02 - Czech Republic - Ongoing debates and future developments

In late 2003 the OECD Education Committee agreed to carry out a major thematic review of tertiary education. The principal objective of the review is to help countries understand how the organisation, management and delivery of tertiary education can help them to achieve their economic and social objectives.

Tertiary professional education

The OECD experts' conclusions in the country note stirred up discussions which in the case of vyšší odborné školy concern the very existence of this type of education, its inclusion in the higher education system and relationship between those schools and vysoké školy.

The review team recommends the creation within most universities of a "University College of Professional Studies" with a mission to focus on "professional" Bachelor’s and short-cycle programmes, including lifelong learning. Vyšší odborné školy should be divided into those that should operate primarily at a secondary level (offering limited parts of tertiary programmes in co-operation with vysoké školy) and those with significant tertiary/higher education capacity. The first group should continue to be part of the secondary school system while the latter would be integrated into University Colleges for Professional Studies at universities on a geographical basis. With the possible exception of those few that are large and competent enough to be self-standing non-university vysoké školy.

In the theses for the White Paper of Tertiary Education the further existence of vyšší odborné školy is, in compliance with the results of OECD experts, considered as follows:

• some vyšší odborné školy should transform and subsequently be accredited as vysoké školy of non-university type;
• some of them should merge with existing vysoké školy;
• others should become "the centres for post-secondary education".

This should be connected with the changes in accreditation of study programmes and in Accreditation Commissions themselves (for higher education institutions and tertiary professional schools).

The Association of Tertiary Professional Schools and the Czech Association of Schools of Professional Higher Education came with rather different proposal. According to them the so-called Polyfunctional schools (such a school could contain several types of schools under one roof) which would offer a Bachelor's study with professional orientation. At the same time a law could allow integration of schools that prepare a professional Bachelor with vysoké školy, e.g. in a form of independent faculties of professional education.

Higher education

In all of the sets of policy recommendations concerning the OECD thematic review of tertiary education – on tertiary structure; institutional governance; resources; equity; research and innovation; the labour market; quality assurance; and internationalisation – strong emphasis is placed on the need to re-build the system to a more outward focus; towards stronger educational links to employers, regions, and labour markets; the development of research and innovation partnership with business, industry and other vysoké školy; a greater role for external stakeholders in system and institutional governance and in accreditation; an increased private contribution to the costs of higher education; and openness to Europe and the world.

Theses for the White Paper of Tertiary Education deal with financing of the reform:

• vysoké školy should be funded according to their quality;
• private schools should claim a contribution from public resources derived from contributions to educational activities of public vysoká škola;
• students' participation on funding (study fees) is taken into account.

Theses also request that different kinds of vysoká škola should be distinguished. On one hand world-class research centres and on the other hand vysoké školy focused mainly on education should be established.

Theses leave a large room for the management and self-governance of vysoká škola:

• inseparability of decision and accountability;
• distinction of academic and strategic-economic-managerial agenda;
• definition of responsibility between university (rectorate) and its faculties;
• student's role in the self-governance.

The Higher Education Reform Policy takes into account a greater role of board of trustees and participation of representatives of interest groups of society (external players).

A basic element of the reform in the area of science and research is the decrease of a high number of providers of funds for science and research from public resources. There should be one provider and two agencies outside the Ministry.

Theses also consider an independent Ministry for tertiary education, research and innovation.

The main topics, which follow from the existing strategic documents for vysoké školy being debated, still remain:

• Structured study and consequently the content of Bachelor's study and the profile of its graduates;
• Strengthening of research at vysoké školy;
• Assurance of the quality of higher education regardless of its increased capacity;
• Assurance of excellence mainly in terms of outstanding results in research and development;
• Improving the quality of academic staff;
• Internationalization of study programmes;
• Improving the quality of academic life and especially of welfare conditions for students.

Asociace vyšších odborných škol
Duškova 7 150 00 Praha 5
Tel.:420.210082512
Website:  http://www.asociacevos.cz

Czech Association of Schools of Profesional Higher Education
Pod Kotlářkou 8 150 00 Praha 5
Tel.:420.257220394
E-mail:kancelar@ssvs.cz
Website  http://www.ssvs.cz