Autonomy and accountability are two sides of the same coin. Justify the statement
in the context of the university system. (600 words)
Answers
Answer:
Traditionally, institutions of higher education across the world enjoyed considerable freedom to determine their own policies and priorities in a wide range of their activities. This level of autonomy is however reviewed by many governments, and a policy of governance and accountability instituted.
Definition of terms
“Autonomy: comes from the Greek roots ‘auto’ meaning “self” and ‘nomos’ meaning “custom” or “law.” This reflects the political sense of the word — a group’s right to self-government or self-rule. When a person seeks autonomy, he or she would like to be able to make decisions independently from an authority figure
Accountability
describes accepting responsibility. It is the trait of being answerable to someone for something. (vocabulary.com). “The term accountability, as it is commonly used in higher education, includes a range of policy issues, not all of which are related to student outcomes. As a general policy construct, it refers to the responsibility (if not legal obligation) of campus and system administrators, as well as governmental officials, to provide their supervisors (ultimately, the public) reports of their stewardship of public funds.”
Discussion
In the late 1960s, access to higher education grew to what was then considered an unprecedented level. . Primarily, accountability focussed on financial concerns, but as the concept evolved, the value of higher educational outcomes increasingly came into play.
To whom are institutions accountable? Institutions of higher education are accountable to all its stakeholders (students, legislators, leaders of educational institutions, business leaders, and others interested in higher education) both internal and external. The education of a nation is a vital responsibility of government, and the harsh economic crisis faced by most countries places them under extreme pressure to produce excellent outcomes consistent with their mission and vision, and expectations of stakeholders. Autonomy in institutions of higher education may result in administrations’ abuse of their power and authority, if left unchecked by the state. This is why institutions of higher education need a supportive governance structure in which they have autonomy to achieve their objectives, as well as the appropriate level of accountability. According to Fielden, (2008), countries all over the world have been modifying their governance structures to entrust management and oversight of their universities to achieve the dual goals of autonomy with accompanying levels of accountability. Accountability is aligned with a governance structure, strategically selected by all stakeholders to oversee the operation of the institution. It involves an executive Head, the institutional decision-making body, (internal and external), the academic body, as well as advisory or supervisory bodies.
How is accountability expressed? To guarantee higher quality and to attain better performance in the teaching and learning processes it is necessary to encourage the involvement and commitment of all those involved with the process. Accountability is expressed through a number of internal control measures such as documenting operational and educational cost effectively, stated guidelines on matters of governance, reporting and related regulatory requirements and reform, and assessment policies. Accountability does no revoke institutions’ autonomy, it provides guidelines for approving the institutions and what they offer, enact legislation to create boards or agencies to govern, coordinate, or advice institutions, and created a regulatory body that oversees the institutions
Conclusion
Accountability does not detract from autonomy, it simply adds a formal structure of governance to guide policies and decision making. It helps to align institutional priorities with state goals, allow stakeholders to view their progress toward their set goals, and provides a basis for making policy decisions. (Leveille, 2006). A combination of authority, accountability, and management functions are necessary for autonomy to be successful. When good governance and financial management is exercised with a sense of responsibility, autonomy and accountability will create excellence in institutions of higher education. In essence, autonomy and accountability are two sides of the same coin, and complements each other
Answer:
Explanation:
Traditionally, institutions of higher education across the world enjoyed considerable freedom to determine their own policies and priorities in a wide range of their activities. This level of autonomy is however reviewed by many governments, and a policy of governance and accountability instituted.
Definition of terms
“Autonomy: comes from the Greek roots ‘auto’ meaning “self” and ‘nomos’ meaning “custom” or “law.” This reflects the political sense of the word — a group’s right to self-government or self-rule. When a person seeks autonomy, he or she would like to be able to make decisions independently from an authority figure
Accountability
describes accepting responsibility. It is the trait of being answerable to someone for something. (vocabulary.com). “The term accountability, as it is commonly used in higher education, includes a range of policy issues, not all of which are related to student outcomes. As a general policy construct, it refers to the responsibility (if not legal obligation) of campus and system administrators, as well as governmental officials, to provide their supervisors (ultimately, the public) reports of their stewardship of public funds.”
Discussion
In the late 1960s, access to higher education grew to what was then considered an unprecedented level. . Primarily, accountability focussed on financial concerns, but as the concept evolved, the value of higher educational outcomes increasingly came into play.
To whom are institutions accountable? Institutions of higher education are accountable to all its stakeholders (students, legislators, leaders of educational institutions, business leaders, and others interested in higher education) both internal and external. The education of a nation is a vital responsibility of government, and the harsh economic crisis faced by most countries places them under extreme pressure to produce excellent outcomes consistent with their mission and vision, and expectations of stakeholders. Autonomy in institutions of higher education may result in administrations’ abuse of their power and authority, if left unchecked by the state. This is why institutions of higher education need a supportive governance structure in which they have autonomy to achieve their objectives, as well as the appropriate level of accountability. According to Fielden, (2008), countries all over the world have been modifying their governance structures to entrust management and oversight of their universities to achieve the dual goals of autonomy with accompanying levels of accountability. Accountability is aligned with a governance structure, strategically selected by all stakeholders to oversee the operation of the institution. It involves an executive Head, the institutional decision-making body, (internal and external), the academic body, as well as advisory or supervisory bodies.
How is accountability expressed? To guarantee higher quality and to attain better performance in the teaching and learning processes it is necessary to encourage the involvement and commitment of all those involved with the process. Accountability is expressed through a number of internal control measures such as documenting operational and educational cost effectively, stated guidelines on matters of governance, reporting and related regulatory requirements and reform, and assessment policies. Accountability does no revoke institutions’ autonomy, it provides guidelines for approving the institutions and what they offer, enact legislation to create boards or agencies to govern, coordinate, or advice institutions, and created a regulatory body that oversees the institutions
Conclusion
Accountability does not detract from autonomy, it simply adds a formal structure of governance to guide policies and decision making. It helps to align institutional priorities with state goals, allow stakeholders to view their progress toward their set goals, and provides a basis for making policy decisions. (Leveille, 2006). A combination of authority, accountability, and management functions are necessary for autonomy to be successful. When good governance and financial management is exercised with a sense of responsibility, autonomy and accountability will create excellence in institutions of higher education. In essence, autonomy and accountability are two sides of the same coin, and complements each other