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Academic Middle Managers and Management in University Colleges and Universities in Belgium

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The Changing Dynamics of Higher Education Middle Management

Part of the book series: Higher Education Dynamics ((HEDY,volume 33))

Abstract

This chapter explores facets of managerialism in Flemish policy and institutions of higher education through addressing four questions: (i) What is managerialism and what are its characteristics? (ii) How did the national policymakers make way for managerialism in institutions of higher education? (iii) Are there indicators of managerialism in higher education research of the 1990s? (iv) Do deans, heads of departments and heads of research units perceive the current management of institutions of higher education as having characteristics of managerialism? The empirical research reported in this chapter demonstrates that managerialism is not present in Belgium universities in its extreme forms. A relatively large group of middle managers still prefer a collegial attitude, and they criticise some of the less pleasant consequences of managerialism.

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Acknowledgement

The author took grateful advantage of the critical comment on the research design and questionnaire by Kurt de Wit (DOWB, KU Leuven) and Leen Dom (KH Mechelen), and is obliged for the professional help of Dirk Heerwegh (CESO, KU Leuven) for the realisation of the web-based survey. The critical reflection of Leo Goedegebuure (University of Melbourne) on the drafts of this chapter was an important moment for reflection and improvement. Many thanks for this support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Jef C. Verhoeven

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  1. Jef C. Verhoeven
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Correspondence to Jef C. Verhoeven .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. LH Martin Institute for Higher Education, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Victoria, Australia

    V. Lynn Meek

  2. LH Martin Institute for Higher Education, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Victoria, Australia

    Leo Goedegebuure

  3. Ensino Superior (CIPES), Centro de Investigação de Politicas do, Rua 1 de Dezembro 399, Matosinhos, 4450, Portugal

    Rui Santiago

  4. Ensino Superior (CIPES), Centro de Investigação de Politicas do, Rua 1 de Dezembro 399, Matosinhos, 4450, Portugal

    Teresa Carvalho

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Verhoeven, J.C. (2010). Academic Middle Managers and Management in University Colleges and Universities in Belgium. In: Meek, V., Goedegebuure, L., Santiago, R., Carvalho, T. (eds) The Changing Dynamics of Higher Education Middle Management. Higher Education Dynamics, vol 33. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9163-5_4

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