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What Characterises the Public-Private Distinction in He in a Nordic Perspective?

Comparison of the Essential Features of Private Universities in Denmark, Iceland and Norway

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Public Vices, Private Virtues?

Part of the book series: Issues in Higher Education ((CHER,volume 2))

Abstract

In recent years, Icelandic society has moved towards the free market, mainly in business and finance, but not so much in the health, education and social services. Privatization of these areas has been relatively minor. Nevertheless there are at least three Icelandic higher education institutions that have been categorised as private institutions. This state of affairs has been debated, in particular with reference to the fact that the private institutions in Iceland receive full per student state contributions for their teaching function, exactly as the public universities. The discussion has followed two tracks simultaneously. On the one hand it has posed question what are the essential differences between a public and a private institution of higher education and on other whether we should follow the lead of our Nordic neighbours in that they have apparently moved, if very slightly out of the traditional public domain.

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Jóhannsdóttir, G., Jónasson, J.T. (2011). What Characterises the Public-Private Distinction in He in a Nordic Perspective?. In: Teixeira, P.N., Dill, D.D. (eds) Public Vices, Private Virtues?. Issues in Higher Education, vol 2. SensePublishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6091-466-9_4

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