Journal of Research and Innovation in Higher Education

Institutional impact of performance-based funding in Finnish higher education: Changes and effects on institutional behaviour

Jenny Henrika Nygård — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Performance-based funding (PBF) is widely adopted across European countries and has also been implemented in the Finnish higher education sector, with the first elements of performance measurement introduced in the 1990s. Similar to other Nordic countries, Finland faces challenges related to the financial, political, social, and sustainability aspects of its welfare model, which have triggered government-led reforms and initiatives within the scope of New Public Management (NPM), significantly impacting the higher education sector. In the heavily publicly financed higher education system characterised by ambitious objectives, funding remains a central challenge. Delivering more with less resources is increasingly important, particularly considering national ambitions and demographic trends. Although Finnish higher education institutions hold significant autonomy in international comparison, their heavy reliance on public funding directly impacts their actual autonomy. Furthermore, the funding models for higher education institutions has become an instrument of public authority steering. Investigating the effects of funding models is particularly interesting in the Finnish context, which has one of the most performance-oriented systems globally with a strong emphasis on outputs. Unlike many European universities, a fixed budget is not allocated to Finnish universities. Instead, they obtain public funding based on competition and the relatively unique approach within the Finnish context contributes to an interesting research environment. While the popularity and attention directed towards PBF in Europe is high and an extensive body of literature exists on various topics related to it, there is limited research on its impact on institutional performance and behaviour. Hence, this article aims to explore the diverse effects of the funding models, as identified in prior research, on institutions and their behaviour. According to the reviewed literature, PBF significantly impacts institutional behaviour in various areas, such as research and publication patterns. The funding schemes and indicators clearly communicate expectations to the higher education sector through direct financial incentives and as a result, institutions adjust their behaviour to maximise funding opportunities. A recent OECD evaluation questioned whether Finland truly needs to focus so heavily on outputs in its funding model. This aligns with the findings and challenges discussed in this article.

Examining the state of internationalization of higher education and public diplomacy in China

Brian Kiprop Ngetich, Collins Bulolo — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0700

Over the previous years, China has successfully attracted a huge population of international scholars to its tertiary education system as a response to the global trend of internationalization of higher education. Given this high increase in numbers, this article seeks to explore the trend of China’s internationalization of higher education, diving into the interplay of diplomatic relationships shaping the sector and the international student experiences in the country. The article draws on empirical and literature review studies from reputable databases such as Scopus to fill the dearth of knowledge in the area. The findings of the research reveal that language abilities affect the international student’s experience in the classroom, including low engagement levels and academic progress. On the other hand, international students are socially disconnected and immersed in the local communities, with the lack of Chinese proficiency being a major driver. Based on the findings, the study calls for mutual understanding between foreign students, local scholars, and Chinese faculty staff to resolve these issues.

Responsible research assessment reform in Europe: Where does Georgia stand?

Nino Gogadze — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0700

The study explores the implementation of the CoARA agreement in a non-EU, post-Soviet context and presents the current state of research assessment external policies and challenges faced by Georgian signatories to the CoARA agreement. The purpose of this study was twofold: firstly, to explore the implementation of the CoARA agreement in Georgia; and secondly, to evaluate Georgia's position within the ongoing responsible research assessment reform in Europe, while also offering future prospects for adapting the CoARA agreement to Georgia’s context.

To achieve these research objectives, a qualitative multiple case study design was employed. Georgia and Austria were selected for their distinct perspectives: Georgia offers insights from a non-EU, post-Soviet context, while Austria represents the EU context. The study used two different data collection methods: desk research for secondary data and semi-structured interviews for primary data collection. The documents analyzed during the desk research included legislation, strategic and policy documents, as well as institutional policies from the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement and the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia. The second phase of the research involved interviews with representatives from signatory organisations of the CoARA agreement and other relevant stakeholders engaged in research assessment in Georgia and Austria.

The findings of the study indicate that the state of research assessment in Georgia reflects a mixed landscape of progress and challenges. While discussions around research assessment are prevalent, Georgia is in the early stages of responsible research assessment reform compared to developments in Europe, particularly in Austria.