1. The Regionalization of Higher Education The case of Norway NORPOL Project, Poznam September 2-4, 2009 Rómulo Pinheiro, Research Fellow University of Oslo rmtpinhe@uv.uio.no

2. Setting the Stage Population: 4.8 Mill. (09) – 6.9 Mill. by 2060* Geography: 323k km2 Immigrants: 9.7%; 7.6% non-Western (08) Inhabitants (per km2): 16 (08) Population Growth: 1.3% (08) GDP per capita: +/- 50K USD (07) HE investments: 1% GDP (07) R&D Investments (07): –1.65% GDP (34K man years) –11K man years (HEIs)

3. Tertiary Education 7 universities 6 specialised institutions (university level) 26 university-colleges (2 private) Tertiary Enrollments (08): –225K (6K overseas) –49% University level. 45% colleges. 9.3% Private (spes. univ.) –61% female enrollment –Tertiary attainment (06) (25-64 y.o.): 32.9% (25-34 y.o.): 41.5% Sources: Statistics Norway & OECD

4. Regional Landscape 434 Municipalities 79% population in urban areas Decline 20-24 y.o. after 2015/25 (Northern Noway -12%) Northern counties: Indigeneous Minorities: Sami, Kverne.

5. Regional Policy/HE Policy (Summary of main phases) Three main waves or phases (see slides for details): –Phase 1: Expansion (late 1960s- late 1980s) Regional colleges + North most university at Tromsø –Phase 2: Integration/Consolidation (early 1990s-2003) Notion of Network Norway Mergers amongst colleges Common legal framework –Phase 3: Differentiation (2003-today) Quality Reform: Institutional ”Profiling” Stjernø Commission’s report: 4 proposed models Merger of Uiv. Tromsø w/ regional college (expected to play a key role in new High North strategy)

6. Regional Policy/HE Policy (1/3) Phase 1: Expansion Ottosen Commission (1965) –Creation of Regional Colleges across the country (Key words: Massification, democratisation, local relevancy/vocational) –System coordination via ’regional councils’ for HE –Regional colleges attracted primarily regional publics (Berglund 2004) –Reduce pressures on universities (resistance towards proposed reforms) 1970s: Creation of Northern most university in the world (above Artic circle, at Tromsø) –Rationale: Train teachers and doctors for the region –Revert ’brain drain’ patterns to the South: Oslo/Bergen/Trondheim –Complacency after period of innovativeness. Drift process follows initial claim of distinctiveness – ”Not like Oslo or Bergen!”

7. Regional Policy/HE Policy (2/3) Phase 2: Integration/Consolidation Early 1990s: Hernes Commission (1988). Notion of a ’Network Norway ’. Increased Ministerial supervision. Division labour by type HEI. Focus: Quality and Internationalisation. Studies indicate that policy impacted positively on public & private service sectors at the regional level (Sæther et al 2000). Mid 1990s: Merger of small professional schools (teachers, nurses, etc.) w/ regional colleges. Emergence of binary system: 4 Universities vs. 26 Colleges (previously 98 vocational colleges). 1996: Inclusion of state colleges in the same legal framework (Act) as universities. Changes in college governance (elected leaders) & graduate education/research (selected areas)

8. Regional Policy/HE Policy (3/3) Phase 3: Differentiation 2003/4: Quality Reform in HE (Bologna++) –Colleges allowed to become universities; if 2/4 PhD programs have ”regional relevancy & national significance” 2007: 2 new universities (Ås & Kristiansand/South East) – 2 new specialised university institutions. 2008: Stjernø commission: Future outlook of the system. Integration models; Multi-campus, Big colleges, networks, mergers. Negative reactions but gradual adaptations 2009: Univ. Tromsø merges w/ local College. Idea of a ”University of the North” rejected by Bodø (College). New UiT a key actor in Norway’s High North Strategy. Regional dimension being re- discovered – distinct research profile!

9. Key Lessons (?) Policy matter – for the good or worse! Geography matters – regional publics of HE Demographic trends matter – consolidation driven by decline in student numbers (pos-2015) University matters – Tromsø seen as a huge success case of ’regional policy’. High North strategy impossible without Tromsø as a knowledge hub for the region. Leadership matters (Marek) – Univ. Tromsø has engaged & pro-active Rector