kan Nettowaku ni Tsuite (Sanko Shiryo) (The Functional Differentiation of Universities and Networks between Universities (reference material).( http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/shingi/chukyo/chukyo4/gijiroku/08121111/001.pdf
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Thank you!

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