Financing Public Universities / Higher Education Dynamics Bd.18 (PDF)

'Marcel Herbst has produced a penetrating and thorough analysis of the current enthusiasm in many countries for employing performance funding as a tool for increasing the accountability and quality of their higher education systems. His work is based on an impressive coverage of the literature on this topic and, particularly important, places the interest in performance funding within the context of the changing and conflicting views of governmental steering and reform of higher education. It is the most insightful and comprehensive examination of this topic available. This book is a "must read" for both governmental policy makers concerned with higher education and college and university leaders.'

Frank A. Schmidtlein, Associate Professor of Higher Education (Emeritus), University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

Herbst is widely knowledgeable across national higher education systems and his analysis of the weaknesses of European university scene is penetrating and challenging. Many of his solutions make uncomfortable reading but, if the European higher education area wants to keep up with world competition, they will have to be acted upon.

Professor Michael Shattock, Institute of Education, University of London

The author of this book is a former university administrator that finally became a researcher. This non usual background provides the author a special understanding of the university management but also, as a privileged observer, a profound insight on the university life.

This book is a consequence of his double perspective. The author makes a deep analysis of performance funding, but in fact, the book is something else: it is a general and excellent overview of how universities work around the world. Surprisingly to some extent, bearing in mind his managerial background, the author is wisely in favour of taking cautiously the increasing managerial trends in the university world.