Some thoughts on pay-for-performance in higher education
28 June 2010, by Dr Peter Ewell
There is something quite beguiling about performance funding. It is relentlessly capitalistic and is largely in accord with the way we think human motivation works. Partly as a result, it has enjoyed several runs of experiment in higher education the U.S. and is currently being mooted as an alternative financing mechanism for the sector across the world. Despite the popularity of pay-for-performance in the policy community, there are at least three reasons why it does not tend to work very well.
Leading with a 'big policy picture'
28 June 2010, by Dr Julie Wells
Why does understanding the `big policy picture’ matter to leaders in tertiary education, and how might we use it to our advantage?
Obviously, it gives context to our work. A successful leader will interpret and develop effective institutional responses to important policy issues, while also translating their implications for others. However, the policy environment i s complex and distracting. A successful leader is one who can distinguish those issues that merit attention from those which just burn energy.