The Pluralistic Reform of Czech Higher Education: The Impact of Private Colleges which Contribute to the Regional and Human Development

Abstract

  This paper clarifies the pluralistic reform of Czech higher education through analyzing the diversification of Czech private colleges.

  First, the concept of academic autonomy and freedom in Czech higher education was analyzed to show that they are opposing concepts with different responses to social demands. Because of the Czech experience with socialism, Czech people glorify and try to protect academic autonomy and freedom as a symbol of free will, which was suppressed during the socialist era. The University Council and the Scientific Committee at each university are the supreme decision-making bodies and the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports cannot force them to conform to national decisions. Venerable public universities have no interest in responding to social demand.

  Second, changes in Czech higher education policy are considered through an analysis of the Ministries’ strategic plans, wherein priority areas of the reform have changed from “quantity” to “quality.” Quantitative expansion has led to a decline in the quality of higher education. In order to improve quality, each institution is recommended to publish their respective missions and strengths as strategic plans and to strive to achieve excellent outcomes. Pluralistic reform is seeking a diversity of Excellence, aiming to protect the academic freedom of venerable universities, recommending private colleges to respond to social demands.

  Third, the reform strategies of private colleges were examined. The actualization of the course re-accreditation system allows them to set the proper and unique curricula that respond to regional demands. What is needed in the Czech regions is the knowledge of economy and management, human understanding, and a regional development force. Private colleges attempt to raise the expertise of their fields and to establish master’s and the doctor’s courses like public universities to obtain social approval in a society which evaluates universities for their academic-oriented accomplishments.

  Fourth, the typologies of many private colleges were considered through the analysis of mission statements and strengths that were described in strategic plans and annual reports. It is possible to categorize these into nine types: 1) Colleges located in Prague; an attractive, ancient capital that has established an international environment and curriculum. Their target is to attract international students who want to learn management; 2) Colleges, located in Prague, offering theory of regional economy and development. Their mission is to facilitate contributions to rural Czech regions; 3) Colleges, located in Prague, offering economic studies that seemed to be very original at the beginning of the regime-transition period; They are now expected to create their mission and strength to be re-accredited; 4) Regional colleges that offer interdisciplinary learning to train regional and corporate development capabilities. They try to prepare human resources with a long-term view; 5) Regional colleges that have characteristics in lifelong learning and social education. There are colleges that offer career courses for Ministries and agencies; 6) Regional colleges that offer courses of economy and teacher training for regions far away from the transportation network through distance education; 7) Regional colleges that contribute to human resource development for local government and small, local, medium-sized enterprises. Many of these can acquire the assistance of local governments in establishing and managing colleges; 8) Colleges which put forward the importance of the ‘better life’, whose necessities have been recognized in recent years in Czech. They offer studies in welfare, wellness, and adult education. These include; 9) colleges that offer interdisciplinary studies in arts and architecture. Because (View PDF for the rest of the abstract.)