Instrument eller institusjon? Skiftende politiske prioriteringer

Abstract

In Norway, as in all other industrialised countries, a strong expansion in higher education started in late 1950s. This was politically initiated with the aim of a better educated work-force and also broadening access to higher education socially and regionally as well as by gender. In the late 1960s a major reform was initiated in Norway to establish alternatives to universities to handle the expected growth. A new non-university, geographically spread sector was created with the clear aim of stimulating development in all corners of the country. The present chapter analyses the shifting policies for the regional roles of higher education institutions as stated in central policy documents. During the last 50 years higher education policy has been drawn between their regional roles and institutional concentration. Many colleges have been merged into a few large multi-campus institutions, leaving the impression that the aims of world-class quality and excellence have replaced the regional role. However, most of the campuses that existed before 1990 still exist within new institutional settings. The original rationale behind a geographically spread institutional structure is less visible in today’s policy, but at the same time the regional role of higher education has become broader and perhaps even more important. Back in the 1960s the objectives were mainly enrolling local students, educating the local workforce and the direct effects of the institution. This is still the case, but gradually R&D activities and innovation have become important contributions of higher education institutions.