Abstract
Existing university ranking systems blur differences between Higher Education Institutions because they only focus on research. The increased breadth, diversity and complexity of Higher Education Institutions’ missions are repeatedly overlooked causing a low visibility to a wide audience. This paper demonstrates the possibilities to measure other missions such as international orientation and regional engagement. Therefore, the results of 618 Higher Education Institutions (Effective March 2016) in U-Multirank, an international university ranking, are used. The results show the impressive variety in the higher education systems among European regions. Every region found missions in which they effectively perform thus proving the importance of each mission. The multidimensional ranking takes into account the complexity of Higher Education Institutions’ missions and capturing the relevance of Higher Education Institutions third mission’s activities adequately. Transparency across all missions is the only possibility to make the performances honourable. As research is not the only remarkable mission of Higher Education Institutions, teaching is not the only necessary mission. When other missions are overlooked, the performance measurement systems hinder mission diversity in higher education.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Benneworth, P., & Osborne, M. (2013). Knowledge, engagement and higher education in Europe. (G. U. innovation, Ed.) Higher Education in the World (5 becomes clear, that), pp. 219-232. Retrieved from http://www.guninetwork.org/files/iv.5_1.pdf
Benneworth, P., & Zomer, A., (2011). The rise of the university’s third Mission (Vol. reform on higher education in Europe). (J. Enders, H. de Boer, & D. Westerheijden, Eds.) Rotterdam: Sense publishers.
Borghans, L., & Cörvers, F., (2009, September). The Americanization of European higher education and research. (IZA DP no. 4445). (F. z. labor, Ed.) Bonn. Retrieved from http://ftp.iza.org/dp4445.pdf
Capello, R., & Lenzi, C. (2011, August). Territorial Patterns of Innovation in Europe. Barcelona. Retrieved from http://www-sre.wu.ac.at/ersa/ersaconfs/ersa11/ersa11acfinal01902.pdf
Carayannis, E. G., & Campbell, D. F. (2009). “Mode 3” and “quadruple Helix”: Toward a 21st century fractal innovation ecosystem. International Journal of Technology Management, 46(3/4), 201–234.
Chatterton, P., & Goddard, J. (2000). The Response of Higher Education Institutions to Regional Needs. European Journal of Education, Vol. 35, No. 4, 2000, pp. 475–496. Retrieved from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.642.8571&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Conway, C., Humphrey, L., Benneworth, P., Charles, D., & Younger, P. (2009). Characterising modes of university engagement with wider society: A literature review and survey of best practice. Newcastle upon Tyne. Retrieved from https://pure.strath.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/characterising-modes-of-university-engagement-with-wider-society(4d1309f0-e4d2-4de6-a7d1-74ed25f799dc)/export.html
E3M-Project. (2012). Green Paper-Fostering and Measuring ´Third Mission´ in Higher Education Institutions. Retrieved from http://www.e3mproject.eu/docs/Green%20paper-p.pdf
Etzkowitz, H., & Leydesdorff, L. (2000). The dynamics of innovation: From National Systems and "mode 2" to a triple Helix of university-industry-government relations. Research Policy, 29, 109–123.
European Commission. (September 2011). Supporting growth and jobs – An agenda for the modernisation of Europe’s higher education systems. Brussels. Retrieved from: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/repository/education/library/policy/modernisation_en.pdf
European Commission. (2012, November). Overview of the higher education systems in the tempus partner countries - Eastern Europe. (issue 11). Retrieved from http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/tools/documents/11_high_educ_sys_121218_EN_single.pdf
European Commission. (2017, January). Annex I Erasmus+ Programme annual report 2015, Statistical Annex. Brussels. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/sites/erasmusplus/files/erasmus-plus-annual-report-2015-annex-1_en.pdf
Fägerlind, I., & Strömqvist, G. (1998). Higher education reform in the global context - what ever happened to the nordic model? In I. Fägerlind, & G. Strömqvist (Eds.). Unesco International Institute for Educational Planning. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001390/139015e.pdf
Funtowicz, S. O., & Ravetz, J. R. (September 1993). Science for the post-normal age. FUTURES, S. 739–755. Retrieved from https://www.uu.nl/wetfilos/wetfil10/sprekers/Funtowicz_Ravetz_Futures_1993.pdf
Gal, Z., (2013). The regional engagement of mid-Ranke universities in Central Eastern Europe - Sustainable University strategies in the era of post-mass education. (I. L.-T. Europe, Ed.) Retrieved from hdl.handle.net/11155/196.
Gibbons, M., Limoges, C., Nowotny, H., Schwartzman, S., Scott, P., & Trow, M. (1994). The new production of knowledge: The dynamics of science and research in contemporary societies. London: Sage Publishing.
Hauschildt, K., & Liedtke, M. (2016, April). EUROSTUDENT-Kurzdossier: Auslandsmobilität und Internationalisierung der Studierenden im Europäischen Hochschulraum [EUROSTUDENT-brief dossier: International mobility and internationalization of students in the European higher education area]. Hanover: Deutsches Zentrum für Hochschul- und Wissenschaftsforschung GmbH. Retrieved from http://www.dzhw.eu/pdf/21/2016-06-29_bericht_ev_kurzdossier_mobilitaet.pdf
Jacob, A. K., & Teichler, U. (2011). Der Wandel des Hochschullehrerberufs im internationalen Vergleich [the change of the university teaching profession in international comparison]. Bonn, Berlin: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung.
Katsarova, I. (2015, March). Higher education in the EU - approaches, issues and trends. (European parliamentary research service, Ed.) Retrieved from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2015/554169/EPRS_IDA(2015)554169_EN.pdf
Klemencic, M. (2016, Spring). Regional perspectives on higher education in Europe: Diversity and cooperation. (6/2016). (A. C. college, Ed.) Boston. Retrieved from http://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Pages/International-Briefs-for-Higher-Education-Leaders-2016.aspx
Krücken, G. (2006, January). Wandel - welcher Wandel? Überlegungen zum Strukturwandel der universitären Forschung in der Gegenwartsgesellschaft [change - which change? Reflections on the structural change of university research in contemporary society]. die Hochschule, pp. 7-18.
Lux, G. (2010). From industrial periphery to cultural capital? Restructuring and Institutionbuilding in Pécs. In: Suchacek, J. – Petersen, J. (eds.). Developments in Minor Cities: Institutions Matter. Ostrava. Technical University press. Pp. 103-119.
McCormick, A. C. and Borden, V. M. H. (2017). Higher education institutions, types and classifications of. In J.C. shin, P. Teixeira (eds.), encyclopedia of international higher education systems and institutions, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9553-1_22-1.
S. Morris-Lange (2016, Spring). Shifting paradigms? Reflections on student mobility between Europe and the United States. International Briefs for Higher Education Leaders: Engaging with Europe: Enduring ties, new opportunities (6/2016). (A. C. college, Ed.) Boston. Retrieved from http://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Pages/International-Briefs-for-Higher-Education-Leaders-2016.aspx
S. Paletschek (2002). Die Erfindung der Humboldtschen Universität [the invention of the Humboldt University]. Historische Anthropologie 10, pp. [183] - 205. Retrieved from https://freidok.uni-freiburg.de/fedora/objects/freidok:4701/datastreams/FILE 1/content.
Porter, M. E. (2000). Location, competition and economic development: Local networks in a global economy. Economic Development Quarterly, 14(1), 15–34.
Prause, G., (2014, May 17). Smart Specialization and EU Eastern Innovation Cooperation: A Conceptual Approach. (T. U. Technology, Ed.) Vol. 4, No 1 (16). Retrieved from https://www.degruyter.com/downloadpdf/j/bjes.2014.4.issue-1/bjes-2014-0001/bjes-2014-0001.pdf
Reichert, S. (2009). Institutional diversity in European higher education: Tensions and challenges for policy makers and institutional leaders. (E. U. association, Ed.). Retrieved from https://eua.eu/downloads/publications/institutional%20diversity%20in%20european%20higher%20education%20%20tensions%20and%20challenges.pdf
Roessler, I., Duong, S., & Hachmeister, C.-D. (2015, February). Welche Missionen haben Hochschulen? Third Mission als Leistung der Fachhochschulen für die und mit der Gesellschaft [which missions do universities have? Third Mission as a performace of universities for applied sciences for and with society]. Guetersloh. Retrieved from http://www.che.de/downloads/CHE_AP_191_Profilierung_durch_Third_Mission.pdf
Wilson, L. (2009). Foreword. In: Reichert: Institutional Diversity In European Higher Education: Tensions and challenges for policy makers and institutional leaders. (E. U. association, Ed.). Retrieved from https://eua.eu/downloads/publications/institutional%20diversity%20in%20european%20higher%20education%20%20tensions%20and%20challenges.pdf.
Ziman, J. (2000). Real science - what it is, and what it means. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Roessler, I., Catacutan, K. Diversification around Europe – performance measuring with regard to different missions. Tert Educ Manag 26, 265–279 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11233-020-09057-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11233-020-09057-x