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Creating a Binary Policy in Austria
Author(s) -
Pratt John
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
higher education quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.976
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1468-2273
pISSN - 0951-5224
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-2273.1993.tb01620.x
Subject(s) - legislation , government (linguistics) , institution , higher education , political science , public administration , higher education policy , policy analysis , public policy , education policy , public relations , economic growth , economics , law , philosophy , linguistics
In 1993, the Government of Austria passed legislation establishing a ‘binary policy’ in higher education. A new accrediting body the Fachhochschulrat was created, empowered to accredit vocationally oriented courses in any institution seeking to offer them. Institutions meeting certain conditions will be entitled to seek designation as Fachhochschulen. The policy marks an important departure from the traditionally highly regulated and centralized system of policymaking in Austria. The article offers an analysis of the factors leading to the policy and analyses the implications for the future. It draws on the author's experience as a member of a team of examiners from the Organization for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) undertaking a policy review of Austrian higher education, and points to lessons for Austria from the United Kingdom's experience over the last 25 years.