Conference theme

Universities, like social institutions in most countries, have been seriously affected by the current economic crisis. Even though the traditional mission of universities—teaching and research—is well established, the universities are increasingly expected to play a crucial, multifaceted role in the development of the modern society, globally and locally. They are not only supposed to serve as drivers of the economy, but to play a host of other important societal roles. In order to respond effectively to these challenges, the universities are expected to change.

The environment within which they operate has also changed. It is well documented that the financial landscape of universities has changed in recent decades, beginning well before the current crisis; but the crisis has magnified these changes. Globally, higher education has seen enormous growth. This often coincides with the reduction of financial backing by the state and the consequent growth of private universities. Many public universities have merged in order to enhance their strength and also to economize. Competition for students and research funding has become harsher.

Thus the universities experience financial stringency and relative hardship but, at the same time, growth and optimism, reflected in the belief that they will become the basis of economic revival and the dynamic development of society. They are certainly not expected to remain in their present form. It is seen as imperative that the universities rethink their traditional roles and their modes of operation and that they may have to accept completely new roles or missions and to reflect on their standing vis-à-vis the global social, technological and economic environment. Thus the universities face a spectrum of challenges as they forge ahead into the 21st century.

There has been an upsurge in the political debate about the role and financing of the universities. There has similarly been a widespread and somewhat uneasy discussion within the HE sector about which way to turn and how to cope with increasing and serious financial hardship, and with the various and often conflicting (but quite uncompromising) demands made by various stakeholders.

It is in this context that we look to the academic research on the HE sector and ask what ideas, commentary, guidance or reservations, does research into the operations and development of European institutions provide? What is brewing within the HE sector and within the institutions themselves? Where are they going? Where should they go? How should they proceed? What should they avoid or be wary of? What might those who are doing research on the sector want to bring to the attention of their colleagues, administrators or policy makers? And how do they think they can do this? In the arena of HE one of the few issues on which there is general unanimity is the strong faith in the importance of research, whether analytical or empirical. Thus we ask what informed advice concerning the quo vadis of HE may be derived from recent, or current, research. 

The framework presented at the 2011 CHER conference  posits three levels at which these issue can be discussed, i.e., the micro level (within institutions), the meso level (at the institutional level) and at the macro level (at the level of systems of higher education). Even if this is a somewhat simplistic division, we suggest that it can be provide a useful framework for a discussion of the future of higher education.
These three levels will be reflected in the three main tracks of the CHER conference, with an additional general track for contributions not fitting into any of these three. Many ideas could be presented within more than one track, and authors will be asked to suggest their preference.

Track I.  The primary tasks of the university; teaching and learning, researching and serving (the micro level)

There are changing or even dramatically altering missions of universities in the early decades of the 21st century. There are also questions related to the unitary notion of the university versus the notion of specialised institutions with substantial division of labour along various dimensions. All of these may alter the way we deliberate the fundamental tasks of the university. The discussion at the micro level may focus attention upon the rethinking of teaching and learning, or of university research, or of new modes for relating the two. It may also focus attention upon the changing profile of the students attending institutions of HE and may ask how well we have managed to accommodate them.


Track II. The operation of and between universities (the meso level)

The relationship between institutions has been changing substantially during the recent decades. There is to increased competition between universities both for students and research funds, with the concomitant pressure for cooperation between some of them. The institutional network is become quite complex but often quite dynamic. Discussion at the meso level would turn the focus on issues of governance, on quality issues within the institutions, on new operational methods, on new disciplines, on new modes of co-operation or networking or clustering within the research and teaching arena of our institutions, and on the nature of trans-disciplinary ideas and research.


Track III. The systems of higher education; policies, regulations and government interventions (the macro level)

The social stratum in which the universities operate has changed quite substantially in recent years, with the expectations of the contributions from the universities continues to increase, but also becoming more diffuse. At the same time governments are becoming more reluctant to fund the operational costs of the institutions. At the macro level we may discuss in what ways institutions of HE can open up to society or can concentrate on specific missions We may discuss what new partners or stakeholders the institutions have or might align with. At this level we might also want to discuss the economic, social or critical roles that universities may or may not play in a changing environment. 


Track IV. An open track; other issues

The format of the conference

We have invited three keynote speakers to make initial presentations related to the overall theme and some of the tracks. The tracks are however the backbone of the conference.  We encourage researchers from various disciplines and with different scholarly perspective to submit proposals for a presentation. In addition to established researchers we would also like to encourage both newcomers and doctoral students to participate in the 24th annual CHER conferences held in Iceland and submit  a proposal for a presentation.

After the conference the best papers will be selected and published in a conference book.