Assessing Performance within Higher Education in Norway Ole-Jacob SKODVIN Marie WIEN FJELL Geir Åge ANDREASSEN Arne MOI Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research Department of Higher Education

Background: Result oriented planning (ROP) – Management by objectives Since 1980s: increased focus on quality, efficiency and effectiveness in the public sector in general Since 1980s: increased focus on quality, efficiency and effectiveness in the public sector in general All Ministries in Norway were mandated to implement reform measures All Ministries in Norway were mandated to implement reform measures – Resembling those that often come under the “new public management umbrella”

“The new public management umbrella” Decentralisation of tasks from the central level and increased institutional autonomy Decentralisation of tasks from the central level and increased institutional autonomy Increased emphasis on results and output, introduction of systematic evaluation activities Increased emphasis on results and output, introduction of systematic evaluation activities More power to consumers of public goods More power to consumers of public goods A clearer divide between service funding and service production A clearer divide between service funding and service production Increased competition, often by allowing private actors to compete in the public service production Increased competition, often by allowing private actors to compete in the public service production Privatisation of public service production Privatisation of public service production

Result-oriented planning (ROP) or Management by objectives Introduction of result-oriented planning (ROP): Introduction of result-oriented planning (ROP): –a new accounting system for the public sector and systematic use of evaluations in all public sectors In HE: Management by objectives In HE: Management by objectives –Since 1990s: the main principle for the governance of higher education institutions (HEIs) –As a result of the Norwegian Quality Reform ( ), all higher education institutions were given significantly greater autonomy in managing and organising their activities Risk assessment/risk management Risk assessment/risk management

Management by objectives within higher education We have four main objectives: 1. Universities and university colleges should offer education of high international quality 2. Universities and university colleges should obtain results of high international quality in research and development work 3. Universities and university colleges should be educational institutions and research institutions with integrity and ability to meet the needs of the society 4. Management of employees and economy at the universities and university colleges should secure efficient exploitation of resources

New ways of governing HEIs Management by objectives has made the previous micromanagement of HEIs outdated Management by objectives has made the previous micromanagement of HEIs outdated The institutions have been given more autonomy, while the Ministry has developed tools for assessing in which degree HEIs fulfil the objectives The institutions have been given more autonomy, while the Ministry has developed tools for assessing in which degree HEIs fulfil the objectives Two main approaches for governing HEIs: Two main approaches for governing HEIs: –Performance based funding system –Annual consultative meetings Indicators are essential for measuring goal achievement Indicators are essential for measuring goal achievement

Objective 1: Education of high international quality Funding system Consultative meetings Number of ECTS-credits obtained by the students at each institution Number of ECTS-credits obtained by the students at each institution Number of incoming and outgoing exchange students Number of incoming and outgoing exchange students 25 % of government funding Number of applicants Number of applicants Registered students Registered students Number of candidates Number of candidates ECTS-credits per student ECTS-credits per student Marking distribution Marking distribution Percentage of failure Percentage of failure Completion rates of students Completion rates of students

Objective 2: Results of high international quality in research and development work Funding system Consultative meetings Number of PhD-candidates Number of PhD-candidates Research grants from EU Research grants from EU Research grants from the Research Council of Norway Research grants from the Research Council of Norway Scientific publishing Scientific publishing 15 % of government funding Completion rate of PhD- students Completion rate of PhD- students Number of scientific employees Number of scientific employees

Objective 3: Integrity and ability to meet the needs of the society Funding system Consultative meetings Indicators measuring communication of R&D results and innovation are under development Students registered in further education courses. Students registered in further education courses. Number of ECTS-credits taken in further education courses Number of ECTS-credits taken in further education courses

Objective 4: Efficient exploitation of resources in management of employees and economy Consultative meetings Degree of budget implementation Degree of budget implementation Size of external funding and various sources of funding Size of external funding and various sources of funding The liquidity position The liquidity position Accounts accepted by the Office of the Auditor General of Norway Accounts accepted by the Office of the Auditor General of Norway

Challenges Only indirect indicators for measuring quality in education Only indirect indicators for measuring quality in education Few indicators measuring integrity and ability to meet the needs of the society Few indicators measuring integrity and ability to meet the needs of the society We need better indicators for measuring effectiveness We need better indicators for measuring effectiveness Development of more precise indicators will improve our ability to measuring goal achievement and governing the HEIs Development of more precise indicators will improve our ability to measuring goal achievement and governing the HEIs Participation in the StatRes pilot project is one of our strategies for improving our indicators Participation in the StatRes pilot project is one of our strategies for improving our indicators

Examples of prospective indicators Objective 1 Objective 3 Objective 4 Number of graduates getting relevant job Number of graduates getting relevant job Income two/five years after graduation Income two/five years after graduation Communication of R&D results (e.g. newspaper articles) Communication of R&D results (e.g. newspaper articles) Student projects in cooperation with business community Student projects in cooperation with business community Costs per student/ECTS- credits Costs per student/ECTS- credits Other effectiveness indicators Other effectiveness indicators

Further information Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research: Norwegian higher education system: