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Encyclopedia of International Higher Education Systems and Institutions pp 1–9Cite as

Higher Education Policy

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Introduction

Higher education policy is about how higher education institutions are funded, governed, and managed internally, and structured and coordinated nationally. These three areas are not mutually exclusive, and policy choices within and between the three domains of funding, management, and coordination are ultimately determined by political alliances and partnerships (Ansell 2008). These political alliances and partnerships are often complex and themselves shaped by volatile environmental forces.

Higher education policy has assumed an importance unequalled in previous decades due to the fact that higher education itself is seen in most, if not all, jurisdictions as fundamental to economic and social well-being. It is increasingly being recognized that sustained economic prosperity for all countries is linked to the development of the knowledge economy. Policy issues concerning knowledge production and innovation and the research cultures and capacity required to support these...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. LH Martin Institute for Higher Education, Leadership and Management, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia

    V. Lynn Meek

Authors
  1. V. Lynn Meek
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Correspondence to V. Lynn Meek .

Section Editor information

  1. CIPES, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Alberto Amaral

  2. Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    António Magalhães

  3. Centre for Research in Higher Education Policies (CIPES), Porto, Portugal

    António Magalhães

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Meek, V.L. (2018). Higher Education Policy. In: Encyclopedia of International Higher Education Systems and Institutions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9553-1_1-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9553-1_1-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-017-9553-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-9553-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference EducationReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Education

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