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Storting White Paper on the governance policy for

state universities and university colleges
Øyvind Johnson (unofficial translation by Bjarne Skov)

11.05.2021

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Kunnskapsdepartementet
 Styringsverktøy
Governance system
• University Act • Financial system and
• National regulations incentives
• Economy systems • Allocation –
• State employee act earmarking, provisions
Legal • Competition arenas
• Other legislation Financing
regulation • Buildings

Analyses, signals and

information

• Types of institutions
Govern.- • Types of affiliation
Organizing • Two board- and leadership
• Governance of institutions dialogue
• Evaluation/result governance modes
• Development agreements • Mandatory boards
• Financial Allocation letter • Administration of buildings
• Contact conference, meeting

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 Quantitative results at universities and
university colleges
More
publish
more
More More take
students doctoral d

Good
quality
More
to schools eksternal
and health
income
Record
More finish money from
studies
EU

Kilde: Tilstandsrapporten

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 A double challenge
I
• Life-long learning and research driven
innovation and development of the private
sector/industry are getting more and more
important in the meeting with global
megatrends.
• This demands flexibility and change, also in the
university and university college sector.
II
• Evaluations show we have a complex
governance system with very many goals and
means of action that work simultaneously, the
actual effect of the single incentive is uncertain.
• It is unclear how we govern and which
responsiblitiy pertains to the institutions

• Altogether this makes the institutions less able

to fulfil the societal needs and take part in the
societal change we are in.

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 Governance must therefore balance two
considerations
I. Governance should secure national needs of governance:
Quality, capacity and relevance in research and higher
education.

II. Academic freedom is a central democratic value and a

high degree of autonomy of the institutions is the
foundation for effective use of resources and the
development of quality.

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 Governance policy – four principles for good
governance
Dialogue based governance
Governance dialogue as the central means of
governance.
Transparent and predictable governance being
implemented in collaboration with the institutions.
Strategic governance
Long-term and overarching governance avoiding
detailed directions.
Intensified governance as needed to follow up
specific quality challenges, which can then be
eliminated.
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Differentiated governance
Governance is there to secure diversity in the sector
in order to support national variety and the role of
regions.
Governance must be adapted to each institution’s
individual character, professional profile and
strategy.
Knowledge based governance
Openness on the results of the sector through
publication, evaluation and further investigations.
Systematic use of evaluations, data og analysis, for
example in the new directorate and knowledge
about good governance.
 Kunnskapsdepartementet

Thank you for your attention!

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