1. The Bologna Process Bergen, 19-20 May
Report from working group 4
INSTITUTIONAL AUTONOMY AND GOVERNANCE
Rapporteur Christina Ullenius

2. How should public responsibility and institutional autonomy be balanced in the Bologna Process for optimal co-operation and division of labour between public authorities and autonomous institutions?
Are there elements of institutional autonomy that are essential to the Bologna Process?

3. Does increasing institutional autonomy imply a stronger and more centralized institutional leadership? (Such as the appointment of a University President by the Executive Board instead of the Academic Senate electing a Rector?).

4. Does increasing institutional autonomy imply a stronger influence from external decision-makers (ministry of education) on the composition of the institutional leadership?
Finally
Should this theme be brought forward for further discussion in the Bologna process after Bergen?

5. Autonomy - accountability
Autonomy defined within a legal framework
Higher education institutions accountable to society at large
Governments accountable to HEI for providing the necessary means to achieve Bologna objectives

6. The necessary means to obtain Bologna objectives
A legal framework and financial means
Trends IV identifies national level regulation that interferes with or restricts implementation of change
Creative HEIs in a decentralised system contribute best to Bologna objectives; mobility, compatibility, comparability.
How do we prove that we do the job better if we have autonomy on some issues?

7. The necessary means to obtain Bologna objectives – to be granted to HEI
A legal framework; formal autonomy
Academic autonomy; curricula, programs
Financial autonomy; to prioritise
Admission of students
Recruitment, selection and management of staff
Internal structure, governing bodies, etc

8. The necessary means to obtain Bologna objectives - governments
A legal framework;
State regulated degree structure
Standardised credit system, e.g. ECTS
Student support

9. Guiding principles
Governance should be developed in balance with cultural framework
Grant student participation
Transparent decision-making structures
Interaction with stake-holders
Improved managerial skills in HEI leadership
Avoid overregulation

10. Conclusions: There are issues to be brought forward in the Bologna process
Best practice in governance? Change is necessary
Remove legal obstacles to change and creativity
Focus on QA, outcomes
Trust in institutions to take charge of implementation of the Bologna process