Higher education policy convergence and the Bologna process : a cross-national study / Eva Maria Vogtle.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Vögtle, Eva Maria, author.

Series:

Transformations of the state

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bologna process (European higher education).

Education, Higher--Europe.

Education, Higher.

Europe.

Education and state--Europe.

Education and state.

Educational change--Europe.

Educational change.

Physical Description:

xii, 229 pages ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

Basingstoke : Palgrave Macmillan, 2014.

Contents:

1 Introduction 1

2 The Bologna Process: Emergence, Goals, and Developments 9

2.1 Members and stages of development 10

2.2 Objectives of the Bologna Process 16

2.3 The Bologna Process as multi-actor, multi-level network 19

2.4 The Bologna Process as research object 21

2.4.1 The Bologna Process as platform for policy coordination 22

2.4.2 The Bologna Process' impact on domestic higher education policies 23

3 Police Diffusion, Transfer, and Convergence 26

3.1 Concepts, mechanisms, and influential domestic factors 27

3.1.1 Founding theorists 27

3.1.2 Concepts, definitions, and areas of interest 28

3.1.3 Mechanisms of policy diffusion 32

3.1.4 Conditioning domestic and policy specific factors 38

3.2 Methods applied in policy diffusion and convergence studies 42

3.3 Research on higher education policy covergence 45

3.3.1 Policy goals 45

3.3.2 Policy content 48

3.3.3 Policy instruments 49

3.3.4 Policy outcomes 51

3.3.5 Policy styles 52

3.4 Unresolved puzzles of policy convergence research 54

4 Theoretical Framework 57

4.1 Sociological institutionalism as an explanation for covergent policy change 58

4.1.1 Assumptions of sociological institutionalism 58

4.1.2 The concept in isomorphism 61

4.1.3 Limitations of sociological institutionalism 63

4.2 Transnational mechanisms of policy convergence 65

4.2.1 Lesson-drawing 66

4.2.2 Transnational problem solving 67

4.2.3 Emulation 68

4.2.4 International policy promotion 69

4.3 Managerialism as the driving force for the harmonization of quality assurance schemes 70

4.4 The Bologna Process as a process of transnational Communication 74

4.5 Domestic factor conditioning and impact of the Bologna Process 78

4.5.1 Cultural factors 79

4.5.2 Institutional factors 79

4.5.3 Socio-economic factors 81

4.5.4 Student exchange relationships 82

4.5.5 Variables controlling for transnational communication 84

4.5.6 Hypotheses on cross-national higher education convergence 85

4.6 concluding summary 87

5 Research Design 89

5.1 Country sample and study period 90

5.2 Measurement of sigma (γ) convergence 91

5.3 Delineation of dependent variables 94

5.4 Delineation of independent variables 99

5.4.1 Cultural Factors 99

5.4.2 Political-institutional factors 99

5.4.3 Socio-economic variables 104

5.4.4 Student mobility variables 105

5.4.5 Variables controlling for transnational communication 106

5.5 Data collection and coding 107

5.5.1 Dependent variables: data collection and coding 107

5.5.2 Independent variables: data collection and coding 111

6 Descriptive Analyses of the Dependent variables 114

6.1 Convergence in adoption rates 115

6.1.1 Modularized study systems 116

6.1.2 ECTS or comparable systems 117

6.1.3 Diploma supplements 117

6.1.4 Institutionalized quality assurance 118

6.1.5 Comparison of policy adoption patterns 119

6.2 Convergence in instrumental design 122

6.2.1 Format of the study systems 122

6.2.2 Design of diploma supplements 123

6.2.3 Actors involved in quality assurance 124

6.2.4 Convergence patterns for instrumental policy design 125

6.3 Convergence in degree of implementation 127

6.3.1 Student enrolment in two-tier degree systems 127

6.3.2 Application of ECTS of comparable systems 128

6.3.3 Scope of implementation of diploma supplements 129

3.3.4 Implementation of institutionalized quality assurance 131

3.3.5 Convergencr in degree of policy implementation 131

6.4 Convergence patterns of policy domains studied 132

6.5 The impact of transnational communication on higher education policy convergence 135

7 Analysis of Causal and Conditioning Factors 139

7.1 Convergence of policy adoption rates 142

7.1.1 Two-tier program structures 142

7.1.2 Study credit transfer systems 146

7.1.3 Diploma supplements 149

7.1.4 Quality assurance systems 150

7.1.5 Policy adoption convergence patterns 152

7.2 Convergence in instrumental policy design 153

7.2.1 Format of the modularized degree systems 153

7.2.2 Design of diploma supplements 155

7.2.3 Design of quality assurance mechanisms 157

7.2,4 Instrumental policy design convergence patterns 159

7.3 Convergence in degree of policy implementation 160

7.3.1 Enrolment in two-tier study systems 160

7.3.2 Scope of application of ECTS or systems compatible with ECTS 162

7.3.3 Degree implementation of diploma supplements 164

7.3.4 Scope of application of institutionalized quality assurance 164

7.3.4 Convergence patterns for degree of implementation 167

7.4 Comparative conclusion 167

8 Conclusion 172.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 204-219) and index.

ISBN:

9781137412782

113741278X

OCLC:

883462500