Governance of Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

Governance includes the issues of autonomy and accountability. In most countries, including developing countries, autonomy is being extended to higher education institutions (HEIs) in order to increase the flexibility which these institutions require to meet the needs of the society and the economy. Autonomy is the prerogative and the ability of an institution to act by its own choices in pursuit of its mission and goals. This ensures optimum allocation of resources for achieving the stated goals and missions of HEIs which are knowledge creation and dissemination. These institutions are mission- oriented and although they have a significant impact on the economy and the society, their action and results are not directly measurable in financial terms. Autonomy encompasses three areas - academic, institutional, and financial. Academic autonomy is the freedom for faculty members to operate freely which would lead to intellectual wealth of great quality. Institutional autonomy includes operational freedom and freedom of decision-making by the institute's constituents. Financial autonomy means the freedom to raise and use funds according to its priorities and internal rules. An institution cannot have full institutional autonomy without financial autonomy. Allowing financial autonomy with accountability would assess the effectiveness of the institution in disseminating knowledge to its students. Autonomy of publicly funded institutions also implies societal accountability. Institutions operate in a given environment. Therefore, their actions and outcomes must be consistent with the demands of the external environment. Societal concern assumes great significance as governance in HEIs cannot be devoid of environment and social responsibility. Every organization's actions influence the members of the society, directly or indirectly. Therefore, HEIs should strive to strike a balance between needs of their stakeholders, demands of the society, and autonomy. A socially responsible HEI should perform the following duties: Be a resource and supporter for public policies and issues. Ensure admission to all qualified students from all sections of the society. Facilitate quality education and research. Assist in professionalizing management practice of socially desirable but under-managed sectors. Help business and industry through training, research, and consultancy. Research on the issues that are significant for the government, the industry, and other sectors and disseminate the research findings. Collaborate with other academic institutions to help them improve their aca- demic standards. Organizations take a lot from the society and hence should also give back to the society. This attitude will sustain them over a long period of time.