Benchmarking governance as a tool for promoting change
81050. The World Bank, (June 2013)Abstract
Transparency and openness are fundamental elements of institutional development. Recent events in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have highlighted the importance of openness and transparency in governance-government processes, decisions, and expenditures that are visible to public scrutiny and voice for citizens in decisions affecting their access to basic services and economic opportunities. This applies to higher education just as much as it does to social and financial institutions, corporations, and public agencies. Institutions that are governed fairly, openly, and honestly improve the lives of individuals, enhance innovation, and function more effectively than closed and secretive organizations. Measuring governance and quality of service delivery is central to improving education outcomes. This report addresses how university governance has been assessed and compared in 100 higher education institutions (HEIs) in seven countries in MENA, using an instrument that takes into account the underlying principles of transparency, openness, accountability, and voice and participation of stakeholders in decision making. The key role played by university governance in the improvement of education quality has been a focus of attention in MENA countries for the past three years. HE ministers and policy makers expressed their specific need to benchmark university governance at a seminar held in December 2009 at the Center for Mediterranean Integration (CMI) in Marseille. The results of this exercise to benchmark university governance in 100 universities in seven countries in MENA and the implications they have for policy changes at the national and institutional levels are discussed in this report.