The quality of board decision making processes in Higher Education institutions: UK and European experiences
The quality of board decision making processes in Higher Education institutions: UK and European experiences
We investigate governance (CG) practices in HEIs in the UK and in selected EU countries, with a focus on the quality of strategic decision-making processes at the level of governing boards against a context of increasing challenges, uncertainties and expectations facing the UK HEI sector. The report examines factors affecting the quality of decision-making, specifically investigating an awareness of the impact of heuristics and cognitive biases on judgement, and seeks to establish whether boards regularly adopt active processes to mitigate bias in reviewing or approving plans set out by university management. Documented in the report are significant differences, commonalities and nuances in approaches by governing boards. Interviews with board members, observations of board meetings, and a review of documentation (e.g. council effectiveness reviews) reveal wide diversity in decision-making and risk management approaches, varying opportunities for board members to review information critical to their decision-making, low levels of awareness of heuristics and biases, and a general absence of systematic implementation of bias mitigation procedures. Comparisons of governing board experiences between UK and selected EU countries (Italy, Netherlands and Cyprus) highlight the existence of a formal and informal ‘moderation’ of strategic decisions in the latter countries. This arises either from an internal form of democratic governance (Senate or similar academic board) or more directly from the State (e.g. Ministerial authority); a state of affairs which sharply contrasts with the mainstream form of managerialism in the UK context which emphasises dominant control by the top management team (led by the vice-chancellor) and the governing board chairperson in the decision-making process.
Marnet, Oliver
6840910e-2e26-4e63-aa84-76c5c8d27877
Soobaroyen, Teerooven
6686e2f8-564f-4f7f-b079-9dc8a2f53a48
7 December 2017
Marnet, Oliver
6840910e-2e26-4e63-aa84-76c5c8d27877
Soobaroyen, Teerooven
6686e2f8-564f-4f7f-b079-9dc8a2f53a48
Marnet, Oliver and Soobaroyen, Teerooven
(2017)
The quality of board decision making processes in Higher Education institutions: UK and European experiences.
Society for Research into Higher Education Annual Conference, Celtic Manor Conference Centre, Newport.
06 - 08 Dec 2017.
Record type:
Conference or Workshop Item
(Paper)
Abstract
We investigate governance (CG) practices in HEIs in the UK and in selected EU countries, with a focus on the quality of strategic decision-making processes at the level of governing boards against a context of increasing challenges, uncertainties and expectations facing the UK HEI sector. The report examines factors affecting the quality of decision-making, specifically investigating an awareness of the impact of heuristics and cognitive biases on judgement, and seeks to establish whether boards regularly adopt active processes to mitigate bias in reviewing or approving plans set out by university management. Documented in the report are significant differences, commonalities and nuances in approaches by governing boards. Interviews with board members, observations of board meetings, and a review of documentation (e.g. council effectiveness reviews) reveal wide diversity in decision-making and risk management approaches, varying opportunities for board members to review information critical to their decision-making, low levels of awareness of heuristics and biases, and a general absence of systematic implementation of bias mitigation procedures. Comparisons of governing board experiences between UK and selected EU countries (Italy, Netherlands and Cyprus) highlight the existence of a formal and informal ‘moderation’ of strategic decisions in the latter countries. This arises either from an internal form of democratic governance (Senate or similar academic board) or more directly from the State (e.g. Ministerial authority); a state of affairs which sharply contrasts with the mainstream form of managerialism in the UK context which emphasises dominant control by the top management team (led by the vice-chancellor) and the governing board chairperson in the decision-making process.
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Accepted/In Press date: 30 September 2017
Published date: 7 December 2017
Venue - Dates:
Society for Research into Higher Education Annual Conference, Celtic Manor Conference Centre, Newport, 2017-12-06 - 2017-12-08
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 416466
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/416466
PURE UUID: d4be915b-3ad9-4e6f-b29d-76de4d8dd0b4
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Date deposited: 19 Dec 2017 17:30
Last modified: 03 Sep 2022 01:50
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Contributors
Author:
Teerooven Soobaroyen
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