Greater autonomy for universities as foundations

By Jan Petter Myklebust. In a memorandum sent to higher education institutions for comment, Sweden’s Ministry of Education has proposed legislation that would grant universities and colleges legal autonomy from the government – by institutions becoming private foundations. Universities have endorsed the need for change, but responses to the legislation have been lukewarm. The legal amendments, outlined in the extensive 136-page memo Høgskolestiftelser, reflect an ideological step towards ‘privatisation’ by conservative Prime Minister John Reinfeldt’s governing alliance. More...