Handbook of European Governance Practices in Higher Education

The Handbook of European Governance Practices in Higher Education is a major outcome of the activities in Work Package 4. It has been developed by the EU partner institutions in the project and consists of 16 case studies of innovative governance practices and approaches which have proved successful in the La MANCHE higher education institutions from Bulgaria, France, Greece, Portugal and the UK. The Handbook contributes to the achievement of the third specific project objective and facilitates the transfer of context-sensitive good governance practices and models for effective leadership and change management from the EU institutions in the project to the 23 Partner Countries institutions.

The 16 case studies present strategies applied and tools used by the La MANCHE institutions when dealing with internal changes and pressures from outside to introduce reforms. The institutional changes and transformations described in the case studies had been triggered by a variety of challenges related to modernisation of the current higher education systems. The case studies include information on the contextual preconditions and the processes of implementation of the specific good practice and the major outcomes achieved. In addition, the case studies assess the potential for sustainability and transferability to other contexts as well as the factors favoring the successful implementation of the good practices presented.

The Handbook is addressed at senior and middle managers of higher education institutions in the five Partner Countries. In addition, it is deemed to make an interesting and useful reading for key stakeholders in higher education such as policy makers, business representatives, civil society groups and student organizations whose more active involvement in the university governance processes shall be enhanced.