Policy and Policy Processes in Higher Education

In recent decades, systems of higher education have undergone rapid changes. These changes are expressed in and driven by policies developed both at institutional and national levels. National governments have forged policies to steer particular programs of reform but also to hold higher education institutions accountable. At the same time, institutions, and even departments and faculties, have been encouraged to develop their own policies in line with the shifting social, economic, and political contexts in which universities now operate. Most higher education institutions employ policy analysts charged with gathering evidence to develop policies and assess the extent to which they are effective in realizing particular objectives.

Policy studies in higher education in the 21st century constitute a major field of research. Policies have thus become central ...