1. Higher Education Reform in Albania
Ministry of Education and Science,
Arjan Shahini

2. Outline Public Management: Central Authorities
Priorities (Gov.  National Strategy for Higher Education )
Expansion: Example  Private Education (approach + current state)

3. Central Authorities Government / MoES Parliament
Public management and governance of higher education
Central Authorities:
Government / MoES
Accred. Council
Council of Higher Education and Research
National Examination Center + Immatriculation
Parliament
Committee on Education and Means of Public Information
the Committee on Work, Social Issues and Health

4. Objectives of the strategy
Develop the society and promote democratic standards.
Develop economically and equally the country through education of a qualified work force.
Fulfill the development aspirations of the young generations.
Develop and consolidate a wide and adequate knowledge base for the benefit of the country.

5. Strategic priorities
Expand the system (increase supply)  meet the needs of the country and create higher education opportunities for all .
Ensure diversity in education offers  in line with the requirements of the future development of the country.
Improve the quality of teaching and learning  continuous training of human resources and fostering a culture of quality.
Improve governance mechanisms  grant HEIs adequate autonomy conditional upon the achievement of quality management, accountability and transparency.
Develop methods, schemes and levels of financing  student’s based (need and merit – SL) for teaching and competitive for research institutions (SDF).

6. Approach: Reform & Innovation
Top-Down
Reform
Education Inst.
Innovation
Type of Process: Top-down versus bottom-up,
Impetus for Change: Internal versus external to the institution (some involve both)
Scope of Participation: Local versus national
Bottom-Up

7. Main Areas of Reform Learning Teaching Modernization Mobility
Curriculum
Learning
Teaching
Modernization
Mobility
Labor market
Life-long
Funding
Diversified
Tuition fees
Loans
Governance
Accountability
Autonomy
Strategic partnerships
Quality assurance
Modernize
Management
Equal access
Internationalization
Research & Development
Reg. Dev. Centers
Research Institution
Merge teaching & research

8. Strategy Evaluation: Problems
Increase in environment’s complexity
Resistance to change
Difficulty predicting future
Increasing number of variables
Rate of obsolescence of plans
National and global events
Decreasing time span for planning certainty
Lack of capacities for the implementation

9. II. Expansion: Instruments
Liberalization of the education market: allow private providers (profit and non-profit).
Increase capacities (“consolidation and growth of the capacities of the existing institutions”)
Concentrated only in some fields of study (economic priority sectors: tourism, agricultural, food industry).
Gradual increase of the number of students.
Support regional universities

10. II. Expansion: e.g private education (a)
Approach:
Mix: Laissez –faire with market competition*
No funding; tax incentives for students
Private sector free to set tuition fees
Limited regulation, but regular auditing
No special laws
state introduces market elements in the higher education market
creates open market structure
state encourage private-public competition
* Zumeta W. (1997) State Policy and private Higher Education: Past, Present and Future. In: J. Smart (ed) Higher Education Handbook of Theory and Research. Volume XII. New York: Agathon Press:

11. II. Expansion – Private Education (b)
Policies
Introduction of market elements (marketization) in the education system
Permissive policy for private providers to enter the market (licensure procedure)
Substitute funds and / public funding (in the future!)
Results
Increase in private education institutions (46 by 2012)
Profilization of higher education institutions (study programs, professional colleges).
Increase in enrollment in private education ( by 2011).
Consequences
Few elite HEIs
Public universities are more selective than private (due to state matura exam)
Private might go bankrupt or merge
Private sector is left to itself.

12. II. Expansion: Categories of private HEIs
Elite
Identity
Semi-elite
Non-elite
Demand absorbing
For-Profit

13. II. Expansion: Improve quality
Accreditation & quality assurance (new quality standards & benchmarks)
Inform the students about the quality of the supply (Ranking)
Encourage the establishment of professional colleges (less restrictive licensing procedure)
Prepare students of secondary level for the university (2+2 obligatory state examination)
Obligatory certificate in English for the master-level (law)
Internationalize the HEIs

14. Private Education II Quality Assurance
Accreditation Agency
Accreditation Council
Ministry of Education and Science
State Standards of Evaluation and Accreditation
Yearly monitoring / inspection
Informing students about the quality: Ranking!
CHE
Methodology: Multidimensional
Results

15. I. Expansion: Improve quality
Accreditation & quality assurance (new quality standards & benchmarks)
Inform the students about the quality of the supply (Ranking)
Encourage the establishment of professional colleges (less restrictive licensing procedure)
Prepare students of secondary level for the university (2+2 obligatory state examination)
Obligatory certificate in English for the master-level (law)
Internationalize the HEIs

16. II. Curriculum Reform Evaluate the implementation of Bologna Standards
Follow the Bologna Process: 3-cycle system;
Competence based learning;
Flexible learning paths;
Recognition & mobility (internationalize curricula)
Adapt/restructure content, structure, teaching methods and materials;
Establish joint study programmes;
Establish links with the labour market (two year vocational schooling/college).

17. III. Governance Increase the autonomy of universities
Modernise the capacity, management and governance of higher education institutions and at the Ministry.
Management of students’ services
Build strategic partnerships, international and domestic relations with the private und state actors etc.
Ensure the quality of education (QA)
Promote a quality assurance culture
Increase accountability (toward government and the public)
Ensure equality and transparency in accessing the higher education

18. III. Governance: Accountability
Appointment (government or board)
Representation (internal + external)
Financial accountability (budget)
Differentiated functions between academics and executives.
Performance – (reporting + monitoring + ranking + accreditation)
Responsiveness toward market needs

19. IV. Research and Development: Strategy and Instruments
Document: National Strategy of Science, Technology and Innovation, 2009
Integration of the research institutes in the higher education system
Innovation (applied research)
Establishment of interdisciplinary centers (Technology Transfer Centers and Agencies)
Assist in the development of the local community and businesses
Set up networks of cooperation with the most important industries
Share costs with the private sector and attract funds from international research programs.
Raise public awareness
Achieve excellence in the priority areas of development (agro-food and tourism)