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Politics of Higher Education Reforms in Central and Eastern Europe

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Politics of Higher Education Reforms in Central and Eastern Europe THE POLITICS OF HIGHER EDUCATION REFORMS IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE. DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA by Lucia Padure A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Theory and Policy Studies in Education Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto © Copyright by Lucia Padure (2009) THE POLITICS OF HIGHER EDUCATION REFORMS IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE. DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA Doctor of Philosophy (2009) Lucia Padure Department of Theory and Policy Studies in Education University of Toronto Abstract This thesis examines factors that underscored higher education reforms in Central and Eastern Europe during the transition period from 1990 to 2005. The study explores higher education reforms in three national settings – Hungary, Romania and the Republic of Moldova, and presents a detailed analysis of the Moldovan case. Rooted in critical approaches to development, transition reforms and policy analysis in higher education, it addresses the new realities of global capitalism, inequitable distribution of power between the industrialized nations and the rest of the world, and the ways in which this power distribution impacts higher education systems in Central and Eastern Europe. Historical analyses, a qualitative cross-national analysis of HE systems in three nations, and interviews with Moldovan higher education policymakers provided rich data on higher education reforms in the region and selected nations. Higher education evolved from institutions serving very select elite in the Middle Ages to universities driving modernization in the 19th and the first half of the 20th century, and to diverse institutional types - universities, colleges, institutes - underscoring the massification of higher education after WWII. Policies pursued by Hungarian, Romanian and Moldovan leaders to expand higher education were informed by the ii national socio-economic, political and demographic contexts, the dominant global development agenda, and international institutional practices. The capacity of national leaders to carry out higher education reforms was limited by the colonial and post-colonial relationships that were established over centuries between each of these nations and stronger regional powers, such as the Habsburg, Ottoman and Russian Empires, the Soviet Union, and the European Union. Major regional powers had a significant role in the formation of nation states, educational institutions and higher education politics. At the same time, national elites used language and ethnic policies to shape social and higher education developments and build national identities. By bringing an international perspective to the analysis of reforms in Central and Eastern Europe, by focusing on Hungary, Romania and Moldova, and by drawing on critical theory and post-colonial studies, this research study contributes to the international scholarly discussion of higher education and development reforms, enriches methodological developments in the field of higher education, and advances the discourse of comparative higher education. iii Aknowledgements This dissertation would not have been possible without the help of many people over the years. My deepest gratitude goes, first of all, to my thesis supervisor, Professor Glen Jones, and committee members, Professor Ruth Hayhoe and Professor Jamie-Lynn Magnusson. Glen: your academic integrity, extraordinary professionalism and intelligent guidance not only shaped this dissertation but also tremendously enriched my experience in the PhD program. Ruth: your knowledge and passion for international and comparative higher education inspired me to go beyond present reforms and explore regional, national and educational histories. Jamie: your commitment to equity studies and critical research helped me find my way and constantly challenge the frontiers of knowledge. I would like to thank Professor Sheila Slaughter for reviewing my dissertation and providing thought-provoking comments and insights. I am forever indebted to the interviewees in Moldova who shared their thoughts and opinions about higher education reforms, as well as colleagues, professors and staff at St.- Petersburg State, Northeastern, Harvard and University of Toronto who expanded my horizons and enriched my knowledge about various cultures and fields of study. Many thanks to my friend Dr. Eduard Baidaus who read the historical chapters and gave me valuable feedback. Finally, this dissertation is dedicated to my family and friends in Moldova, the US and Canada. My parents Veronica and Tudor Botnaru, sister Diana, aunt, uncles, grandparents, cousins and in-laws graciously shared their love for our land and always believed in me. My husband Igor Padure patiently read my first drafts, and encouraged me in all my academic endevours. My twin sons Tudor and Vali Padure inspired me to write in the hope that this work will always remind them of their roots. iv Table of Contents List of charts.……………………………………………………………………………… ix List of tables.……………………………………………………………………………… ix List of acronyms…………………………………………………………………………... x Introduction……...……………………………………………………………………... 1 Chapter 1. Literature Review and Research Question 1.1. Introduction...………………………………………………………………………… 13 1.2. Higher education (HE) as a field of study in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).…... 14 1.2.1. The emergence of a new field in the Soviet period………………………. 14 1.2.2. Challenges of HE as a field of study in the 1990s………………………... 17 1.3. The politics of HE reforms in CEE: Major themes in the literature...……………….. 23 1.3.1. CEE higher education systems: national differences vs. regional features.. 23 1.3.2. Sequence of reforms and the role of the state in promoting HE reforms…. 26 1.3.3. The international factor in HE reforms in CEE.………………………….. 29 1.3.4. European HE integration and CEE HE systems………………………….. 33 1.3.5. Interconnection between higher education and the economic system……. 35 1.4. Conclusions: Formulating the research question…………………………………….. 38 Chapter 2. Research Design and Methodology 2.1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………... 41 2.2. General paradigm of inquiry: Reconceptualized critical theory...…………………… 42 2.2.1. Origins of critical theory...…………………………………………………. 42 2.2.2. Reconceptualized critical theory...…………………………………………. 46 2.2.3. Critical theory and this research...………………………………………….. 50 2.3. Development and transition from a critical perspective...…………………………… 56 2.3.1. The evolution of the economic theory of development.…………………… 57 2.3.2. Institutional economics’ critique of the neo-liberal view of development..…………………………………………………………….. 59 2.3.3. A political response to the neo-liberal view on development..…………….. 61 2.3.4. How postcolonial discourse informs the critical approach used in this study?........................................................................................................... 63 2.4. Higher education reforms from the critical perspective……………………………… 66 2.4.1. Policy analysis as a field of study in the West..……………………………. 66 2.4.2. Critical educational policy analysis..………………………………………. 71 2.4.3. Formulating a critical approach to the study of HE policymaking..……….. 74 2.5. Research methodology……………………………………………………………….. 80 2.5.1. Research design..…………………………………………………………… 80 2.5.2. Interviews and the demographics of respondents………………………….. 86 2.6. Conclusions: Contribution of this research...………………………………………… 91 Chapter 3. Historical and Geopolitical Context of Higher Education Reforms in CEE 3.1. Introduction...………………………………………………………………………… 93 3.2. A critical postcolonial revisiting of CEE history: Going beyond the Soviet period……………………………………………………………………………….. 94 v 3.2.1. Engaging postcolonial analysis in this study..……………………………… 94 3.2.2. Roman influence and its relevance for the educational discourses in Hungary, Romania and Moldova.………………………………………… 98 3.2.3. The rise of medieval states in CEE – the role of Catholic and Orthodox institutions………………………………………………………………… 104 3.2.4. Intersecting imperial powers in CEE: the Ottoman, Habsburg and Russian Empires…………………………………………………………………… 107 3.2.5. Shifting borders and ideologies: CEE in the 20th century.…………………. 113 3.3. Defining CEE: One regional identity or fractured identities?....................................... 116 3.3.1. Conceptualizing critically a region and regional identity.…………………. 116 3.3.2. Central and Eastern Europe – a concept, a historical region, a functional region……………………………………………………………………... 117 3.3.3. Defining the region in this research.……………………………………….. 121 3.4. Conclusions...………………………………………………………………………… 124 Chapter 4. Educational Institutions and Discourses in Hungary, Romania and Basarabia – Major Historical Trends and Influences 4.1. Introduction..………………………………………………………………………… 126 4.2. The development of education in Hungary from medieval times to WWII..……….. 130 4.2.1. The Medieval Kingdom of Hungary and the first Hungarian universities (1000-1526)………………………………………………………………. 130 4.2.2. Ottomans in Central Hungary and Transylvania and the spread of Reformism (1526-1699)………………………………………………….. 133 4.2.3. Habsburg education reforms in Hungary and Transylvania (1699- 1867)……………………………………………………………………… 136 4.2.4. The Nation Hungarica project within the Austro-Hungarian Empire and its reflection in education (1867-1918).……………………………………….. 142 4.2.5. After the Trianon Treaty - the role of education in rebuilding national identity and economy…...…………………………………………………..
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