Reforming higher education in the Netherlands and Norway: the role of the state and national modes of governance

In the literature on system level governance of higher education, deregulation and the stepping back of government are regarded as effective measures for strengthening institutional autonomy. Based on an analysis of reforms in higher education in the Netherlands and Norway from the mid-1980s onwards, this article discusses how institutional autonomy is conditioned by reform implementation and the regulatory frameworks intended to enhance autonomy. It is argued that institutional autonomy is conditioned by the existence of systematic dialogue between the government and higher education institutions combined with regulations restricting the scope of strategic action by the institutions.