Abstract
In this research, we compare interrelations between institutional settings and regional provision structures of continuing higher education (CHE) in England and Spain. The aim of the qualitative analysis is to identify and to compare country-specific linkages between national and regional policies, legal and financial regulations and their impact on providers, types of provision and target groups of CHE at the regional level. Theoretical assumptions of educational governance, environmental neo-institutionalism, and the sociology of conventions guide the analysis, based on expert interviews in England and Spain. Our research questions are: What modes of coordination of action to provide CHE are caused by national and regional regulations in England and Spain? How are these actions justified, and how do they influence regional CHE provision types and target groups in both countries? Interview-based findings show that national and regional regulations embrace hybrid modes of coordination of action regarding CHE provision in both countries. Specifically, centralised national policies in England and a mixture of centralised and decentralised legal frameworks in Spain impact regional CHE provision by universities, as does the scope of university autonomy in both countries. However, national frameworks only explain regional disparities in CHE provision to a limited extent. Less formal normative dimensions and social orders of university orientations and labour market demands also influence regional types of provision, concepts, provider cooperation, and adult CHE learners.
Highlights
Ex ante to our analysis, we describe institutional characteristics of continuing higher education (CHE) that are relevant to the research question
Due to a lack of data, it has not yet been clarified how regional characteristics and the coordination of action between, and legitimations of, different CHE providers influence types of CHE offerings and target groups. This is apparent in England, where national regulations provide a clear framework for CHE, while individual universities are empowered to engage with CHE provision differently
We focus on interrelations between national and regional regulations and policy frameworks and the provision, providers, and target groups of CHE within regional settings of universities offering CHE
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Country studies demonstrate the difficulty of comparing and explaining interactions of institutional embeddings, governing actors, and provider structures of CHE between countries [3,4,5] This complex interplay is shaped by differing regulatory frameworks of ACE, higher education (HE), and vocational education and training (VET), leading to hybrid organisational provision structures [6]. Accounting for complex CHE governance systems and focusing on universities in England and Spain, we analyse the relations of national respectively regional institutional embeddings (legal and financial regulations) and how they shape regional provision structures (providers, provision, and target groups) in the countries.
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