Amidst deep cuts to public spending, the UK Coalition government announced in 2010 that it would be substantially reducing its subsidy of social science within higher education. As part of the same deficit reduction strategy, the government is cutting funding to local authorities, disproportionately hitting urban councils in the most deprived…

Financial management in primary schools has changed in the UK with the introduction of the Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS). There is increasing delegation of financial responsibility to the management team in the school, increasing the role of the head teacher and the governing body as part of overall responsibility for the strategic…

The governing bodies of publicly funded schools in England are currently facing a number of substantive challenges of various kinds. Many of the challenges are long-standing, while others relate to the current context for governing wrought by recent education policy developments initiated by central government. A number of the challenges are…

The article focuses on tracking financial delegation (introduced nationally in January 2010) as part of the broader process of education restructuring and decentralisation in post-communist Romania. The aim is to critically pinpoint some of the challenges specific to the Romanian context, such as the multitude of policies and legislation (due to…

In Fall 2008, the Ontario government's ability to maintain and enhance a school system was tested as the economy suffered one of its most extreme downturns. This paper discusses the action adopted by the government. The unique measures undertaken by the government to lessen the impact of the economic crisis on students' learning is highlighted.

In 1993, colleges in Scotland became independent corporate bodies, funded directly by central government. This article is a review of the evolution of college management practice within the context of the political reform of the public services and recent educational policy developments in Scotland. It is an analysis of a complex and continuous…

The last five years have seen a significant increase in the involvement of the private sector in the core areas of education delivery and not just in the provision of educational support services. This growing involvement of the private sector in education has been commented on in the press and in debates on education, but it is often…

Teacher education in England has evolved to a practice-theory model, in which trainees on a one-year postgraduate certificate of education spend 24 weeks of a 36 week course in schools, rather than on the more traditional and comfortable, theory driven, predominantly Higher Education Institute (HEI) based programme. Partnership between the HEIs…

Analyzes current debate on changes in Japan's higher education system which involve "corporatizing" all national universities and introducing performance-based contractual funding. Suggests that these changes may be part of a complex game of struggle for control. (EV)

Examines changes in funding methodology for higher education in Hong Kong following the change in sovereignty, problems in financial management faced by universities because of these changes, and the actions they have taken to address the issues. (EV)

Difficulties encountered by policy makers as they seek to preserve and increase efficiency in university management are discussed, using the system of higher education in West Germany as a frame of reference. Topics include the training, research, and service functions of the university, educational finance, and the state-university relationship.…

Austerity management of universities over a ten-year period is examined. Some theoretical solutions likely to curb the escalation of higher education costs or to contribute to some leveling-off are discussed, and it is suggested that the need for lengthy research will postpone any real innovation in management until the 1990s. (Author/JMD)

Questions and issues related to the assessment of performance in institutions of higher education and the development of performance indicators are addressed. Topics include: institutional objectives, planning and control systems, non-profit performance evaluation techniques, multi-dimensional analysis, and performance indicators. (JMD)

Issues suggested by John Sizer's paper, an overview of the assessment of institutional performance, include: the efficient-frontier approach, multiple-criterion decision-making models, performance analysis approached as path analysis, and assessment of academic quality. (JMD)

The development of a planning system for the Dutch university system is described. Focus is on the characteristics of higher education and its influence on planning, a previous planning system attempt and its failure, a comparison of the previous and present systems, and problems concerning the present system. (Author/JMD)