Measuring institutional diversity across higher education systems

Abstract

Institutional diversity-the variety of higher education institutions within a higher education system-has been a popular theme in higher education (policy) research. Despite the large amount of work, key challenges to a better understanding of institutional diversity have hardly been addressed. We argue that particularly the problems of conceptualizing and measuring diversity across higher education systems are underestimated. This article therefore focuses on selecting salient dimensions of difference (i.e. important dimensions of organizational action), setting the perimeter of the populations studied, dealing with outliers and choosing appropriate diversity measures. We highlight the careful steps that need to be taken to make comparisons across higher education systems meaningful and use European data to illustrate the consequences of particular choices.

The determinants of university strategic positioning: a reappraisal of the organisation

“…Studies on the outcome of positioning processes focus on measures of country-level differentiation over time (Bonaccorsi and Daraio 2008;Bonaccorsi 2009;Fahy et al 2010;Ljungberg et al 2009;Van Vught and Huisman 2013;Bonaccorsi 2014;Huisman et al 2015) and aim to demonstrate how competition enhance systemic diversity (Bonaccorsi and Daraio 2007;Huisman et al 2008;Tammi 2009;Rossi 2010;Teixeira et al 2012). Several studies focus on internal processes, instruments and approaches adopted by the institutional leadership (Finley et al 2001;Lowry and Owens 2001;Harrison-Walker 2009).…”

“…Thirdly, size can be measured in terms of budget, students and academic staff, as well as in terms of scope of the subject mix, making a distinction, for instance, between generalist and specialist universities (Ljungberg et al 2009;Huisman et al 2015). The relation between organisational size and complexity affects university governance and decision-making processes, as well as the administrative capacity of universities to position themselves (Toma 2010;Fumasoli and Lepori 2011).…”

Framework and operationalisation challenges for quantitative comparative research in higher education

“…Decisions regarding which HEIs must be considered for the comparative analysis, namely the definition of the institutional perimeter, bear great importance and should be carefully pondered (Huisman, Lepori, Seeber, Frølich, & Scordato, 2015). HEIs are commonly defined as institutions awarding degrees at least at the bachelor level.…”

Diversidad y diferenciación en la oferta de programas de doctorado en Chile

“…De forma más general, otros trabajos se han centrado en la comprensión y medición de la diversidad institucional en sistemas de educación superior de países de la OCDE (Bonaccorsi & Daraio, 2009;Huisman, Lepori, Seeber, Frølich & Scordato, 2015;Huisman, Meek & Wood, 2007;Lepori, Huisman & Seeber, 2014). Diferentes investigadores han elaborado marcos teóricos para entender la diversidad y la diferenciación en el contexto de los sistemas de educación superior (Codling & Meek, 2006;Stirling, 2007;van Vught, 2007van Vught, , 2008, planteando enfoques teóricos para aproximarse a la cuestión (perspectiva ecológica de las organizaciones, teoría de la dependencia de recursos, isomorfismo institucional), determinadas dimensiones relevantes (tipos de instituciones, formas organizativas, tamaño, control, resultados, características de estudiantes y académicos, entre otras) y propiedades de la diversidad (variedad, balance y disparidad).…”