Does It Make a Difference? Relations of Institutional Frameworks and the Regional Provision of Continuing Higher Education in England and Spain
In this research, we compare interrelations between institutional settings and regional provision structures of continuing higher education (CHE) in England and Spain. The aim of the qualitative analysis is to identify and to compare country-specific linkages between national and regional policies,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/2/132 |
| _version_ | 1797480922427162624 |
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| author | Diana Treviño-Eberhard Katrin Kaufmann-Kuchta |
| author_facet | Diana Treviño-Eberhard Katrin Kaufmann-Kuchta |
| author_sort | Diana Treviño-Eberhard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this research, we compare interrelations between institutional settings and regional provision structures of continuing higher education (CHE) in England and Spain. The aim of the qualitative analysis is to identify and to compare country-specific linkages between national and regional policies, legal and financial regulations and their impact on providers, types of provision and target groups of CHE at the regional level. Theoretical assumptions of educational governance, environmental neo-institutionalism, and the sociology of conventions guide the analysis, based on expert interviews in England and Spain. Our research questions are: What modes of coordination of action to provide CHE are caused by national and regional regulations in England and Spain? How are these actions justified, and how do they influence regional CHE provision types and target groups in both countries? Interview-based findings show that national and regional regulations embrace hybrid modes of coordination of action regarding CHE provision in both countries. Specifically, centralised national policies in England and a mixture of centralised and decentralised legal frameworks in Spain impact regional CHE provision by universities, as does the scope of university autonomy in both countries. However, national frameworks only explain regional disparities in CHE provision to a limited extent. Less formal normative dimensions and social orders of university orientations and labour market demands also influence regional types of provision, concepts, provider cooperation, and adult CHE learners. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:07:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1558c18f10c14e6bb52768c40295636a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:07:08Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-1558c18f10c14e6bb52768c40295636a2023-11-23T19:37:52ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022022-02-0112213210.3390/educsci12020132Does It Make a Difference? Relations of Institutional Frameworks and the Regional Provision of Continuing Higher Education in England and SpainDiana Treviño-Eberhard0Katrin Kaufmann-Kuchta1German Institute for Adult Education Leibniz Centre for Lifelong Learning, 53175 Bonn, GermanyGerman Institute for Adult Education Leibniz Centre for Lifelong Learning, 53175 Bonn, GermanyIn this research, we compare interrelations between institutional settings and regional provision structures of continuing higher education (CHE) in England and Spain. The aim of the qualitative analysis is to identify and to compare country-specific linkages between national and regional policies, legal and financial regulations and their impact on providers, types of provision and target groups of CHE at the regional level. Theoretical assumptions of educational governance, environmental neo-institutionalism, and the sociology of conventions guide the analysis, based on expert interviews in England and Spain. Our research questions are: What modes of coordination of action to provide CHE are caused by national and regional regulations in England and Spain? How are these actions justified, and how do they influence regional CHE provision types and target groups in both countries? Interview-based findings show that national and regional regulations embrace hybrid modes of coordination of action regarding CHE provision in both countries. Specifically, centralised national policies in England and a mixture of centralised and decentralised legal frameworks in Spain impact regional CHE provision by universities, as does the scope of university autonomy in both countries. However, national frameworks only explain regional disparities in CHE provision to a limited extent. Less formal normative dimensions and social orders of university orientations and labour market demands also influence regional types of provision, concepts, provider cooperation, and adult CHE learners.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/2/132continuing higher educationinternational comparisonexpert interviewsgovernanceinstitutional analysisregional coordination of action |
| spellingShingle | Diana Treviño-Eberhard Katrin Kaufmann-Kuchta Does It Make a Difference? Relations of Institutional Frameworks and the Regional Provision of Continuing Higher Education in England and Spain Education Sciences continuing higher education international comparison expert interviews governance institutional analysis regional coordination of action |
| title | Does It Make a Difference? Relations of Institutional Frameworks and the Regional Provision of Continuing Higher Education in England and Spain |
| title_full | Does It Make a Difference? Relations of Institutional Frameworks and the Regional Provision of Continuing Higher Education in England and Spain |
| title_fullStr | Does It Make a Difference? Relations of Institutional Frameworks and the Regional Provision of Continuing Higher Education in England and Spain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Does It Make a Difference? Relations of Institutional Frameworks and the Regional Provision of Continuing Higher Education in England and Spain |
| title_short | Does It Make a Difference? Relations of Institutional Frameworks and the Regional Provision of Continuing Higher Education in England and Spain |
| title_sort | does it make a difference relations of institutional frameworks and the regional provision of continuing higher education in england and spain |
| topic | continuing higher education international comparison expert interviews governance institutional analysis regional coordination of action |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/2/132 |
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