Introduction to Human Resource Management in Higher Education with Case Studies and Future Scenarios
Attila Pausits
In recent years, university policy in Europe has been characterised by increasing reliance on the differentiation of the university system as a modernisation factor, by the catalytic forces of the Bologna Process toward shifts in thinking and acting within higher education institutions (HEI). Meanwhile, these institutions are being granted more autonomy and their behaviour in the resulting competitive situation (Hödl, E.; Zegelin, W., 1999) is expected to become more customer-oriented (Hansen, U., 1999; Nullmeier, F., 2000; Pausits, A., 2006), more cost-aware, and more sensitive towards the needs of society.
The approach adopted by public authorities with regard to universities has essentially transformed, and the shift towards enlarged ‘managerialism’ (Enders, J. et al., 2005, Pellert A., 1999) has been seriously influenced by ideas of ‘academic capitalism’ (Slaughter and Leslie, 1997) and ‘entrepreneurial universities’ (Clark, B. R., 1998).
Enders et al. developed three different scenarios for the future of higher education in Europe (Enders, J. et al., 2005). The characteristics of Centralia – the first model – would include a state-oriented organisation, European integration, synchronisation and big organisations. The second model – Octavia – would harness institutional and economic developments on the way toward a network economy and focus on control by the academic community as its crucial identity. Thirdly, in contrast to Centralia, attention is focused on a market orientation, small organisations and high freedom for decision-making or integration to describe what Enders et al. called ‘Vitis Vinifera’. Without predicting which “world” will become reality, it is clear that the wind of change has already arrived at the European higher education landscape.
File et al. point out that European HEIs will act in a setting far less secure than that of only a few decades ago. They will benefit from new self-government, which deals with crucial issues such as student selection, influencing tuition fee levels, setting employees’ income policies and deciding autonomously which programmes to offer. These will be new aspects of the universities’ interior “management existence”. Modes of competition for students, staff and contracts will increase significantly. More liberal regulations lead to greater financial independence, further chances and higher risks (File, J. et al., 2005). Academic administration and management have become increasingly complex: the institutions have so far become larger and more multifaceted, the tasks have multiplied (modern “multiversities”) and therefore the need to provide skilled management and administration has increased (Kerr, C., 2001). More management tasks have to be fulfilled at the institutional level than before. Professional HRM is an important prerequisite to enable the HEI to perceive itself as an autonomous organisation (Bleiklie, I., 2005) instead of being subordinate to central government.
Specific services of HRM have been established and developed during the last decade. Universities as knowledge-based organisation have a strong focus on the quality of their academic staff as they are responsible for teaching and research. Another important prerequisite to a successful university are their services, which highly depend on the quality of the administration and management.
The quality of management and academia will depend on the quality of HRM and functions. Interestingly state of the art literature on HRM is rather rare. Only a few publications deal with this management field in Europe. The following publication is a first set of papers, which cover concepts and functions of HRM at universities. One could argue that there are no differences in function and services of a HRM department in a company and university. Following publication identifies those important elements, which make the work at universities different but also describe issues which are common.
Background information of the creation of the HRM e-book
This e-book is a selected collection of student papers on the course ‘Human Resource Management in Higher Education’ in MARIHE program. The course ‘Human Resource Management in Higher Education’, led by Attila Pausits with contributions from Hans Pechar and others, aims to enable students to: 1) understand the theoretical foundations and the strategic role and practical instruments of HRM in HEIs 2) to assess the strategic role of HRM in HEI and 3) to implement some of the most crucial instruments of HR management in their specific institutional context. Through guiding students’ self-learning and group-work, lectures and workshops, the course introduces the HR context in HEI – extent of institutional autonomy for HR decisions in HEI in labour market conditions, discusses the current challenges of HR management in Europe and the dimensions of HR, analyses the instruments and methods of strategic HR management, manpower planning, staffing and workload targets, staff recruitment, staff development and appraisal of performance, provides an introduction into the structures, roles and responsibilities for HR management and also into the contracts, remuneration and incentives generally used in this field. (MARIHE; 2014)
Introduction of MARIHE program
In Europe as well as in other regions of the world fundamental transition processes are taking place in the systems of research, innovation and higher education: from regulation to deregulation and competition, from steering to market, from administration to management. Higher education and research institutions need highly trained experts who are able to analyse these new contexts and who have management and leadership skills to deal with the changes. The Master in Research and Innovation in Higher Education (MARIHE) is an Erasmus Mundus Masters Course offered by a consortium of Danube University Krems (Austria), University of Tampere (Finland), Beijing Normal University (China) and University of Applied Sciences Osnabrück (Germany).
MARIHE provides students a unique opportunity to develop a sound understanding of higher education systems and university development around the world. Students have the opportunity to study in at least three different universities and countries. During an internship provided by international enterprises and organisations they get insight into fields of practice.
As an Erasmus Mundus Masters Course, MARIHE is supported by the Erasmus Mundus Programme of the European Commission. By these standards, it is one of the leading master programmes in Europe. MARIHE addresses university graduates that want to pursue a career in the higher education and research sector as managers, administrators, consultants, policy analysts, researchers and decision makers. Possible employers are higher education and research institutions, public bodies such as ministries for science and education, enterprises specializing in education, think tanks and non-governmental organizations. Graduates of MARIHE are able take the lead in the future management and development of research and innovation in higher education.
International and European reform agendas have recently focused on a number of measures that are argued to lead to the modernisation of higher education as a sector and turn the HEIs into strategic organisational actors to develop countries and societies. The programme supports the development with respect to the professionalisation of institutional leadership and management functions accompanied by an emerging training and support structure for institutional managers and leaders. MARIHE is a cooperation and mobility programme in the field of higher education that aims to enhance the quality of European higher education and to promote dialogue and understanding between people and cultures through cooperation with Third-Countries. In addition, it contributes to the development of human resources and the international cooperation capacity of HEIs in Third Countries by increasing mobility between the European Union and these countries.
The curriculum of MARIHE reflects on three perspectives on the change logics involved in the worldwide developments in higher education and in HEIs:
Furthermore, modules on Theoretical Background introduce fundamental issues of higher education management. Another emphasis is given to Transferable Skills (e.g. research methods, presentation skills, languages).
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