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In OctobergovernmentIn Portuguese the 2011 he is an optimist by nature. says Outeiro more lucrative career alternatives in the United States and returned Portugal, to States career United lucrative the in more alternatives sci- country’s build the help to Europe, least-developedthe country in Western of University Lisbon prowess. andthe entific at researcher now a leadingHe is Molecular of its the molecularresearches he Institute Medicine, affiliated where diseases. and Parkinson’s basis Alzheimer’s like of neurodegenerative disorders announced a sharp, 19.5 percent, cut in govern in cut sharp, a percent, 19.5 announced supportmental higher education for and social education. The cuts were causedausterity by measures in response country’s instituted the to financial crisisreversed and years in- of strong help to government Portuguese the by vestment its higher education up. sector catch doubtNonetheless, is little he believes there that cuts budget the willwhat mean his work, for Portugal, pursuits scholarly throughout and for yearsin the ahead. the
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International Educator MAY+JUNE.12 Germany andFrance,Germany have weathered the relatively storm there other are sources few offuturebecause growth.” invest andhave ininnovation ofhuman capital highlevels to accelerateimportant andto growth, dothat youhave to “It’s (OECD). andDevelopment nomic Co-operation very the Directorate ofEducation ofthe Organisation for Eco- of the Centre for EducationandInnovation at Research to austerity,’ opposed ment as ”says Dirk Van Damme,head continue to invest inthe future andtake the sideofinvest not the “We place to make cuts. say, make sure ‘please you is highereducation to the crisis, inresponse decreased be thatal experts educational if government must spending that levels werefunding relatively with. lowto begin saycuts from isinsufficient such national funding tooffset there manybut even academics of amounts research grants, wheresearch front, the European Union extended large has Thesituation isslightly mix. brighterfunding on the re- much form ments ofthe largerhigher education segments tuition, philanthropy, from existing and proceeds endow unlike thewhere Unitedstudent States, funding, education ofthe European responsibility nation states for higher mary States at the- thepri andstatenotwithstanding federal level, the United than does onhighereducation basis capita a per commitments. funding education previous tailed orcur ormoderate cuts, indirect countries reported before Portugal’s were At announced. cuts 10other least the latestwas Thatcame data trackedand Association. quarter of2011,according to the European University percent) five as offirst (at least stantially ordrastically sub- funding cuthighereducation systems, educational intheir which the generally bulkofhighereducation fund much tochallenges their confront. remain own very are finding they those integration notwithstanding, pean toward And efforts haveEuro in higher education. - faced that intensified recessionhas the ahistoric challenges they Portugal, such as structurally robust, or less are finding inEuropeanand educators states that are smaller, weaker, destiny. when it comes students But to higher education, to forgeandsocial been political, acommonhas economic, era ofless. to navigate howbest andstudents an upon professors, byadministrators, andreflections reforms, tightenings, belt inawave ofpainful European highereducation onthemore situation details inPortugal onpage 70.] access inPortugal andinGermany,” [See Outeiro says. inaslightlycombineme to Ican be my safer position. The continent’s like strongereconomicperformers, also come despite protestationsThe cuts byinternation- ina are cuts continentThose on less that alreadyspends 12 European at national least governments, Overall, The mission for the of countries the European Union Europe’srippling is through crisis ongoing financial - - - still be able tostill be manage, but let’s the situation see inoneyear.” the economy, Ithink in2012 wewill issues. andonsocial the impactbut also significant on consumption, business, ofthe impact austerity ofthe measures, drastic only because at ofeconomics the fessor University of Porto. isnot “That pro inHigherEducation PoliciesResearch - andanassociate Nuno Teixeira, the Portuguese Center for director ofCIPES, atsystem andthe 2012,” country large be will says Pedro countries. systemsofthese higher education that years bellwether couldas the determine fate of the 2012and2013 many towith decline, forecasting begin at will quality certainly their almost institutions, creases say, however, that austerity ifeconomic continues orin- and that suffered significantly. notyet quality has They adjustments have andfaculty versities madenecessary resources. more fewer with doing even Addressing challenges structural those necessitates crisis. thatlenges inhighereducation the predated financial exceptionpossible ofIreland, face major chal structural - the problem thepounding with isthat countries, these Com- consolidations institutions. ofhighereducation and budget cuts, education employment caps, ductions, systems througheducational re wage public employee - to flowdown, the higher to soon orare expected down, andhighdebt. publicsectors, oversize InItaly andPortugal, situdes. include factors lowgrowth, smallcountry’s to vulnerability EUandglobalvicis very arealestate bubbleandrelated anda tors, bankdefault, sec at throwingmuchIreland, too various money itwas In mismanagement. andfinancial evasion, tax corruption, overspending, have it was exacerbatedIn Greece, the crisis. each in causes that European country specific are very also there But institutions. highereducation economy andits the that globalmalaise impacting isalso the United States It partly reflects multiple origins. has economiccrisis The Challenge The thecrisis’s continent. upon impacts deepest of those four countries a provides snapshot of some the systems educational the affects how the crisis economic concern. at and economic higher education est A look theeconomy listofcountries Italyofgreat joined has Oflate, affected. major particularly haveEurozone been including Ireland, countries Greece, such andPortugal,as structural challenges, or ongoing educational bubbles, countries financial overruns, with cost developed less smallerandhistorically Incontrast, ing andnomajor cuts. - well, fund large with in higher education recent increases “The critical year of the [Portuguese higher education] education] of year the[Portuguese higher critical “The say that academics ofthe countries, uni- In several have major cuts In all four either countries, flowed - - -
Brigida Soriano/ shutterstock Brigida Soriano/ shutterstock new law designed to address structural shortcomings in higher education remains to largely address shortcomings structural in higher education law designed unimplemented. new bill.Now, andadramatic higher education andstudents faculty are are fleeing, endemic, cuts national funding ofthe most predominates foots andthe public education country European Likemost countries, challenges. further.mental funding Thedismalstate ofGreece’s was educational matched bydire health overallfinancial will likelydirefunding state financial - andreduce govern the to reality that tied the new measures austerity University an andpresident ofthe Universities Association, Irish removed,” been has says MacCraith, Brian president City ofDublin onpage Ruairi 28.] with Quinn butnotmuch more.” twoyears, about the in-depth interview [See duplication that’ssome time.I’d alreadythere.give us will That say differentacross institutionsso thatcan we eliminate alotof the “We’reRuairi Quinn. andfor collaboration for symmetries looking the third sector,” level says Minister for Irish Education andSkills of inthe funding there crisis ofadeveloping isgeneral recognition diminution without reduction inquality or, inquantity. indeed, But lotofthat anawful absorbed and, byandlarge, ithas to their credit, I “I’d system say in the higher education] ‘fat’[Irish whatever was in a funding reduction coreseen system has at higher level “The praise given the failure of a previous €110 billion ($145 billion) fund to significantlyalter €110billion ($145billion)fund the the country’s failureofaprevious given praise European and International Fund with lukewarm Monetary €130 billion ($171 greeted billion) bailout was n n ea r l y 2012 y , the specter of bankruptcy loomed over Greece. Even overGreece. theofanadditional loomed likelihood ofbankruptcy , the specter A Greek TragedyA Greek debt negotiations restructuring] are important.” so That’sthe falls. chain reactionifonecountry why the current [Greek ofthe European Part next. challenge hardbe isthat to be stop itwill However, the Portugal consensus ofmany isthatwill falls, ifGreece into spared. are gets well-behaved be trouble andifGreece wewill of isanillusioninmany “There parts Portugal that ifwe nomic link. inthe coal the continent’s mineas proverbial canary - eco weakest notsustainable.” offunding—is curve andadownward numbers ofstudent curve upward Thetrend oftwodivergingcurves—an gree. challengeserious That aifcuts continue provides to the samede- “We’re highereducation. inIrish cuts of spending right at the bone. aresult as oftheorganization publicuniversities, country’s seven Teixeira, says debt-ravaged like many academics, isthe Greece Academy ofAthens The magnitude of educational cuts has been extraor- dinary. University budgets have been cut in half since 2010, salary cuts averaging 20 percent were required of all the nation’s public workers, and a policy of replacing every 10 academic retirees with one new replacement has been instituted. The economic tragedy of the greater Greek society is crashing into the walls of academia in ever-widening ways. Welcome to the Kafka-esque world of Euripides Markou, a 42-year-old computer science lecturer in the Depart- ment of Computer Science & Biomedical Informatics at the University of Central Greece in Lamia, Greece, some 200 kilometers north of Athens. In addition to teaching a course-load of four classes to more than 60 undergraduate students and four graduate students, he pursues research Euripides Markou teaches at the University of in theoretical computer science designing and analyzing Central Greece but has recently started looking ou algorithms. His wife works as an administrator at the Na- overseas for academic positions. tional Technical University of Athens. visits her once per month to save money; in February and he hadn’t seen her since Christmas. There was no summer vaca-
“They are hiring one person for every 10 retired of E u r ipides M a rk tesy tion in 2011; just a visit to the homes of ou r
here; other departments, such as math and C some friends. And the old treat of a night physics, are going down in numbers as people at a restaurant is a rare occurrence. retire, but we are gifted in that over the past few The situation of computer science years, computer science was exploding and the classroom instruction is grim. Since the state put a lot of emphasis into it.” government reduced funding for seven temporary professors to one last Septem- ber, his department has had to remove five Before the financial crisis in Greece began, their com- elective courses because the department has no profes- bined incomes were €37,000 ($50,000). They now they sors qualified to teach them. It has only been able to teach make about 15 percent less than that, €32,000 ($43,000). many other courses because four professors who are un- Markou says that when the crisis first began to impact affiliated with the university have volunteered to teach his life, it had a certain comical aspects, particularly given without pay. It is unclear if they will continue to do so his mathematical background. next semester, says Markou, who also worries about what “It was really sort of tragic and funny at the same quality of instruction can be expected from the unpaid. time,” Markou says. “Every month we were getting When he looks out across his classrooms, he sees different salaries and sometimes there were lots of er- more and more empty seats and the students he does see rors. The guy responsible for calculating salaries didn’t often look tired. “There are not so many smiling faces,” know how to do it, partly Markou says. While tuition is free, as is the case nearly because they kept cor- universally at the undergraduate level in Greece, many recting things until the students’ families can no longer afford lodging in Lamia. last moment because of So the students either withdraw entirely or move back Froso Doutsi, Markou's the budgetary instability.” to their families’ home towns and attempt to rely on the student, will The humor soon notes of friends who continue to attend, a strategy Mar- graduate this summer with faded as those and other kou says is usually futile. Many of the tired faces he does a bachelor's cuts began to impact see belong to the students who stay in Lamia only by dint degree in him both personally and of working one or two jobs on top of their studies, often computational biology. Her professionally. Markou restaurant and bar jobs that pay three or four euros per graduate school used to drive down to hour, while renting dilapidated houses that sometimes plans are on D outsi of Fr oso tesy hold due to the Athens to see his wife lack heat. Not surprisingly, those students often lack the ou r MAY+JUNE.12 MAY+JUNE.12 i onal E ducator Internat economy. each weekend. Now he energy to excel in the classroom, Markou says. C
58 Greek Students’ Futures at Stake a particularly strong one, ranked since 2010 in the top 100 among For many students, their educational worlds and future hopes appear computer science departments by the Academic Ranking of World to be collapsing around them. Froso Doutsi, 23, is one of Markou’s Universities, and boasting three European Research Council Start- best students and will graduate this summer with a bachelor’s de- ing Grant recipients of “perhaps 15 in the country.” gree in computational biology. Plans for obtaining a master’s degree in bioengineering or nanotechnology and then perhaps a doctorate Uniquely Greek were in the works for after graduation. Now she is not sure. “Now, I Adding to the difficulties of Greek higher education are structural think that the budget I’d spend for education, maybe we’ll need for differences that have traditionally set it apart from the rest of Europe my family to live, so I won’t have the chance to go abroad to study,” and, many say, have helped hold it back. says Doutsi, who hails from Naousa, 300 km north of Lamia. “They Unlike most European countries, no private universities are can still afford to support my current studies, but they may not be officially sanctioned by the government in Greece. In addition, able to support any post-graduate education. My father is retired and undergraduate education is free of charge. Those two factors lead my mother works in a shop. I teach piano lessons at a local music to extreme exposure to governmental funding. And until recent school, but what I earn is not enough to support myself.” reforms, students have had a strong role in making or vetoing aca- Then there is research. Markou says he is fortunate that he is a demic and administrative changes on campus, and police could not theoretician and needs little more than a white board and markers; enter university campuses, a reaction to the dictatorship that ran ou colleagues who need laboratory or other resources face far greater the government from 1967 through 1974. challenges in the current environment of cutbacks, he says. Still, he In sum, Greek public universities says being an effective academic requires interacting with colleagues lack autonomy from the govern- in other countries and that is becoming markedly more difficult. ment, face a noncompetitive In the past, faculty received €2,000 to €3,000 per year to cover the environment, and lack of E u r ipides M a rk tesy expense of travel to academic conferences and to visit colleagues. independent evaluation ou r C That is now gone. Markou says, through his own vigorous efforts in of staff, says Alexis Phylac- 2011, he obtained grants to visit Slovakia, France, and Canada. Yet topoulos, president of College to fund the trips, he still had to pay out of pocket more than €1,000. Year in Athens, a study abroad The future does not inspire hope, he says. With further austerity program. measures being insisted upon by International Monetary Fund and Many view as good news that despite European bodies that will likely be passed down to Greek institutions the fiscal pain, or perhaps in part because of it, and the possibility of governmental defaults, he, like many Greek ac- the Greek legislature in August 2011 overwhelming- ademics, is not optimistic. “I’m afraid things will get worse,” he says. ly passed historic legislation making fundamental Markou says that he has reluctantly reached a decision that, in changes in the higher education system. spite of his commitment to Greek society and Greek higher educa- The law, yet to be widely implemented, would tion, it would be best to secure work abroad. “People here say you radically change university governance by attempting to remove should stay and try to help from inside—but the same people ask you political influence and aligning Greek education with European how to find ways to get their money out of Greece,” says Markou, norms. Each university would be responsible for its own budget who has been looking in France and Canada for permanent positions and would appoint a governing council with 15 members, includ- since October. “It’s tragic and a paradox. Sometimes I feel if you want ing six from outside the university and no more than one student to help yourself and reach the maximum of what you can produce representative, who would help choose the university’s rector.
and help the country, maybe the best thing to do is to go outside your The law would institute tighter controls on the funding of in- InternatMAY+JUNE.12 i onal E ducator country right now. Helping Greece is not just protesting; it’s working. dividual institutions. Good performance would be rewarded with If I can’t work effectively as an academic, I can’t help Greece.” incentives for universities achieving good results in factors such as the ratio of graduates to applicants, research excellence, and in- Some Academic Departments Better Off ternational recognition. The law would also introduce assessment It must be said that while Greek academic salary and university cuts of teaching staff every five years, with a professor from abroad in- were national in scope, some academics and programs are faring cluded in the assessment committee. better than others. “They are hiring one person for every 10 retired Many schools, departments, and universities could be merged or here, and other departments, such as math and physics, are going completely abolished, a dramatic reversal from the past expansionist down in numbers as people retire, but we are gifted in that over the platform of certain political parties. And the legislation eliminates past few years, computer science was exploding and the state put a the sanctuary status of the universities, allowing police to intervene lot of emphasis into it,” says Ioannis Emiris, a professor of computer to evict students who are occupying institutions. The law also hopes D outsi of Fr oso tesy science at the University of Athens, the second largest university to involve private companies in connecting universities to the mar- ou r C in Greece. Emiris notes his department also benefits from being ketplace and in drawing and managing new funding for education.
59 The legislation would reform the Greek system to align it with European design standards, and the ability to trans- fer credits between departments and institutions would be enhanced. A major component of the new law is the structural reform of the university system, with the creation of larger units (schools) that will replace the existing units Greek Students Protest (departments). Each school will be A hidden cost of the crisis formed by merging existing depart- and ongoing turmoil has been the ments and will offer different programs of study. disruption to studies it has caused. In It is hoped that reform will result in more efficient use of Greece, in particular, that has often come in the form of resources and more flexible programs of study. student occupations of university campuses. Resistance to implementation of the reforms is strong. It may surprise some that advanced scientific research The rectors of many of Greece’s 24 public universities takes place in Crete, a Greek island in the middle of the oppose the law, have refused to implement it, and are Mediterranean Sea with a population of 600,000 that is appealing the decision to the Constitutional Court. Stu- better known for Theseus’s mythical pursuit of the half- dent protests occurred throughout Greece in late 2011, man, half-bull minotaur through the twists and turns of including occupation of more than 350 higher education the maze-like labyrinth. institutions for more than three weeks and widespread After obtaining his PhD in physics from Princeton in delays of examinations. Many professors also oppose the 1991, and spending several years in academic and research legislation, claiming the legislation is a foreign proto- positions in the United States and Canada, in 2000 Dionis- type that does not account for the particular history and sios Hristopulos and his U.S.-born wife pondered many demands of the Greek sys- possible futures and decided to head to the Technical tem, that it would replace University of Crete, where he is now a professor heading “I personally didn’t even the universities’ missions the Geostatistics Research Unit at the university’s Depart- take the exams [to go of pursuing underlying ment of Mineral Resources Engineering. “I like Greece,” to a Greek university]. scientific knowledge with says Hristopoulos. “My family is here. At that point, since educational programs, the university was a new and dynamic place, I thought That’s a lot of money and it would undermine it would give me more space to grow. And it did—here being moved abroad support for social science, I could take my research in the directions I chose. I also that theoretically could humanities, and other liked being without much pressure. It makes a big differ- stay in Greece.” “noncommercial” scien- ence to start the work day by looking at the ocean.” tific fields. Now the environment is less serene. “This academic The legislation did not year we were under occupation [by student protesters] address the status of private institutions in Greece. Some for two months. I’m fortunate that I don’t need a big lab say private competition would improve the performance and don’t need to do experiments, so I met with my stu- of the educational sector and could help address the lack dents and associates in coffee shops. Some colleagues of financial resources. need heavy equipment in labs for their work. They basi- “I think private education is an absolute must in Greece,” cally couldn’t do anything for a couple months. During says Nikolaos Zahariadis, professor of government and di- this period, some graduate students were able to convince rector of international studies at the University of Alabama other students at the gate to let them into the university at Birmingham. “First, competition is always good. Also, it and thus managed to keep their research going.” means that students would have alternative options that But even when it is possible to enter the university, are not political because everything the state owns ends time is lost to worries regarding the future. “Due to the up being political. Frankly, I also think competition from climate of uncertainty, a lot of colleagues and I spend private institutions would necessarily provide the impetus time trying to guess what the future is or how we should for more mergers that are needed. What is happening is adapt. Hours toward research now are going to thinking that a fair number of Greek students go abroad. They don’t about the future. At this point I would say the biggest fear want to go to Greek universities or didn’t get in. I personally is the uncertainty. If we reach equilibrium, even if it is a didn’t even take the exams [to go to a Greek university]. low equilibrium, we know where we are and can make That’s a lot of money being moved abroad that theoretically plans to go ahead. The problem right now is we don’t MAY+JUNE.12 MAY+JUNE.12 i onal E ducator Internat
could stay in Greece.” know where the bottom of the barrel will be.” k photo istoc
60 Dancing Between the Rain Drops on the Emerald Isle t was a somber affair. In November, students organized by the Union of Students in Ireland conducted a funeral procession in the Irish capital of Dublin. A bagpiper was followed by a hearse, four pallbearers carrying a casket, and then a crowd of students marching from the Irish Department of EducationI to Leinster House, the seat of the Irish Parliament. The deceased? “Higher Education,” represented by a casket and state-driven economic development that propelled Ireland from a banner held by students reading “RIP The Death of Education one of the continent’s least developed countries to one of its most 1922–2011.” The event protested anticipated education cuts in the developed. That expansion included a dynamic increase in the size, Irish budget and the prospect of increased student fees at public scope, and quality of higher education institutions driven in part universities in Ireland. through lavish state investments in them. The result was the rapid Gary Redmond, president of the Union of Students in Ireland, rise of some institutions to the top ranks of academia—Ireland’s gave the eulogy to reporters and others assembled: “If we don’t research rankings moved from below Bangladesh to among the top invest in education we are literally saying goodbye to our young 20 in the world in 15 years—and a vastly outsized number of higher people, our talented and our bright young people. People across education institutions for a country of a mere 4.7 million souls. the country have three choices at the moment. And not only young Education has also been seen as a key to retaining Irish people in people, it’s people who have lost their jobs in the unfortunate eco- the country and stopping a traditional exodus of Irish from the nomic climate that we are in. They either go on to higher education, Emerald Isle. With many Irish out of work since the start of a re- they upskill, they reskill, and they build a smart knowledge-based cession driven by a real estate and banking bubble commenced in economy that we all want to build, we all want to see as a country. 2008, that impetus has only increased. [Or, second] they join the 14.4 percent of the people on the Live Significant cuts have already been made to higher education. The Register [a registry of those seeking government jobseeker benefits, higher education budget declined 24 percent from 2008 through credits, and allowances], or they join the 110 Irish people who are 2012, with a further cumulative 5 percent of cuts anticipated being forced to emigrate every single day.” through 2015. Under a national Employment Control Framework Most would agree that reports of Irish higher education’s death operational since 2009, employment in the educational sector was are, as Mark Twain termed word of his own, greatly exaggerated. reduced 7 percent through 2010. Further staffing cuts are anticipat- But the march and the eulogy managed to stoke concerns regarding ed through 2014. Wages have also declined, including a 10 percent many of the hot button issues in Irish society: unemployment, Irish cut in wages for public employees in 2010. pride in its higher education system and fears for the same, historic Addressing the funding shortfall by reducing enrollment, how- emigration in troubled times, and present economic stagnation. ever, is not on the table. In fact, the country aims to increase the percentage of the populace with undergraduate degrees from more The Celtic Tiger Lost It’s Roar than 65 percent currently to 72 percent by 2020, Minister of Edu- Higher education has been a large part of Ireland’s growth during cation and Skills Ruairi Quinn notes. In addition, Ireland plans to its Celtic Tiger years, roughly 1995–2007, which included rapid foster increased participation in higher education through funding
Trinity College
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International Educator MAY+JUNE.12 the educational realm. realm. the educational Berkeley. of California, Center for Studies in Higher Education at the University inthe andaresearch associate European Universities, Empower called for anNGO nance, leader aproject Hoareau, a fellow at of Gover the School Maastricht €2 billion, comparable to that ofMITalone,” says Cecile “Ireland’s at about entire is, budget for higher education relative inboth andabsolutedo more terms. less, with them to new, give hoped also skills. relevant schemes requalification for whichthe unemployed, is model works best inteaching isaquestion.” best works model whether that ofresearchers, mass togetherbring acritical I’m their well. students While they not sure very serve they inEuropeat andthe the United States, mega-universities WeI agree. are 9,000students [at When I look Maynooth]. however, anacademic, As larger I’m universities. notsure Youspecialties. and could rationalize by having fewer also is of for rationalization room “There Maynooth). (NUI al affairs at the National University ofIreland, Maynooth more,” says Lawrence Taylor, vice president for internation- students pressure ofIrish andtherenumber to be serve will the “Theregrowth is definite in more efficient universities. for consolidation called inmanyhas programs. in21different teacher training programs it institutions, atotal of43 such as duplication ofprograms, necessary To possible. outwherever savings squeeze reduce un- Not surprisingly, a push for efficiency is a byword of bywordNot surprisingly, is a a push for efficiency the Thus, country’seducationsystem higher must Many wonder what will be lost through lost Many larger, be wonderwhat will ifpossibly to HigherEducation The Irish Authority istrying - tional employers is that they are very good.”tional employers isthat are very they from Themessage major multina- quality ofgraduates. University’s of proof the puddingis MacCraith.the “The don’t butthey proved, onthat,” focus says City Dublin reputation, have the the hard stayed sameorim- metrics results. andeducational programs reputation, rather than the core quality ofeducational of views orsubjective budget cuts and directly reflected reflect the and offinancial availability otherresources, contending that better they methodologies, the rankings’ Only Taylor’s inthe rose Maynooth rankings. outofthe top cutoffs. 300and400ranking others slipped lin, fell while outofthe list oftop coveted 100institutions, October. Two, Trinity CollegeandUniversity- CollegeDub Technology in droppingreleased dramatically inresults and Institutethe universities Dublin of of seven six with Higher Education’ bythe Times measured as institutionsystem. Irish rankings, exacting atoll onthe country’s vaunted highereducation may impacts be measures stretched. Bysome be euro can Japan,Britain, andFinland. the Netherlands, efficient the most in fifth of the afterthose world, was foundEuropean Ireland’s Union report universitysector that ofIreland A2009 isalready efficient. cuts, seeking Unlike other some European higher systems education Already Efficient, Ireland HasLittle Fat toCut lege Dublin. “There has been a 10 percent salary cut, which which cut, percent a10 been salary has “There lege Dublin. at Universityprofessor Col- ofEnglishin Rome,schooled worried,”who are very says an associate John McCourt, andminuses.” alltheline, with plusses Inthe U.S.,costs. there isa bigger onthe focus bottom wereto always tied that of operated way—they never That’s across true In Europe. the institutionsU.S., would to ofmany the running coursesofinstruction. respect an issue until been now with never to it?’ has Cost run ‘isn’t that idea.’ agood ‘can Nowwehave to ask, weafford said, someone because up Manygrew course offerings year. only once forevery your degree a course you need may offer They choice terms of a subject degree. within in reduced, been Therange ofoptionshas of resources. offeredat and the being avoiding duplication programs closely andweare looking more focused, is becoming “Our institution and14institutessities oftechnology: a consideration as for theforward nation’s univer seven says that have cost the cuts government pushed funding Unit, HigherEducation PolicyResearch director ofits at Institute theprise, Dublin ofTechnology andexecutive Ellen Hazelkorn, research vice and president, enter on all the based university slipped, rankings “While of intheir criticisms areMany educators vocal Irish thereThus, isso only a muchfatfar be so cut or to Many academics worry.Many academics “Ihave inIreland colleagues s World have University fallen, Rankings, - -
Thinkstock Thinkstock good experience.”good but Ithink weare probably the to students give managing apretty but Idon’t what know isto come. Thecurrentfrom statefar ideal, is weare allpullingtogether,likely to at dothat.Ithink far least, that, so away, fromfarther to speakers invite guest like the U.S., weare so less at Trinity College,University “It’s ofDublin. more difficult tangibly projects,” says Tim economy professor ofpolitical anassistant Hicks, cut back andshoulder more burdens. atight2012, though year.” be next will year we’resions oncontrolling into asmallsurplus spending, running to students of our werehardservices notdeci impacted. Because have donethat wesaidcan’t donow, butwemadesure front-line Technology. weresome nice “There we wouldhave things liked to to adapt,” says CiaránÓCatháin, president ofAthlone Institute of wewereintoago wecouldheading recessionandwestarted see years “Three justing to funding. the ofafuture ofreduced likelihood Many institutions damage byquickly reduced highereducation ad- Making Adjustments the general given situation.” economic ofthat agreement, ation because are relativelythey compared lowcuts to what the might situ have- been we are to about get another one.Likemany, are problematic. they But We costs. cut any unnecessary have and suffered budget reductions to wehave tried for them. the As universities, upon imposed and cuts cost rather cutting [layoffs] measures than have redundancies massive to involve themselves inserious agreed Allthement. publicservices unions andthe government through the [2010]Croke- Parke Agree Portugal, Spain, and others is the better behavior of the publicservice much greater acrimony. “One of the things that us from distinguishes to themthe have government agreed avoided what could have been the relativeful, accord through and employees which publicsector now 80percent inIreland ofacademics are permanent.” Right tion of money. had permanentto academics. reduce They’ve More the uswith are U.S. andmore aligning they system.It’s aques norights. turer with onefor twoyears for hire life, atemporary they university won’t jobs new Instead ofa junior hiring permanent. lec be And there that isthe continue sense things will andget worse.” professor,is notbadifyouare afull butbadifyouare just inthe door. “It’s around new to fund there clear money isnotalotofspending professors andadministrators Irish Some say have they hadto Maynooth’s Taylor says to that date cuts pain- whileIrish have been us in“What’s Ireland—and in Italy—is that worrying also many “ with norights.” they hire atemporary onefor two years Instead ofhiringajuniorlecturer for life, university jobswon’t bepermanent. and inItaly—is that many new What’s alsoworrying usinIreland—
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hikes in neighboring Britain, are exerting Britain, pressure enormous to prehikes inneighboring - hikes of€250annually through further Education predicting 2015. from €825 in 2007–08 to €2,250 of in 2012–13, with the Ministry charge for registration and exams thatservices tripled nearly has ition for their do pay they undergraduate a student educations, Whilestudents donotpaytoward the cost tu oftheir- educations. undergraduate ofwhetherquestion Irish students shouldpay more oftheindustry. Irish needs andmathematics into the anddirectly feed technology, engineering, institutionsis thethat creation oftechnological onscience, focus being implemented now findingof that 2011.Akey January report reform in inIreland onhighereducation released report seminal cation by implementing recommendations a of the Hunt Report, - future demandsinhigheredu the realityandevolving changing that,” MacCraith says. andadapt agile to rapid to be pace andthe universityneeds world at butthe ischanging on top outside oftheir day jobs, to involving a year 18 months faculty our academic of effort huge cost ofadministrative toil. ahuge “It commitment was of to attributes.” thecates have whatsix respect they donewith isrecordedandindi- development where their personal Andallstudents have attributes. ane-portfolio all six coming through to thedevelop expect university can more than 2,500total, tocomes, ensure allstudents out and learning our modules educational To wehaveall rewritten skills, instillthese can’t work to are inteams them. ofnovalue example, that indicated bright students who innovation,” for “Employers, MacCraith says. and creativity, lifelong learning, problemsolving, attributes aroundkey of six the issues 21 identified lifestudents with andworkplace are learning demands. Generationbetter skills 21, align to 2011launched aneffort, tember CityUniversity’sDublin MacCraith says that- hisinstitution inSep tinuing to launch to improveeducation efforts at their institutions. universityandinstitute some say are leaders con they stressed, - Many students, looking apprehensively at very significant tuition apprehensively significant looking tuition Many students, at very Further difficult choicesawait. Foremost among themis the as awholeis also attempting sector educational The to adjust to in anera of austerity,But at a underwritten thatwas effort with employers, “Generation Through dialogue istight systemis andtheWhile funding highereducation had to shoulderadministrative burdens.” just have onejoint tutorial. lecturers have Andacademic to have one lecture andone aretutorial supposed now Sunday, that classes some Also, though this itis. semester semester, Ireland. at allon notopen Last was the library though Trinity universityin even the best issupposedly cutdramatically, hourshave open been ence. “Library - sci a doublebachelor’s andpolitical inhistory degree Mealy, a Trinity College student who of Hicks is finishing “In Trinity, cut,” have been alotofservices says Samuel
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International Educator MAY+JUNE.12 students from outsidetheEuropean Union. the country’s existing success inattracting operations. Many are tryingto expand upon thinking outsidethebox to fundtheir avert furthercutsortuitionjumpsby Universities andinstitutes are tryingto the system, with a lifetime of income tied to degree pro- the to alifetime ofincome system,with degree tied system’s “Students are major stakeholders financing. in to stabilize the educational necessary be bution will at studying Maynooth. thropology saysMurphy, Eileen expenses, amaster’s student inan- thatof government grants many receive to cover living Many students the fear also loss fromincreasing. vent fees try. Dublin Business School (DBS), a private institution a private (DBS), try. School Business Dublin including collaborations indus with sources offunding, Institutions are also attempting andaddnew to diversify Taking Creative Measures to Secure Funding for EU students, comparedfor to EUstudents, €15,700for non-EUstudents. at Trinitypolitics for example, College Dublin, €10,400 costs master’s Aone-year says ofinternational Hicks. dents, €10,000 for EUstudents andmore for international stu- cation, which allowsfor highertuition, €8,000to such as zero, saysago itwas Ó Catháin. 10years 12 percent or€3million,whereas revenue, ofits stitute ofTechnology, international students nowprovide charged highertuition. far students be At can Athlone In- into non-EU billion) ayear system,given the educational of Europe, could another innearly €1.2billion($1.6 bring the systemglobalize of an island educational at the edge which,over the in addition nextto helping five years, to of international studentsby50percent universities at its the number agoal with ofincreasing ternational students, the Europeanoutside targeting Union. is in- The country the country’s existing success inattracting students from to expand upon Many are their trying operations. fund or tuition cuts jumps the by thinking box outside to grams, andwefeel there ajoint contribution shouldbe grams, Many contend educators agreater student contri- There also are some efforts to graduateThere areedu- some efforts also expand Universities to avert and institutes further are trying affected by these issues.” by these affected to this,” CityUniversity’s Dublin MacCraith says. “The government didn’t“The bite in the bullet the last budget. Webudget. any beyond feel itshouldnotbe one to come systemthat anequitable upwith spreads the load among stakeholders that are - - also academic autonomy.” academic also cases some and in financial, due tocosts a lack ofstaffing, can’t butthey have highbudget cuts with to deal reduce many adequately: to respond face istheir lack offreedom “Onesays. of the problems many European countries still to andfinancial staffing autonomy,”respect Estermann autonomy with particularly atinstitutions, educational to of capacity attract andthe degree additionalfunding to more the effectively. crisis sponded conditionsof the that for key universities those have re- tocapacity manage their one resources have freely been tonomy, It says. Estermann is clear that autonomy and anoverallnegative impact au onuniversities’ - been don that goal orensure pays that for someone this.” intoto Either get more you higher abaneducation. people - income source. Furthermore, many agreed governments havetake place they the as potential to constitute a large orintroduction oftuition the fees cussions about increase With inmanyof the cuts. countries largedis these cuts, able to wouldbe attract not alluniversities them inthe size are notquick they and to achieve, are realized, before they investment need Universityropean “They Association. the Autonomy, Unit Governance, andFunding at the Eu- activities,”fundraising of head Estermann, says Thomas relations including many with Microsoft. ITemployers, close has the discount chain. also Lidl DBS supermarket such as that bybusiness, programs aregree sponsored for ofKaplan example, Inc., de- that runs isasubsidiary MBA program in cloud computing. incloud program computing. MBA bachelor’s apostgraduate with paired program degree launched acloud-computingthe year 2012–13academic in that the institution, Microsoft, with incooperation reinvented inthe ourselves ITsector.” notes Muldowney ing said that, we’ve launched and intohave areas new of one isimmunethe fromtheHavrecession. effects to study onapart-time sponsorships basis—no employee have ofbusiness contracted, areas “Some such as DBS. added,” Muldowney, chief says executive Gerry officerof onvalue andstudentsket ischanging are more focused “We found that there isastrong the relation between however, trends observed, has One ofthe worrying provider,“Like any andany business service the mar like with business or partnerships increasing of 10percent orhigherthrough other sources, comes frompublicsources. funding onaveragerope, 75percent almost oftheir total inEuof the ofuniversities budget ofamajority - sources alreadyrepresent more than 10percent study found that, although alternative income AEuropean University Association efforts. “You can’t replace immediately cuts oreasily thereBut to are the limits potential ofsuch - - -
Mirek Hejnicki /shutterstock. Sky: Thinkstock Mirek Hejnicki /shutterstock. Sky: Thinkstock “That makes Italy in a better position, once they have settled their political issues, to weather crisis.”the issues, oncehave makespolitical position, better settled “That their ina they Italy sound,” says James Walston, professor associate of international relations at University American of Rome. debt private isundercontrol,ning inmid-2011.“Italy nobubbles, andthe has Italian economy isstillpretty crisis financial than many other having only economies, suffered European excessive debtbegin concerns Irish faculty] also have also optimism.” faculty] aninfectious Irish [The wouldhave faculty screamed. American accepted the pay cuts. endure away. ituntil will itgoes way itis’andthey to have seem They have a fatalism They that areat wonderful this. ‘this is They too. the get through will this, andthey feel thehave Irish always struggled “They citizenship. andwhoherself holdsIrish in the faculty business 2011 in Ireland a Fulbright as scholar at University College Dublin Dartmouth’s months six whospent in Charlton CollegeofBusiness, professorassociate of marketing at University of Massachusetts, the lights off and lock the doors,” saysCatharine Curran-Kelly, an a lotof black humor around who’s about this crisis going to shut saynot-so-good-old days—whichis some isanadvantage.“There Many of academiaremember older members well Irish Ireland’s Generational Differences inOpinion performer, byaninsular, hobbled andbureaucratic—some inefficient, Western anunder as sector highereducation its Europe, see some I University ofRome University But Irish youth may be less forgiving. Many universitystudents youth forgiving. Irish may less But be Yet itisoneofthe affluent most given andlargestin countries in the fortunate of having a strong economy. underlying position It more is of a far the recent casualty trouble economic couldserious presentchallenge aninsoluble to the Eurozone. however, Italy is, at least tal y’ s fi na n cial Italy: A Giant Struggles to Reform Struggles AGiant Italy: Problems are amongthe Eurozone’s With greatest fears. 61millioncitizens, - Californian as Irish.” as Californian ing abroad Berkeley. at the University much ofCalifornia, “Ifeel as says Mealy, who spent his third an undergraduate as year study generations.”paying for the errorsofprevious to work reallyhard to make any andare decent standard ofliving Generally, students inourgeneration are [unhappy] that have they You’d come will back. think they intaxes. much paying so be money Idon’t to get out. istrying Iknow everyone ing to Almost London. there’s notmuch going onhere now. Many are ofmy mov friends graduation; it’s after years culture of Irish part to do travels and in Australia,” says Connolly. students “MostIrish go away for afew science. “I’m andpolitical inbusiness going to Melbourne degrees mate, KaraConnolly, Trinity afourth-year student getting joint leave thewill country, reform orno,says education Mealy’s class vey’s top 200institutions in2011–12,compared to Ireland’s two. Ireland,as inthe ithadnouniversities Times Higher Education sur populated ten as times being Despite might say Byzantine—system. “Our generation feels nopullofthe motherland anymore,” selective admission ofstudents.”selective teaching that ishigher andamore and tendaged to have aquality of tend more toman- efficiently be administration, says Walston: “They througher overhead and staff less low andcorrespondingly numbers fromlower enrollmentbenefit institutions highereducation gious Walston says. enrollment ofmore than 100,000, respectively. Even an itstillhas so, in1982and1992, founded —were Vergata andRomaTre University ofRomeTorties—University and twoother publicuniversi- split 200,000 students until itwas University ofRome had almost those are The public behemoths. areversities publicandmany of By contrast, private andreli private By contrast, - Roughly 80percent uni- ofits
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Governmental Measures to Curtail Higher There is army of volunteers, of PhD people, being taken Education Spending advantage of and being made to teach courses without The lack of an Italian debt crisis until recently hasn’t pay. They do so in the hopes that if they make themselves stopped Italian governments from imposing strong mea- indispensible, then maybe someone will notice you and sures to limit higher education spending. In the past four you will get a job. I know of a situation in an Italian uni- years, Italy has suffered a 30 percent cut in public univer- versity second year literature course where 17 people sity funding, with further cuts expected. “There is little applied for an unpaid position, and they were fighting room to maneuver,” says John McCourt, an English and with each other for who would get it.” Irish literature professor at the public Roma Tre Univer- If you happen to be checking in at Italian airline Alita- sity and earlier at the University of Trieste. lia in Rome and want a check-in agent who can expound on the finer points of the literature of William Butler Yeats and James Joyce, you are in luck. Fabio Luppi, one of McCourt’s former PhD students at Roma Tre Uni- versity, has worked at the airline for the past 10 years to make ends meet while trying to secure a full-time, paying position at a university, a job he assumed would be a stopgap when he first took it. Luppi also works tem- porary contract jobs at Roma Tre University teaching English to groups of up to 90 students. While securing a permanent position at an Italian in- stitution in the humanities has never been easy, Luppi, who also tries to squeeze in publishing academic articles to burnish his academic resume, says that in his case the timing of his graduation in 2008 has made a difference— in a decidedly negative direction. “At the moment, in this very difficult financial crisis, universities are very careful when giving out new positions,” says Luppi, who is now 35 years old. “Most of my friends with PhDs have prob- Fabio Luppi, lems finding positions—only one person of 25 people I PhD, has been A law championed by former Prime Minister Silvio know in similar positions got a permanent job, and he got working for an airline for the Berlesconi mandates that universities cannot spend his PhD in 2003, six years before I got mine and before the past 10 years to more than 90 percent of their budget on staff, McCourt crisis. That was an important six-year advantage.” make ends meet while trying to says. “If you go over 90, you can’t hire anyone practi- As for his temporary teaching position at Roma Tre secure a full- cally, and every university is up around 90 percent,” says University, Luppi says it is no ideal position. “How can time university position. He also McCourt. While the new Mario Monti government has you teach English with 90 students in the class?” muses teaches at promised to put more money into education, a new na- Luppi, who earns €4,000 a year for his efforts. “Since it’s Roma Tre tional policy also calls for 20 retirements before a single not in the languages department, they are not interested University on a temporary full faculty professor can be replaced, according to Guido in such a good level of language—the goal is to help the contract basis. Martinotti, professor emeritus of urban sociology at the students pass the exam. They should split it into two or Italian Institute of Human Science (SUM) in Florence three classes to have smaller number of students, but and earlier a professor at University of Milano–Bicocca. they do it cheaper by having one large class.”
Employment Options Grim for Younger Funding Rules Cause Consternation Generation The funding crisis has been exacerbated by the funding The employment squeeze in particular has hit younger particularities of Italian higher education statutes, says academics, where a vast pool of PhD graduates cannot Guido Martinotti, professor emeritus of urban sociology at obtain permanent paid employment. the Italian Institute of Human Science (SUM) in Florence “There is a terrible sense of paralysis and stagnation and earlier a professor at University of Milano–Bicocca. and frustration,” says McCourt. “University careers in He notes that universities cannot have more than 20 abio Luppi Italy begin late—often your first job is at 35 or 40. That’s percent of their income taken from students, while the because there are so few jobs. Before that, they tend outlay for professors is at a national pay level fixed by the of F tesy ou r MAY+JUNE.12 MAY+JUNE.12 i onal E ducator Internat to be given contracts or hang around with their PhDs. government, not the university. The practical effect is C
66 that older universities with more full professors have a severe fund- “We are in the midst of an attempt ing crisis. “All the universities with old professors have a big hole in to shrink public universities that started a cou- the barrel and the younger universities with fewer professors have ple of years ago with [former Italian Prime Minister smaller holes in the barrel,” Martinotti says. Silvio Berluscon]i,” says Martinotti. “One of the major actions Martinotti says that one university that fell into the former cat- was to block the turnover and diminish recruitments. The egory had to push many professors into retirement and close many pretense was that there were too many professors, courses, courses because it lacked resources. As a result, he says there is a curricula, and universities. But Organisation for Economic push to let the universities negotiate their own fees and raise stu- Co-operation and Development (OECD) comparative dent tuition, which currently, on average, covers only 10 percent statistics show exactly the contrary, that Italy is way be- of cost. However, he says this raises issues of inequality among low average in all these measures.” national regions, with institutions in wealthier regions likely to be able to impose increased fees without too many complaints, while there would be major protests The lack of an Italian debt crisis until in poorer regions. “No one wants 1 million students recently hasn’t stopped Italian governments fighting them in the public squares, so that reform from imposing strong measures to limit hasn’t happened,” Martinotti says. higher education spending. In the past four Doctoral programs also tend to be among the most years, Italy has suffered a 30 percent cut severely affected by the funding crisis, as these students in public university funding, are paid by the state. Martinotti says at SUM in 2010, only four of his six PhD students were paid, and various cuts with further cuts expected. have whittled down the program’s resources to the point last year where the PhD program had to skip one full course due to A new reform introduced by the Monti government includes lack of resources and no new students were admitted to the program. a measure that would establish an independent benchmark for valuing degrees and student performance, says Martinotti. The Management of Italian Universities’ Role traditional practice for hiring in public employment, a huge sector Poor management of universities is another problem, says Walston. in Italy, has been to require employers to recognize the value of “There are many problems inherent in Italian labor laws and a uni- degrees from any university as being the same, despite large differ- versity some years ago was on verge of bankruptcy. A friend of mine ences in quality. Under consideration is a test that would attempt found himself deputy director in charge and he found that, like to place jobseekers on an even basis, rather than relying upon un- many Italian universities, the university had not followed normal dergraduate marks, says Martinotti. rules. It, and they, ran up huge debts. Finally, the last government re- However, past political instability has hindered the imple- quired that they balance their books but they had enormous debts. mentation of such reforms. “Each new minister of education has It is unclear how that will be resolved. If you can’t pay your wages, introduced new reforms and none were completely carried out,” you need to behave like any business, but they are not a business. Walston says. “Higher education is in a state of confusion. What is “You also still have extraordinary monopoly over the courses offered necessary is to bring stability, rationalization of the courses that are at the university level. Many degree courses are there because some offered, and personnel to deal with the courses.” local professor persuaded the local senate or university that it was in McCourt says funding higher education improvements by charg- the national interest to have a course on Byzantine literature in the ing undergraduates more than the current €1,000 per year does not
thirteenth to fourteenth century—and that’s only a slight exaggeration.” appear to be an option. “They don’t have the money,” he says. “It’s a big InternatMAY+JUNE.12 i onal E ducator This is an area where Ireland has an edge, says McCourt. “One problem. Italian youth have an unemployment rate of 30 percent. The big difference between Italy and Ireland is the age of who’s running only thing that’s fair in the system is if the family is poor they pay little.” the show. In Ireland, they are in their late 40s and have worked The Italian Ministry of Education is looking at adopting aspects abroad and were renowned in their fields academically before taking of the U.S. model by trying to set up a series of university founda- over. So they bring more innovation and connection with the world. tions to raise private funds and introduce private investments. “But In Italy, the system is run by people who in other countries would the U.S. model works because those who give money to the univer- be retired. We would like to see a generation change.” sity get tax breaks and there is no such system here,” McCourt says.
Efforts for Reform Research Funding at Risk abio Luppi Efforts to reform the system are underway and all eyes are on new At many Italian universities, the research function has been on Prime Minister Mario Monti, himself formerly rector and president the chopping block, forcing academics to find their own time and of F tesy of the private Bocconi University in Milan and popularly dubbed Il resources for such functions. “At a lot of universities, funding for ou r C Professore (“the professor”). research has been eliminated, especially in the humanities. You fund 67 it yourself,” says McCourt. “At my university, we have That has led to a response by the large public univer- small amounts of funds awarded based upon how much sities, Walston says. “The public universities have been you get published per year. So the research products are looking much more aggressively for students and many of evaluated for quantity [not quality]. You might get €1,000 the master’s programs are starting to be seriously market- a year if you are prolific at my institution. And that fund- ed abroad. I am working with colleagues with University ing is destined to go.” of Rome 3 (Roma Tre University) on an international de- That has led to a long-term flood of some of the top velopment master’s program to be taught in English. Some academics in more marketable areas out of the country, bachelor’s programs are also being targeted at internation- a trend that has only been exacerbated by the current al students, which is helped by the fact that they can offer climate, McCourt says. “There has been a huge drain of lower costs than American universities, often targeted at scientists, doctors, engineers, and humanities professors those with scholarships, particularly at children of employ- to the United States. There were vague attempts to bring ees from the embassies or international associations.” them back five years ago—“Return of the Brains” is what Walston says that financial challenges have forced uni- they called the effort—that brought back 100 people or so.” versities to think outside of the box. “When we work with Corruption also stalks the system, McCourt says. University of Rome 3, our collaborative efforts allow them “The system for hiring people is controver- to do things for free and allow us to do things by exchang- sial and political—it’s rare that there’s a ing resources rather than by paying. For our students, they fair competition for positions. There is get to attend classes at Rome 3 without paying.” nepotism and corruption. It is widespread, While facing challenges, the Italian higher education especially at a moment like this when fewer system is faring better than the Greek system in part be- jobs are available. It’s who knows whom and if a cause of stronger primary and secondary schooling, says position is created, it’s created with a person in Stanford Professor Eric Hanushek, who has studied educa- mind. They are very often deserving people, tional achievement and impact on gross domestic product but it’s not a fair competition. There are in OECD countries. “Higher education pays but it has an efforts to move toward a centralized even bigger impact if students are well prepared going into system of recruiting.” it,” Hanushek says. “If one is getting little out of primary and secondary schools, as is the case in Greece, when you Some Institutions compare it to those doing better, like schools in Italy, then Aim to Make Changes a year of higher education has a higher impact in Italy than For-profit and religious institutions in Greece. While we measured mainly science and math, are starting to change the landscape, at an overall level, everything is correlated. You don’t see says Walston, whose American countries [that are] good at math that are not literate.” University of Rome is a private, freestanding Martinotti looks past the immediate crisis when asked American liberal arts university. if he is optimistic or pessimistic about the future of Italian “[American University of Rome] should be in a stron- higher education. ger position as a foreign institution in Italy,” Walston says. “That’s difficult to answer,” he says. “Higher education is “A large portion of our students are from the United in crisis in the U.S., too. Overall, higher education is an old States, and the €13,000 tuition we charge is already less system that doesn’t perform well in our knowledge-based than many U.S. institutions. If the euro goes down with system. Fifty years back, universities had a monopoly of respect to the dollar, Americans will pay less, so more knowledge. Now real knowledge is produced in many are likely to come. Also, the UK’s enormous increase places. In Italy, I’ve seen universities become much better in tuition fees means that, whereas before we were not during my career. They were very bad in the beginning. competitive for those students, our €13,000 tuition is There is now a larger number of students who receive comparable to the [new UK rate of] £9,000.” degrees. We still are at the bottom of countries by the Walston says that the American University of Rome number of degreeholders in the OECD. But the students has a very international body, “We have two-thirds of are better, more professional, and they know the worth of our students coming from study abroad programs, with studies. Altogether, there are lots of good professors and the remaining one-third of students being resident, de- good researchers. If you go by research, and if you look gree-seeking students. Of the degree-seeking students, a at productivity by researcher, the performance of Italian quarter of those are American, a quarter Italian, and the higher education institutions is high, but our rankings are rest from everywhere else—such as the [Persian] Gulf, not high in the aggregate because there is little money and
MAY+JUNE.12 MAY+JUNE.12 i onal E ducator Internat the former Yugoslavia, and children of diplomats.” low support. Overall, I’m moderately optimistic.”
68 Portugal’s Bumps on the Road to Catching Up ortugal’s economy and higher education system have long struggled to recover from a 50-year civilian dictatorship that ended in 1974. During that period, the country’s education system was generally underfunded and undervalued. POver the last 25 years, successive governments con- ducted a steady campaign to build up the higher education sector, based upon a consensus that educational weakness- es were holding back development of the country. Still, the educational system has also been wracked by instability, with 27 education ministers serving since 1974. Efforts to grow the system were also in some cases inefficient, says Pedro Nuno Teixeira, director of CIPES, the Portuguese Center for Research in Higher Education Policies. “Fast expansion created a large number of private and public institutions. There are about 180 higher education institu- tions for a country of 10 million people—that is too many.” Portugal began to suffer in the current crisis after running huge debts with the rest of the world. In late 2011, the Portuguese government announced that higher education and social education support funding would be reduced by nearly 20 percent in 2012.
Most Recent Cuts Pedro Nuno Teixeira, director of CIPES, the Portuguese Center for Research in The latest cuts are particularly painful giv- Higher Education Policies en previous rounds of cuts imposed in relation to international funding tied to austerity commitments. “Portugal has been on austerity measures for 10 years,” of the board at the Portuguese Agency for Assessment says Teixeira. “We were the first European country to breach and Accreditation of Higher Education. “The system was a stability pact in 2001 and pay scales in the public sector rather irrational with respect to the offering of programs, were frozen for most of the last decade. When in 2008 and so there is still space to make it more efficient on the in- 2009 several countries like Spain and Ireland had cuts, our struction side,” Amaral says. “But that is not the case for political margin to cut more was more difficult since salaries research; there will be more impact there.” had been frozen, and in 2009 we had an election year and With fewer resources, the government is now focusing there was an actual increase in salaries. Then the situation on quality at the higher education level, with Amaral and deteriorated further and led to a bailout in 2011.” his agency implementing a new accreditation process over As part of the latest cuts, salaries have been reduced. the past three years to ensure adherence to higher educa- Teixeira says that full and associate professors over the tional standards, particularly with respect to many private 2011 and 2012 period will suffer cumulative wage cuts institutions that Teixeira says were set up with lax oversight. of 25 to 26 percent. The new requirement calls upon every new higher educa- Despite general funding limitations, the government tion program to be submitted to the agency for review, as managed to increase science and research for the previous well as for recertification of existing programs. The result 10 to 15 years as a top national priority. Only in 2011 has has been that several hundred programs have not sought it been cut for the first time. Thus, Teixeira says there is recertification. “They realized it would be hard for them a margin for some austerity, though he says more than a to be approved,” Teixeira says. “Many closed down their year or two will endanger the progress that has been made. programs. Because of this requirement, public and private institutions are being more careful.” The Impact of Fewer Resources While there is a significant private educational sector The cuts will impact the research side of universities more in Portugal, unlike many other European countries, some than the instruction side, agrees Alberto Amaral, former educators contend that it was built on the cheap, often of P ed r o N uno T ei x a tesy ou r MAY+JUNE.12 MAY+JUNE.12 i onal E ducator Internat rector of the University of Porto and current president for student who could not gain acceptance to the public C 70 72
International Educator MAY+JUNE.12 heading for Portuguese-speaking Brazil, where the Brazil, - econ for Portuguese-speaking heading optionsin are findingnow so fewer Portugal, they however, that ischanging,” Teixeira “Many says. graduates range ofoptionsandthe “Now, ability selective. to be scarcity, that universitygraduates hadarelative was broad that ofthe United States. isarobust loan systemsuch private as that needed also thegiven large of a universityHe says degree. benefits costs, ofthe for some educational students to bear need saysCarneiro that brought has the into crisis the focus Students Must ChipIn who also lectures at Georgetown University. at lectures who also Georgetown atprofessor ofeconomics University CollegeLondon abroad,ties says Pedro aPortuguese associate Carneiro, - for opportuni researchers andprofessors are looking also positions and are living off grants until they are untilgrants 45.” off andarethey living positions that certainty. Many researchers don’t also have permanent likely to InPortugal, stay at level. areasonable there isnot long tradition research of funding and where is funding uncertainty more. It’s notlike a with youare inacountry youfeel the ofcrisis, Intimes and there rules. are many tax ment research inPortugal for funding isnotexactly stable England. It’s notjust the crisis—it’s environ that- the policy going to people I’ve seen years, few “Inthe last Carneiro. are oftheir at ifthey careers,” the peak especially says past for university graduates, given their past relative their past given for universitygraduates, past system, and is not competitive the with public system. “I think that the good researchers are trying to “I thinkleave, that researchers are the trying good Teixeira says onerelatively inthe factor positive Like Tiago FlemingOuteiro, many Portuguese omy is booming, Angola, [a former Portuguese Portuguese [aformer Angola, omy isbooming, elsewhere inWesternelsewhere Europe.” colony] where there isconstruction activity, or University ofPorto University matters to them isto showto the other students that they says Technical University ofCrete’s “What Hristopulos. reality,” anddistort rational obscure demandsandthey mythe view, campuses—in are groups these ir making student that groups take actionsculminating inclosing notjust inEurope. “Take ofvalues—and crisis the radical alarger reflect societal crises andeducational economic that fear tion ofthe European same,some academics the don’t mistakes making showupfor awhile.” ofthe make. problem Part will isthat they of the results but that’s make the andthey decisions lipservice often power say, in future’ “Those for ‘This is nushek. important “Education isafunnything,”predict. says Stanford’s Ha- to anddifficult long reaching, be lagging, tend to effects isthat madeinresponse their administrative decisions of the government An ominous andresources. aspect of ofasuddenlymoreregarding scarce allocation pool similar to that oftheare Uniteddifficult States, choices At of European of the highereducation, crisis the heart Tough Choices problems.” that levels wehave greater andsecondary at the primary doesn’t compare It’s other badlywith European countries. system highereducation Our is nothighereducation. education,”and secondary Teixeira problem “The says. rent minister ismore education basic concerned about in,for example,than dropouts Germany.” society, are functional to less getthey byinmodern so are notliterateof Portuguese dropouts able enoughto be isthat bythe OECD 70percent measured as for dropouts level the 80percent.Also, literacy generation,ents’ itwas outofhighschool,”dropped “Inmy says. par Carneiro neiro says. inlife earlier onpreparationinequality for college, Car and poverty of areand achievement the effects lingering acap of€1,000.”with from15to 20percent,oftheir revenues, part, important us to the standard in Europe. For it institutions, is some an than publicinthe U.S., it’s whenyou significant compare tions charge tuition fees,” Texieira it’s “While says. smaller ofthe interms publicinstituprivate-oriented revenue - “Publicinstitutions inPortugaling. havemore become student source asubstantial tuition- as ofuniversityfund inEuropeelsewhere andrelatively greater ability to tap isthateira says, the relative are lowerthan cost scales - andalloca ofresources, acrisis part whileingood But The government has responded accordingly. The responded government has “The cur “I’m 37andinmy generation, halfthe population A large challenge participation to highereducation A positive factor at the higher education level, Teix at factor level, theA positive highereducation - - - - -
Jordi Ramisa/ istockphoto. sky: shutterstock have power and control. I see the crisis in Greece as not “Hopefully, we have learned only a financial crisis but also as a social crisis, in terms a lesson from this crisis, of values and in terms of expectations. On a more global although I’m not so sure scale, I believe that the experience in Greece to date high- lights a lack of self-control in the Western World, where yet. I’m hoping that unjustified exuberance has reigned since the 1990s.” doomsday scenarios don’t An irony, Hristopulos says, is that many students have come through, and that no perspective regarding how much their educational we will have a chance to system has improved from prior generations, present rebuild the economy. But cutbacks notwithstanding. “I graduated in 1985 from first we have to rebuild a the National Technical University of Athens, and I see a certain value system.” lot of things have changed for the better in terms of the quality of textbooks or manuscripts we use in class, the buildings that are available, and access to computational infrastructure. In the Technical University of Crete we ahead of that in a short period of time, but the students have a number of computer labs, which our students can don’t appreciate this progress. We have the potential, and use since their freshman year, while more advanced stu- it is up to us to use this potential more effectively. Hope- dents have access to specialized software. When I was a fully, we have learned a lesson from this crisis, although student, we used punchcards to run computer programs; I’m not so sure yet. I’m hoping that doomsday scenarios since we had insufficient money, the machine kept run- don’t come through, and that we will have a chance to ning out of ink; every time we made a typing or logical rebuild the economy. But first we have to rebuild a cer- mistake, we would put the card up to the light to try to tain value system. And then the rest will follow.” IE figure out which letter or symbol corresponded to the David Tobenkin is a freelance reporter based in punched holes on the card. We have moved light years Chevy Chase, Maryland. MAY+JUNE.12 MAY+JUNE.12 i onal E ducator Internat
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