Higher Education as a System: The English Experience

TY - JOUR

T1 - Higher Education as a System: The English Experience

AU - Filippakou, Ourania

AU - Salter, Brian

AU - Tapper, Ted

PY - 2012/1

Y1 - 2012/1

N2 - With particular, although not exclusive, reference to England, this article explores the appropriateness of describing higher education as a system. It has two main purposes: to explore the grounds for labelling English higher education as a system and to argue that, because this is no longer an appropriate label, a different conceptualisation is required. The central argument is that the structure of higher education is formed through the interaction of the state, market and higher education institutions and is, therefore, a shifting political construct. Furthermore, it will be hypothesised that the English (indeed, the British) model of higher education is better described as an increasingly internally differentiated network of sectors rather than as a system.

AB - With particular, although not exclusive, reference to England, this article explores the appropriateness of describing higher education as a system. It has two main purposes: to explore the grounds for labelling English higher education as a system and to argue that, because this is no longer an appropriate label, a different conceptualisation is required. The central argument is that the structure of higher education is formed through the interaction of the state, market and higher education institutions and is, therefore, a shifting political construct. Furthermore, it will be hypothesised that the English (indeed, the British) model of higher education is better described as an increasingly internally differentiated network of sectors rather than as a system.

U2 - 10.1111/j.1468-2273.2011.00506.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1468-2273.2011.00506.x

M3 - Article

SN - 0951-5224

VL - 66

SP - 106

EP - 122

JO - HIGHER EDUCATION QUARTERLY

JF - HIGHER EDUCATION QUARTERLY

IS - 1

ER -