Research in the Czech non-university sector: required but not supported

Prague, November 28, 2008

Research in the Czech

non-university sector:

required but not supported

Petr Pabian

Centre for Higher Education Studies, Prague


International project

Research in the non-university higher

education sector (UAS) in Europe

Participating countries: Belgium, Czechia,

Finland, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands,

Norway, Switzerland


International comparison

1) Research most developed: Finland, Norway,

Switzerland

2) Research at the middle: Ireland, Germany

3) Research underdeveloped: Belgium,

Czechia, Netherlands

International comparisonNon-university research: % of

public R&D expenditures

Norway 8.0 %

Finland 6.5 %

Switzerland 5.7 %

Ireland 4.8 %

Germany 4.1 %

Belgium 2.3 %

Netherlands 2.3 %

Czechia 0.1 %


Why is Czechia so underdeveloped?

Tertiary education in Czechia

Professional Higher education

ISCED 5B ISCED 5A

PhD.

M.A. M.A.

DiS.

B.A. B.A.

Professional colleges Non-university HEIs Universities

Non-university sector


Non-university sector in Czechia

1) Vyšší odborné školy = Professional education

colleges• 177 institutions, 28 774 students

1) Neuniverzitní vysoké školy = Non-university

higher education institutions• 46 institutions, 33 343 students


Professional education colleges

National research policy: blind spot

• Not expected to carry out research: absent

from national research policy• Excluded from public research funding• Teaching not expected to be research-based• Not expected to incite interest in research• Career development without research


Professional education colleges

Institutional strategies

• Claim no research mission / involvement

• Activities beyond teaching: professional

expertise, community service, structural funds

– not considered research


Non-university HEIs

National research policy

• No role for non-university institutions

• Focus on public universities only

Higher education policy • Teaching must be research-based• Accreditation: research credentials & output

required


Non-university HEIs

Public research funding

• No special funding mechanisms

• Eligible for all forms of funding

• Core funding: same criteria as universities

• Project funding: competition with universities,

public research institutions and others


Non-university HEIs

Public research funding in practice

• Core funding (2008): 1 non-uni HEI (3900 €)

• Project funding (1999-2007): 20 institutions,

39.projects

Total public funding (2002-2006)

• Public universities: above 20 billion CZK

• Non-university: 16.8 million CZK (650,000 €)


Non-university HEIs

Policy framework: summary

• Research policy: not expected to do research

• Public funding: not supported to do research

• Accreditation: required to do research


Non-university HEIs

Institutional strategies

• All institutions claim research involvement

• Primary focus: teaching

=> dominant position: research in the service of

teaching


Non-university HEIs

Institutional strategies: staff development

• Requirement: research qualifications

• Limitation: only universities confer those

qualifications

• Solution: attracting highly qualified academic

staff from public universities


Non-university HEIs


• Situation: competition with universities

• Universities offer lower teaching loads,

research funding, academic career prospects

• Habilitation (1999-2007): 3 out of 2478 new

docents affiliated with non-university HEI


Non-university HEIs


• Solution: dual (or multiple) affiliation

(ironically criticised by Academic

Commission)

• Problem: affiliation of these academics’

research outcomes


Non-university HEIs

Institutional strategies: re-definition

• Re-defining institutional boundaries: including

research carried by academics at other

institutions

• Re-defining research: including activities not

recognised by other actors as research


Non-university HEIs

Institutional strategies: redefining research

• Activities: developing degree programmes &

teaching materials, training courses,

consultancy, community service

• Funding: EU structural funds & education

programmes, regional & municipal authorities


Problems and challenges

Non-university HEIs: precarious position

• Contradictory policy messages: required to

carry out research but not supported to do so

• Funding: building capacities without core

funding & in competition with universities

• Staffing: dependent on universities for career

development of their academic staff



Cause: dominant position of public universities

• Research policy, funding & evaluation:

designed with only universities in mind

• Staffing: university career structure imposed

on non-uni HEIs but controlled by universities

• Accreditation: academic criteria imposed on

professional bachelor education



Solutions: diversification

• Diversifying policy: objectives for research in

non-university sector – improvement of

teaching and/or regional economy

• Diversifying funding: special mechanisms

• Diversifying career structures: abolishing

uniform accreditation requirements



Solutions: diversification

• Diversifying scholarship: recognizing and

rewarding

• scholarship of teaching & learning

• community service & knowledge transfer

beyond economic growth: quality of life

agenda


Thanks for your attention.

[email protected]

Research in the Czech non-university sector: required but not supported

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