Effects of Changes in Leadership and Management Structures in Nordic Higher Education, 2016

There is a general assumption amongst policy makers and university managers that reforms in the internal management and leadership structures of universities positively contribute to increasing performance. Yet, few studies have so far shed light on this relationship, despite the continuing external calls for internal reform and "modernization" of Nordic universities. This study (2014-2017) investigated the performance effects - in both teaching and research - of changes in leadership and managerial structures of public universities across four Nordic countries: Norway, Finland, Denmark and Sweden. The study is comparative in nature and focused on three key aspects: (i) drivers, e.g. governmental mandated reforms; (ii) actors, both within universities and at the system level; and (iii) effects, both direct and indirect. The study aimed at providing clarity on the link between internal change and performance within public universities, as well as shed light on the consequences (including unintended ones) associated with the modernization of Nordic higher education. The research problem driving the inquiry was the following: To what extent are changes in leadership and management structures related to shifts in teaching and research performance in public universities across the Nordic countries in the last decade?