Romulo Pinheiro | University of Agder (original) (raw)

Papers by Romulo Pinheiro

EGOS 2020, 2019

This sub-theme addresses critical queries related to the role of higher education in mitigating/p... more This sub-theme addresses critical queries related to the role of higher education in mitigating/promoting socio-economic inequalities, at a historical time where the legitimacy of modern institutions, including science, is being questioned. In order to address these and related issues, we appeal to organizational scholars working within and across disciplinary fields and resorting to a multiplicity of methodologies. We are particularly keen to receive papers that build on methodological and conceptual/theoretical perspectives that are both novel and critical, and that have the potential for providing a bold framework for re-adjusting our scholarly gaze insofar the role played by science and higher education in more just, equitable and responsible societies.

Multi-campus universities are not a new phenomenon per se, but they have become an increasing fea... more Multi-campus universities are not a new phenomenon per se, but they have become an increasing feature of contemporary higher education systems all over the world. In the case of Northern Europe, multi-campus universities are the consequence of contraction patterns resulting from overcapacity, fragmentation and rising competition. This paper has two main objectives. First, to take stock of the existing scientific literature on multi-campus universities and, on that basis, develop a novel conceptual framework for categorizing such systems, with focus on the level of autonomy and profile enjoyed by the individual campuses composing a given system or university. Second, we provide new empirical insights as a way of testing and contextualizing our conceptual model, by drawing upon a case university located in the Nordic countries.

Access to higher education has become a key policy issue in most European countries in since the ... more Access to higher education has become a key policy issue in most European countries in since the last half of the last century. We trace the historical development of the ways in which governments in two countries within the region, Norway and Poland, have attempted to steer developments. Three access waves or phases are identified and contextualized, by illuminating dominant policy logics and tensions. Our analysis suggests that “coping with the flow” reflects a continuous attempt to instrumentalize higher education and make it serve different political goals: equity, efficiency, and responsiveness. As for the institutions, these have either resisted or embraced government-led initiatives while protecting their institutional autonomy. We show empirical evidence of the fact that the two countries have undergone similar waves and policy measures, yet these have resulted in distinct institutional responses due to national peculiarities, history, local politics, and deeply rooted acade...

Global Challenges, Local Responses in Higher Education, 2014

In most European countries, the Nordic region included, higher education (HE) has undergone a pro... more In most European countries, the Nordic region included, higher education (HE) has undergone a profound transformation in the last couple of decades. This process is partly a result of substantial changes in society - such as declining birth rates, an ageing population and the rise of a global knowledge-based economy - in tandem with broad policy efforts aimed at modernising the public sector (Peters & Savoie, 1998) as a means of guaranteeing the future sustainability of the (Nordic) welfare state (Christiansen, Petersen, & Haave, 2005). Across Europe, higher education institutions (HEIs) are increasingly expected to respond more efficiently to the needs of society. Amongst other things, this implies taking on board a new set of functions and societal expectations: economic development and innovation (Pinheiro, Benneworth, & Jones, 2012); fostering interdisciplinary collaborations (Nowotny, Scott, & Gibbons, 2001) and carrying out activities in a more efficient (Frølich, Huisman, Slipersæter, Stensaker, & Bótas 2013), professionalised (Gornitzka & Larsen, 2004) and socially-accountable (Stensaker & Harvey, 2011) manner. In order to respond to this rather complex set of external demands, HEIs have been adapting their internal goals, strategies and organisational structures (Beerkens, 2008; Pinheiro, 2013) and strengthening their core competencies, not least in the realm of research (Kyvik & Lepori, 2010; Aksnes et al., 2012). Fiercer competition - for students, staff, funding and prestige (Kehm & Stensaker, 2009) - is leading HEIs to seek the benefits associated with economies of scale, e.g. through formal mergers (Pinheiro, Aarevaara, & Geschwind, 2013). Some have argued that what we are witnessing is a move from HEIs as loosely-coupled systems (Clark, 1983; Birnbaum, 1988) towards them being more tightly-integrated, strategic, organisational actors (Whitley, 2008; Ramirez, 2010).

New Voices in Higher Education Research and Scholarship, 2015

The European Union’s Lisbon Strategy (2000-2010) set a bold vision of a “Europe of Knowledge” whe... more The European Union’s Lisbon Strategy (2000-2010) set a bold vision of a “Europe of Knowledge” where universities are seen as central actors. A modernisation agenda of universities has been promoted in recent years, focusing on the contribution of the sector to reaching regional and national economic goals. This chapter takes stock of ongoing national reforms across 17 European Union countries. Data
pertaining to two key elements—societal relevance (in the form of university-industry relations) and scientific excellence—is analysed. The author discusses the findings in the light of conceptualisations surrounding the relevance-excellence nexus in higher education, as well as current policy dynamics and scholarly debates across the region. The chapter concludes by recommending future research directions.

In the Nordic context, regional dimensions have long played an important role in policy making pr... more In the Nordic context, regional dimensions have long played an important role in policy making processes spanning across a multiplicity of sectors and policy arenas. This chapter sheds light on the convergence between regional policy and higher education policy by illustrating recent developments from Norway, with a particular emphasis on the Northern most parts of the country. Following the conceptual section, there is an analysis of the interplay between regional policy and higher education. This is followed by a description of a recent government-
led strategic initiative focusing on knowledge structures in the North. The next section examines how the regional higher education sector, most notably the largest comprehensive research-intensive university in the area, has strategically responded to disruptive changes in the operational and regulatory environments in order to carve a central role in the new strategic/policy framework. The chapter concludes with brief reflections on the key findings as far as regional and higher education policy is concerned.

South African higher education (HE) has been in a state of transformation ever since the country ... more South African higher education (HE) has been in a state of
transformation ever since the country became a modern
democracy in the mid-1990s (Mouton 2003; Swartz 2006). In
recent years, a major item in the policy agenda has been the
consolidation (rationalisation) of the sector via institutional
amalgamations or mergers, a framework set out in the 2001
‘National Plan for Higher Education’ (Cloete et al. 2004). Besides
eleven traditional research-intensive universities offering
discipline-based degrees and seven universities of technology
focusing on career-orientated and professional programmes, the
new institutional landscape includes five comprehensive (or dual)
universities combining both roles. The creation of comprehensive
institutions was driven by a governmental desire for the following
four conditions: (i) improved access to, and articulation between,
different types of programmes; (ii) efficiency gains; (iii) research
synergies; and (iv) enhanced responsiveness to regional (social
and economic) needs (Oosthuizen 2009).

There is a general tendency amongst policy and certain academic circles to assume that universiti... more There is a general tendency amongst policy and certain academic circles to assume that universities are simple strategic actors capable and willing to respond to a well-articulated set of regional demands. In reality, however, universities are extremely complex organizations that operate in highly institutionalized environments and are susceptible to regulative shifts, resource dependencies, and fluctuations in student numbers. Understanding universities’ contributions—and capacities to contribute—to regional development and innovation requires understanding these internal ynamics and how they interact with external environmental agents. Based on a comparative study across various national settings and regional contexts, the chapter highlights the types of tensions and volitions that universities face while attempting to fulfil their “third mission.” Building upon the existing literature and novel empirical nsights, the chapter advances a new conceptual model for opening the “black box” of the university-region interface and disentangling the impacts of purposive, political efforts to change universities’ internal fabrics and to institutionalize the regional mission.

South African higher education (HE) has been in a state of transformation ever since the country ... more South African higher education (HE) has been in a state of
transformation ever since the country became a modern
democracy in the mid-1990s (Mouton 2003; Swartz 2006). In
recent years, a major item in the policy agenda has been the
consolidation (rationalisation) of the sector via institutional
amalgamations or mergers, a framework set out in the 2001
‘National Plan for Higher Education’ (Cloete et al. 2004). Besides
eleven traditional research-intensive universities offering
discipline-based degrees and seven universities of technology
focusing on career-orientated and professional programmes, the
new institutional landscape includes five comprehensive (or dual)
universities combining both roles. The creation of comprehensive
institutions was driven by a governmental desire for the following
four conditions: (i) improved access to, and articulation between,
different types of programmes; (ii) efficiency gains; (iii) research
synergies; and (iv) enhanced responsiveness to regional (social
and economic) needs (Oosthuizen 2009).

The conceptual point of departure adopted in this paper is that of the university as an open syst... more The conceptual point of departure adopted in this paper is that of the
university as an open system (Scott, 2003), tightly interconnected with
external dynamics, demands and expectations. A distinction is made between
conceiving of the university as an instrument versus as an institution. An
attempt to operationalize the five types of ambiguities characterizing the
university as a distinct organizational entity is made. The focus here lies on
the degree of institutionalization of the regional mission across the board. The
data used is drawn from a comparative, qualitative study of three (comprehensive)
universities located in relatively peripheral regions in Norway, Finland
and South Africa (Pinheiro, 2012a). More specifically, the chapter sheds light
on a number of major tensions associated with the institutionalization of the
third mission, in light of the dynamic interplay between university dynamics
and external demands both within and beyond the region. A major aim of the
chapter is to provide a framework for reflecting (conceptually) and assessing
(empirically) the inherent tensions and dynamics emanating from processes of
external engagement and internal transformations (Perry and Harloe, 2007),
thus helping to shed light on the complexity associated with the “black-box” of
the university (Maassen and Stensaker, 2005).

Higher Education in Societies, 2014

Pinheiro, R. and Benneworth, P. and Jones, GA (2012) What next? Steps towards a recategorization ... more Pinheiro, R. and Benneworth, P. and Jones, GA (2012) What next? Steps towards a recategorization of universities' regional missions. In: Universities and regional development: a critical assessment of tensions and contradictions. Routledge, London, 241-255. ISBN 9780415893558

EGOS 2020, 2019

This sub-theme addresses critical queries related to the role of higher education in mitigating/p... more This sub-theme addresses critical queries related to the role of higher education in mitigating/promoting socio-economic inequalities, at a historical time where the legitimacy of modern institutions, including science, is being questioned. In order to address these and related issues, we appeal to organizational scholars working within and across disciplinary fields and resorting to a multiplicity of methodologies. We are particularly keen to receive papers that build on methodological and conceptual/theoretical perspectives that are both novel and critical, and that have the potential for providing a bold framework for re-adjusting our scholarly gaze insofar the role played by science and higher education in more just, equitable and responsible societies.

Multi-campus universities are not a new phenomenon per se, but they have become an increasing fea... more Multi-campus universities are not a new phenomenon per se, but they have become an increasing feature of contemporary higher education systems all over the world. In the case of Northern Europe, multi-campus universities are the consequence of contraction patterns resulting from overcapacity, fragmentation and rising competition. This paper has two main objectives. First, to take stock of the existing scientific literature on multi-campus universities and, on that basis, develop a novel conceptual framework for categorizing such systems, with focus on the level of autonomy and profile enjoyed by the individual campuses composing a given system or university. Second, we provide new empirical insights as a way of testing and contextualizing our conceptual model, by drawing upon a case university located in the Nordic countries.

Access to higher education has become a key policy issue in most European countries in since the ... more Access to higher education has become a key policy issue in most European countries in since the last half of the last century. We trace the historical development of the ways in which governments in two countries within the region, Norway and Poland, have attempted to steer developments. Three access waves or phases are identified and contextualized, by illuminating dominant policy logics and tensions. Our analysis suggests that “coping with the flow” reflects a continuous attempt to instrumentalize higher education and make it serve different political goals: equity, efficiency, and responsiveness. As for the institutions, these have either resisted or embraced government-led initiatives while protecting their institutional autonomy. We show empirical evidence of the fact that the two countries have undergone similar waves and policy measures, yet these have resulted in distinct institutional responses due to national peculiarities, history, local politics, and deeply rooted acade...

Global Challenges, Local Responses in Higher Education, 2014

In most European countries, the Nordic region included, higher education (HE) has undergone a pro... more In most European countries, the Nordic region included, higher education (HE) has undergone a profound transformation in the last couple of decades. This process is partly a result of substantial changes in society - such as declining birth rates, an ageing population and the rise of a global knowledge-based economy - in tandem with broad policy efforts aimed at modernising the public sector (Peters & Savoie, 1998) as a means of guaranteeing the future sustainability of the (Nordic) welfare state (Christiansen, Petersen, & Haave, 2005). Across Europe, higher education institutions (HEIs) are increasingly expected to respond more efficiently to the needs of society. Amongst other things, this implies taking on board a new set of functions and societal expectations: economic development and innovation (Pinheiro, Benneworth, & Jones, 2012); fostering interdisciplinary collaborations (Nowotny, Scott, & Gibbons, 2001) and carrying out activities in a more efficient (Frølich, Huisman, Slipersæter, Stensaker, & Bótas 2013), professionalised (Gornitzka & Larsen, 2004) and socially-accountable (Stensaker & Harvey, 2011) manner. In order to respond to this rather complex set of external demands, HEIs have been adapting their internal goals, strategies and organisational structures (Beerkens, 2008; Pinheiro, 2013) and strengthening their core competencies, not least in the realm of research (Kyvik & Lepori, 2010; Aksnes et al., 2012). Fiercer competition - for students, staff, funding and prestige (Kehm & Stensaker, 2009) - is leading HEIs to seek the benefits associated with economies of scale, e.g. through formal mergers (Pinheiro, Aarevaara, & Geschwind, 2013). Some have argued that what we are witnessing is a move from HEIs as loosely-coupled systems (Clark, 1983; Birnbaum, 1988) towards them being more tightly-integrated, strategic, organisational actors (Whitley, 2008; Ramirez, 2010).

New Voices in Higher Education Research and Scholarship, 2015

The European Union’s Lisbon Strategy (2000-2010) set a bold vision of a “Europe of Knowledge” whe... more The European Union’s Lisbon Strategy (2000-2010) set a bold vision of a “Europe of Knowledge” where universities are seen as central actors. A modernisation agenda of universities has been promoted in recent years, focusing on the contribution of the sector to reaching regional and national economic goals. This chapter takes stock of ongoing national reforms across 17 European Union countries. Data
pertaining to two key elements—societal relevance (in the form of university-industry relations) and scientific excellence—is analysed. The author discusses the findings in the light of conceptualisations surrounding the relevance-excellence nexus in higher education, as well as current policy dynamics and scholarly debates across the region. The chapter concludes by recommending future research directions.

In the Nordic context, regional dimensions have long played an important role in policy making pr... more In the Nordic context, regional dimensions have long played an important role in policy making processes spanning across a multiplicity of sectors and policy arenas. This chapter sheds light on the convergence between regional policy and higher education policy by illustrating recent developments from Norway, with a particular emphasis on the Northern most parts of the country. Following the conceptual section, there is an analysis of the interplay between regional policy and higher education. This is followed by a description of a recent government-
led strategic initiative focusing on knowledge structures in the North. The next section examines how the regional higher education sector, most notably the largest comprehensive research-intensive university in the area, has strategically responded to disruptive changes in the operational and regulatory environments in order to carve a central role in the new strategic/policy framework. The chapter concludes with brief reflections on the key findings as far as regional and higher education policy is concerned.

South African higher education (HE) has been in a state of transformation ever since the country ... more South African higher education (HE) has been in a state of
transformation ever since the country became a modern
democracy in the mid-1990s (Mouton 2003; Swartz 2006). In
recent years, a major item in the policy agenda has been the
consolidation (rationalisation) of the sector via institutional
amalgamations or mergers, a framework set out in the 2001
‘National Plan for Higher Education’ (Cloete et al. 2004). Besides
eleven traditional research-intensive universities offering
discipline-based degrees and seven universities of technology
focusing on career-orientated and professional programmes, the
new institutional landscape includes five comprehensive (or dual)
universities combining both roles. The creation of comprehensive
institutions was driven by a governmental desire for the following
four conditions: (i) improved access to, and articulation between,
different types of programmes; (ii) efficiency gains; (iii) research
synergies; and (iv) enhanced responsiveness to regional (social
and economic) needs (Oosthuizen 2009).

There is a general tendency amongst policy and certain academic circles to assume that universiti... more There is a general tendency amongst policy and certain academic circles to assume that universities are simple strategic actors capable and willing to respond to a well-articulated set of regional demands. In reality, however, universities are extremely complex organizations that operate in highly institutionalized environments and are susceptible to regulative shifts, resource dependencies, and fluctuations in student numbers. Understanding universities’ contributions—and capacities to contribute—to regional development and innovation requires understanding these internal ynamics and how they interact with external environmental agents. Based on a comparative study across various national settings and regional contexts, the chapter highlights the types of tensions and volitions that universities face while attempting to fulfil their “third mission.” Building upon the existing literature and novel empirical nsights, the chapter advances a new conceptual model for opening the “black box” of the university-region interface and disentangling the impacts of purposive, political efforts to change universities’ internal fabrics and to institutionalize the regional mission.

South African higher education (HE) has been in a state of transformation ever since the country ... more South African higher education (HE) has been in a state of
transformation ever since the country became a modern
democracy in the mid-1990s (Mouton 2003; Swartz 2006). In
recent years, a major item in the policy agenda has been the
consolidation (rationalisation) of the sector via institutional
amalgamations or mergers, a framework set out in the 2001
‘National Plan for Higher Education’ (Cloete et al. 2004). Besides
eleven traditional research-intensive universities offering
discipline-based degrees and seven universities of technology
focusing on career-orientated and professional programmes, the
new institutional landscape includes five comprehensive (or dual)
universities combining both roles. The creation of comprehensive
institutions was driven by a governmental desire for the following
four conditions: (i) improved access to, and articulation between,
different types of programmes; (ii) efficiency gains; (iii) research
synergies; and (iv) enhanced responsiveness to regional (social
and economic) needs (Oosthuizen 2009).

The conceptual point of departure adopted in this paper is that of the university as an open syst... more The conceptual point of departure adopted in this paper is that of the
university as an open system (Scott, 2003), tightly interconnected with
external dynamics, demands and expectations. A distinction is made between
conceiving of the university as an instrument versus as an institution. An
attempt to operationalize the five types of ambiguities characterizing the
university as a distinct organizational entity is made. The focus here lies on
the degree of institutionalization of the regional mission across the board. The
data used is drawn from a comparative, qualitative study of three (comprehensive)
universities located in relatively peripheral regions in Norway, Finland
and South Africa (Pinheiro, 2012a). More specifically, the chapter sheds light
on a number of major tensions associated with the institutionalization of the
third mission, in light of the dynamic interplay between university dynamics
and external demands both within and beyond the region. A major aim of the
chapter is to provide a framework for reflecting (conceptually) and assessing
(empirically) the inherent tensions and dynamics emanating from processes of
external engagement and internal transformations (Perry and Harloe, 2007),
thus helping to shed light on the complexity associated with the “black-box” of
the university (Maassen and Stensaker, 2005).

Higher Education in Societies, 2014

Pinheiro, R. and Benneworth, P. and Jones, GA (2012) What next? Steps towards a recategorization ... more Pinheiro, R. and Benneworth, P. and Jones, GA (2012) What next? Steps towards a recategorization of universities' regional missions. In: Universities and regional development: a critical assessment of tensions and contradictions. Routledge, London, 241-255. ISBN 9780415893558

Watch video seminar here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT04U-MwYeg

Sørensen, M., Geschwind, L., Kekäle, J., & Pinheiro, R. (Eds.). (2019). The Responsible University: Exploring the Nordic Context and Beyond. London: Palgrave Macmillan., 2019

This book explores how the notion of the responsible university manifests itself at various level... more This book explores how the notion of the responsible university manifests itself at various levels within Nordic higher education. As the impetus of the knowledge society has catapulted the higher education sector to the forefront of policy agendas, universities and other types of higher education institutions face increasing scrutiny, assessment and accountability. This book examines this phenomenon using the Nordic countries as cases in point, given the strong public commitment towards widening participation and public research investments. The editors and contributors analyse the history and current transformations of the idea of the responsible university, investigate new innovations in the educational landscape and look into how universities have begun to organise themselves to become more responsible. Drawing together scholars from the humanities and the social sciences, this interdisciplinary collection will be of interest and value to students and scholars of the role and nature of the modern university, in addition to practitioners and policy makers tasked with finding solutions to address the competing and often contradictory demands posed by a responsibility agenda.

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are under increasing pressure to show their societal relevn... more Higher education institutions (HEIs) are under increasing pressure to show their societal
relevnce. This is partly a function of the impetus brought about
by the rise of the knowledgebased economy and, concurrently, the premium put on the
manipulation and transfer of knowledge assets (Varga, 2009), in addition to highlevel skills
embodied in the human capital of nations and regions (OECD, 2007).