Bjørn Stensaker

• Hansen, Hanne Foss; Aarrevaara, Timo; Geschwind, Lars & Stensaker, Bjørn (2019). Evaluation Practices and Impact: Overload?, In Romulo Pinheiro; Lars Geschwind; Hanne Foss Hansen & Kirsi Pulkkinen (ed.),  Reforms, Organizational Change and Performance in Higher Education. A comparative Account from the Nordic Countries.  Palgrave Macmillan.  ISBN 978-3-030-11737-5.  Chapter 8.  s 235 - 266
• Maassen, Peter & Stensaker, Bjørn (2019). From organised anarchy to de-coupled bureaucracy: The transformation of university organisation. Higher Education Quarterly.  ISSN 0951-5224.  s 1- 13 . doi: 10.1111/hequ.12229
• Pinheiro, Romulo; Aarrevaara, Timo; Berg, Laila Nordstrand; Fumasoli, Tatiana; Geschwind, Lars; Hansen, Hanne Foss; Hernes, Helge; Kivistö, Jussi; Lind, Jonas Krog; Lyytinen, Anu; Pekkola, Elias; Pulkkinen, Kirsi; Stensaker, Bjørn & Söderlind, Johan (2019). Nordic Higher Education in Flux: System Evolution and Reform Trajectories, In Romulo Pinheiro; Lars Geschwind; Hanne Foss Hansen & Kirsi Pulkkinen (ed.),  Reforms, Organizational Change and Performance in Higher Education. A comparative Account from the Nordic Countries.  Palgrave Macmillan.  ISBN 978-3-030-11737-5.  Kapittel 3.  s 69 - 108
• Pulkkinen, Kirsi; Aarrevaara, Timo; Berg, Laila Nordstrand; Geschwind, Lars; Hansen, Hanne Foss; Hernes, Helge; Kivistö, Jussi; Lind, Jonas Krog; Lyytinen, Anu; Pekkola, Elias; Pinheiro, Romulo; Stensaker, Bjørn & Söderlind, Johan (2019). Does It Really Matter? Assessing the Performance Effects of Changes in Leadership and Management Structures in Nordic Higher Education, In Romulo Pinheiro; Lars Geschwind; Hanne Foss Hansen & Kirsi Pulkkinen (ed.),  Reforms, Organizational Change and Performance in Higher Education. A comparative Account from the Nordic Countries.  Palgrave Macmillan.  ISBN 978-3-030-11737-5.  Kapittel 1.  s 3 - 36
• Stensaker, Bjørn (2019). Socially embedded universities and the search for meaning, In Tom Christensen; Åse Gornitzka & Francisco O. Ramirez (ed.),  Universities as Agencies. Reputation and Professionalization.  Palgrave Macmillan.  ISBN 978-3-319-92712-1.  10.  s 251 - 269
• Stensaker, Bjørn; Elken, Mari & Maassen, Peter (2019). Studieprogramledelse – et spørsmål om organisering?. UNIPED.  ISSN 1893-8981.  42(1), s 91- 105 . doi: 10.18261/issn.1893-8981-2019-01-07 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv. Vis sammendrag

  Utdanningsledelse har blitt fremmet som et viktig tiltak for å øke kvalitet i norsk høyere utdanning, men det har vært relativt begrenset kunnskap om hva utdanningsledelse på studieprogramnivå består av. Studieprogramledere har en viktig funksjon i koordineringen av det faglige arbeidet i studieprogrammene, de er koblingspunktet mellom pedagogisk arbeid i studieprogrammene og den organisatoriske konteksten studieprogrammene opererer innenfor. Artikkelen bruker data fra et spørreskjema blant norske studieprogramledere (N=551) ved 33 læresteder som ble gjennomført i 2016. Denne artikkelen ser på relasjonen mellom organisatoriske strukturer og rutiner og hvordan studieprogramledelse utøves. Artikkelen ser på lederrollens formalisering og forankring, ansvarsområder, samt måten kvalitetsarbeid samordnes på. En sentral konklusjon i artikkelen er at fordelingen av administrativt og faglig ansvar skaper flere spenninger for studieprogramledernes hverdag. I konklusjonen argumenteres det for at studieprogramledelse er en aktivitet rammet inn av en rekke administrative krav, forventninger og rutiner. For å sikre at studieprogramledere faktisk kan utøve sin lederrolle må derfor institusjonene kritisk vurdere hvordan utvikling av studieprogrammers drift organiseres.

• Stensaker, Bjørn; Hovdhaugen, Elisabeth & Maassen, Peter (2019). The practices of quality management in Norwegian higher education: Collaboration and control in study programme design and delivery. International Journal of Educational Management.  ISSN 0951-354X.  33(4), s 698- 708 . doi: 10.1108/IJEM-11-2017-0327 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv. Vis sammendrag

  Purpose: In recent decades, higher education institutions have been encouraged to develop their own internal management systems as a response to perceived quality challenges in the sector. These quality management (QM) systems have often been found to mainly reflect external accountability requirements, with less focus on coherent study programme development. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between QM practices and study programme delivery in Norwegian higher education institutions. Design/methodology/approach: The study examined how coordination and control of quality work with respect to educational activities take place, using data from a survey to study programme leaders in a large sample of Norwegian higher education institutions. Findings: The main findings show that a majority of institutions have established formal advisory bodies with a QM mandate, contributing to more coherent thinking, even though the division of labour between these bodies and formal decision-making structures often is unclear. The study also shows a high level of diversity in the collaboration practices among different actors involved in QM work, indicating that QM practices are adapted to local needs. Originality/value: The paper provides new knowledge as to how QM is conducted in practice at the local level. It nuances earlier studies by showing the involvement of collegial bodies in QM although such bodies may have unclear mandates and, thus, an unclear role in the QM process.

• Wollscheid, Sabine; Stensaker, Bjørn & Bugge, Markus (2019). Evidence-Informed Policy and Practice in the Field of Education: The Dilemmas Related to Organizational Design. European Education : Issues and Studies.  ISSN 1056-4934. . doi: 10.1080/10564934.2019.1619465 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv. Vis sammendrag

  Evidence-informed policy and practice has been a trend as part of an effort to increase the use of research to improve education at all levels. In many countries, knowledge-brokering initiatives were established to stimulate links between research, policy, and practice. Drawing on a mapping of initiatives in seven countries, this article describes different organizational designs, and discusses potential dilemmas these might imply for the realization of these organizations’ roles. Given different interests involved, the article shows that organizational design is crucial for enhancing legitimacy. Findings indicate a trend toward locating the knowledge-brokering function in a combined policy–science logic.

• Aamodt, Per O; Frølich, Nicoline & Stensaker, Bjørn (2018). Learning outcomes – a useful tool in quality assurance? Views from academic staff. Studies in Higher Education.  ISSN 0307-5079.  43(4), s 614- 624 . doi: 10.1080/03075079.2016.1185776 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv. Vis sammendrag

  While the establishment of quality assurance has been seen for decades as the most significant instrument to secure and enhance the quality of teaching and learning in higher education, the concept of developing more specific learning outcomes has in recent years attracted much interest, not least due to the creation of national qualification frameworks. In this article, we compare the perceived relevance of the traditional quality assurance approach with the new learning outcomes approach – as seen from the view of the academic staff. Using data from a representative survey among Norwegian academic staff, the study indicates that learning outcomes are perceived as more useful and relevant than traditional quality assurance approaches. The article discusses this finding in light of the current ways quality assurance procedures are functioning in higher education, and points to possible implications for the enhancement of quality in universities and colleges.

• Abualrub, Iyad & Stensaker, Bjørn (2018). How are universities responding to demands for improved learning environments?. Journal of Further and Higher Education.  ISSN 0309-877X.  42(5), s 721- 732 . doi: 10.1080/0309877X.2017.1311991 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv.
• Elken, Mari & Stensaker, Bjørn (2018). Conceptualising ‘quality work’ in higher education. Quality in Higher Education.  ISSN 1353-8322.  24(3), s 189- 202 . doi: 10.1080/13538322.2018.1554782 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv. Vis sammendrag

  The issue of quality enhancement within higher education has attracted considerable research interest and the article suggest that managerial and cultural approaches have thus far dominated the literature in the field. While acknowledging the importance of both management and culture, the article argues for the relevance of ‘quality work’ as a concept to better understand the processes involved in quality enhancement. By advocating that a stronger focus should be given on analysing practices, the article underlines the role of individual actors and their actions for understanding the foundations related to both quality maintenance and enhancement, as well as the research needed to empirically investigate these processes.

• Elken, Mari; Stensaker, Bjørn & Dedze, Indra (2018). The painters behind the profile: the rise and functioning of communication departments in universities. Higher Education.  ISSN 0018-1560.  76(6), s 1109- 1122 . doi: 10.1007/s10734-018-0258-x Fulltekst i vitenarkiv. Vis sammendrag

  It has been argued that universities are changing into becoming more professional as organizations, and this paper investigates this claim by exploring the emergence and tasks of communication departments in modern universities. Examination of universities in six Baltic and Nordic countries shows that communication departments are working closely with the institutional leadership and that communication is increasingly seen as a strategic function in the universities. This can position communication departments as a central internal coordinator between various organizational units and processes. While the findings indicate support for the assumption about more professional universities, those working within a communication department seem to have a broad and varied background and cannot be said to have developed a specific professional identity in all the institutions. However, our findings do indicate increasing contact and close relations between communication specialists across university borders which may result in a stronger professional identity over time.

• Frølich, Nicoline; Christensen, Tom & Stensaker, Bjørn (2018). Strengthening the strategic capacity of public universities: The role of internal governance models. Public Policy and Administration.  ISSN 0952-0767. . doi: 10.1177/0952076718762041 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv. Vis sammendrag

  Governments in Europe have emphasized the development of more autonomous public universities over the last couple of decades. Often, the aim of these reform policies has been to stimulate to a more competitive and agile higher education sector, where increased formal autonomy is perceived as a key condition to strengthen the strategic capacity of universities. These reforms have resulted in considerable shifts in the internal governance models of some universities, while others have kept their traditional governance models. In this article, instrumental and cultural perspectives derived from organizational theory are used as lenses to compare how universities with different internal governance models organize and structure their strategic development processes. Our findings suggest that internal governance models have little impact on the design and organization of strategic processes. In conclusion, it is argued that changes in internal governance arrangements alone are not enough to drive transformation in higher education institutions, and the issue of formal institutional autonomy is intimately linked to how various policy instruments at the system level are designed and coordinated.

• Fumasoli, Tatiana; Stensaker, Bjørn & Vukasovic, Martina (2018). Tackling the multi-actor and multi-level complexity of European governance of knowledge: Transnational actors in focus. European Educational Research Journal.  ISSN 1474-9041.  17(3), s 325- 334 . doi: 10.1177/1474904117742763 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv.
• Hovdhaugen, Elisabeth & Stensaker, Bjørn (2018). Variation in student success across Europe: Exploring the relevance of system-level explanations. International Journal of Chinese Education.  ISSN 2212-585X.  7(2), s 229- 245 . doi: 10.1163/22125868-12340099 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv.
• Jensen, Karen; Fumasoli, Tatiana & Stensaker, Bjørn (2018). Shadow organising: emerging stakeholder collaboration in higher education to enhance quality. Journal of Higher and Further Education.  ISSN 1469-9486.  s 1- 13 . doi: 10.1080.0309877x.2018.1541975
• Jungblut, Jens; Stensaker, Bjørn & Vukasovic, Martina (2018). What kind of quality assurance leads to improved performance and accountability? The views of European students, In Ellen Hazelkorn; Hamish Coates & Alexander C. McCormick (ed.),  Research Handbook on Quality, Performance and Accountability in Higher Education.  Edward Elgar Publishing.  ISBN 978 1 78536 974 2.  24.  s 321 - 331
• Lee, Jenny; Vance, Hillary & Stensaker, Bjørn (2018). Examining Rankings and Strategic Planning: Variations in local commitments, In Yan Wu; Qi Wang & Nian Cai Liu (ed.),  World-Class Universities: Towards a Global Common Good and Seeking National and Institutional Contributions.  Brill Academic Publishers.  ISBN 978-90-04-38963-2.  Chapter 5.  s 88 - 101
• Leiber, Theodor; Stensaker, Bjørn & Harvey, Lee (2018). Bridging theory and practice of impact evaluation of quality management in higher education institutions: a SWOT analysis. European Journal of Higher Education.  ISSN 2156-8235.  8(3), s 351- 365 . doi: 10.1080/21568235.2018.1474782
• Ozolins, Modris; Stensaker, Bjørn; Gaile-Sarkaane, Elina; Ivanova, Liene; Lapina, Inga; Ozolina-Ozola, Iveta & Straujuma, Anita (2018). Institutional attention to European policy agendas: exploring the relevance of instrumental and neo-institutional explanations. Tertiary Education and Management.  ISSN 1358-3883.  24(4), s 338- 350 . doi: 10.1080/13583883.2018.1459820
• Pinheiro, Romulo & Stensaker, Bjørn (2018). Balancing efficiency and equity in a welfare state setting: High participation higher education in Norway, In Brendan Cantwell; Simon Marginson & Anna Smolentseva (ed.),  High Participation Systems of Higher Education.  Oxford University Press.  ISBN 9780198828877.  Chapter 14.  s 386 - 417
• Stensaker, Bjørn (2018). Quality assurance and the battle for legitimacy - Discourses, Disputes and Dependencies. Higher Education Evaluation and Development (HEED).  ISSN 2514-5789.  12(2), s 54- 62 . doi: 10.1108/HEED-10-2018-0024 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv.
• Stensaker, Bjørn (2018). Universitets- og høyskolepedagogikk i lys av historiske og internasjonale utviklingstrekk. UNIPED.  ISSN 1893-8981.  41(3), s 206- 216 . doi: 10.18261/issn.1893-8981-2018-03-03
• Stensaker, Bjørn (2018). University Alliances: Enhancing Control, Capacity, and Creativity in Dynamic Environments. Educational Studies Moscow.  ISSN 1814-9545.  13(1), s 132- 153
• Stensaker, Bjørn; Frølich, Nicoline & Aamodt, Per O (2018). Policy, Perceptions, and Practice: A Study of Educational Leadership and Their Balancing of Expectations and Interests at Micro-level. Higher Education Policy.  ISSN 0952-8733.  s 1- 18 . doi: 10.1057/s41307-018-0115-7 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv. Vis sammendrag

  As international and domestic policy initiatives continue to sweep over higher education, it is of utmost importance to study how those responsible for the implementation of the many initiatives taken perceive and respond to the many expectations about change and renewal. Through three different analytical perspectives — a managerial, a disciplinary, and a stakeholder perspective — the current article offers insights into how educational leaders responsible for the management of study programmes at micro-level interpret external expectations and how they prioritize between them. Based on data derived from a representative sample of Norwegian educational leaders, the current article finds — somewhat surprisingly — that the managerial perspective is less relevant for understanding the sense-making of educational leaders and how they prioritize between different tasks in their daily work. Disciplinary and the stakeholder perspectives are in this respect more relevant for explaining the practices related to programme management. The study provides indications of a (continued) gap between macro-level policy-making and its implementation at micro-level. In the conclusion, the findings are reflected upon and implications for policy and practice are outlined.

• Stensaker, Bjørn; Lee, Jenny; Rhoades, Gary; Ghosh, Sowmya; Castiello-Gutièrrez, Santiago; Vance, Hillary; Calikoglu, Alper; Kramer, Vanessa; Liu, Shuiyun; Marei, Mahmoud Sayed; O`Toole, Leslie; Pavlyutkin, Ivan & Peel, Cassandra (2018). Stratified University Strategies: The shaping of institutional legitimacy in a global perspective. Journal of Higher Education.  ISSN 0022-1546.  s 1- 24 . doi: 10.1080/00221546.2018.1513306
• Vukasovic, Martina & Stensaker, Bjørn (2018). University alliances in the Europe of knowledge: Positions, agendas and practices in policy processes. European Educational Research Journal.  ISSN 1474-9041.  17(3), s 349- 364 . doi: 10.1177/1474904117724572 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv.
• Frølich, Nicoline; Huisman, Jeroen & Stensaker, Bjørn (2017). Understanding Strategy Practices in Universities, In Ivar Bleiklie; Jurgen Enders & Benedetto Lepori (ed.),  Managing Universities: Policy and Organizational Change from a Western European Comparative Perspective.  Palgrave Macmillan.  ISBN 978-3-319-53864-8.  Chapter.  s 167 - 188
• Papadimitriou, Antigoni; Levy, Daniel; Stensaker, Bjørn & Kanazir, Sanja (2017). Public regulatory arrangements for private higher education in the Western Balkans. European Educational Research Journal.  ISSN 1474-9041.  16(6), s 800- 819 . doi: 10.1177/1474904117733183 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv.
• Rhoades, Gary & Stensaker, Bjørn (2017). Bringing Organisations and Systems Back Together: Extending Clark's Entrepreneurial University. Higher Education Quarterly.  ISSN 0951-5224.  71(2), s 129- 140 . doi: 10.1111/hequ.12118 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv.
• Stensaker, Bjørn (2017). Academic development as cultural work: responding to the organizational complexity of modern higher education institutions. International Journal for Academic Development.  ISSN 1360-144X.  23(4), s 274- 285 . doi: 10.1080/1360144X.2017.1366322 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv.
• Stensaker, Bjørn; Bilbow, Grahame; Breslow, Lori & Van der Vaart, Rob (2017). Strategic challenges in the development of teaching and learning in research-intensive universities, In Bjørn Stensaker; Grahame Bilbow; Lori Breslow & Rob Van der Vaart (ed.),  Strengthening teaching and learning in research universities. Strategies and initatives for institutional change..  Palgrave Macmillan.  ISBN 978-3-319-56498-2.  1.  s 1 - 19 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv.
• Stensaker, Bjørn & Fumasoli, Tatiana (2017). Multi-level strategies in universities: Coordination, contestation or creolization?. Higher Education Quarterly.  ISSN 0951-5224.  71(3), s 263- 273 . doi: 10.1111/hequ.12126 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv.
• Stensaker, Bjørn; Van der Vaart, Rob; Solbrekke, Tone Dyrdal & Wittek, Anne Line (2017). The expansion of academic development: The challenges of organizational coordination and collaboration, In Bjørn Stensaker; Grahame Bilbow; Lori Breslow & Rob Van der Vaart (ed.),  Strengthening teaching and learning in research universities. Strategies and initatives for institutional change..  Palgrave Macmillan.  ISBN 978-3-319-56498-2.  2.  s 19 - 42
• Cardoso, Sónia; Rosa, Maria Joao & Stensaker, Bjørn (2016). Why is quality in higher education not achieved? The view of academics. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education.  ISSN 0260-2938.  41(6), s 950- 965 . doi: 10.1080/02602938.2015.1052775
• Elken, Mari; Hovdhaugen, Elisabeth & Stensaker, Bjørn (2016). Global rankings in the Nordic region: challenging the identity of research-intensive universities?. Higher Education.  ISSN 0018-1560.  72(6), s 781- 795 . doi: 10.1007/s10734-015-9975-6 Fulltekst i vitenarkiv. Vis sammendrag

  Global university rankings currently attract considerable attention, and it is often assumed that such rankings may cause universities to prioritize activities and outcomes that will have a positive effect in their ranking position. A possible consequence of this could be the spread of a particular model of an ‘‘ideal’’ university. This article tests this assumption through an analysis of a sample of research-intensive universities in the Nordic region. Through document analysis and interviews with institutional leaders and staff from central administration, the study explores whether high-ranked Nordic universities take strategic measures as a response to global rankings, and whether the traditional identities of the universities are changing, as they are influenced and affected by the rankings. The study shows that rankings have a relatively modest impact on decision-making and strategic actions in the Nordic universities studied, and that there are few signs of rankings challenging the existing identities of the universities in this region.

• Elken, Mari; Stensaker, Bjørn & Hovdhaugen, Elisabeth (2016). Do global university rankings drive convergence? Evidence from the Nordic region, In Ellen Hazelkorn (ed.),  Global Rankings and the Geopolitics of Higher Education.  Routledge.  ISBN 9781138828117.  14.
• Friedrich, Philipp; Prøitz, Tine Sophie & Stensaker, Bjørn (2016). Disciplining the Disciplines? How qualification schemes are written up at study program level in Norwegian higher education. Teaching in Higher Education.  ISSN 1356-2517.  21(7), s 870- 886 . doi: 10.1080/13562517.2016.1184138 Vis sammendrag

  Qualification frameworks are spreading rapidly, not least in Europe following the introduction of the European Qualification Framework. The impact of such frameworks are contested, and the article contributes to this debate by analyzing how a selected group of different study programs in Norwegian higher education is adapting to the newly launched national qualification framework. The findings show that there are distinct differences as to how universities and colleges, as well as how different disciplines write up their study programs according to the new framework. In the conclusion, we discuss the implication of the findings for current debates about the relevance and function of qualification framework in higher education.

• Michelsen, Svein; Sweetman, Rachel; Stensaker, Bjørn & Bleiklie, Ivar (2016). Shaping perceptions of a policy instrument: The political-administrative formation of learning outcomes in higher education in Norway and England. Higher Education Policy.  ISSN 0952-8733.  29(3), s 399- 417 . doi: 10.1057/s41307-016-0009-5
• Morphew, Christopher; Fumasoli, Tatiana & Stensaker, Bjørn (2016). Changing missions? How the strategic plans of research-intensive universities in Northern Europe and North America balance competing identities. Studies in Higher Education.  ISSN 0307-5079.  43(6), s 1074- 1088 . doi: 10.1080/03075079.2016.1214697
• Solbrekke, Tone Dyrdal & Stensaker, Bjørn (2016). Utdanningsledelse - Stimulering av et felles engasjement for studieprogrammene?. UNIPED.  ISSN 1893-8981.  39(2), s 144- 157 . doi: 10.18261/issn.1893-8981-2016-02-05
• Frølich, Nicoline; Gulbrandsen, Magnus & Stensaker, Bjørn (2015). Hva har skjedd i universiteter og høgskoler?, I: Nicoline Frølich (red.),  Hva skjer i universiteter og høgskoler? Perspektiver fra vitenskapelig ansatte og studenter.  Universitetsforlaget.  ISBN 9788215024349.  Kapittel 12.  s 163 - 170
• Frølich, Nicoline; Waagene, Erica & Stensaker, Bjørn (2015). Et godt grep om internasjonaliseringen? Lærestedenes internasjonale strategier, I: Nicoline Frølich (red.),  Hva skjer i universiteter og høgskoler? Perspektiver fra vitenskapelig ansatte og studenter.  Universitetsforlaget.  ISBN 9788215024349.  Kapittel 9.  s 123 - 134
• Fumasoli, Tatiana; Pinheiro, Romulo & Stensaker, Bjørn (2015). Handling Uncertainty of Strategic Ambitions—The Use of Organizational Identity as a Risk-Reducing Device. International Journal of Public Administration.  ISSN 0190-0692.  38(13-14), s 1030- 1040 . doi: 10.1080/01900692.2014.988868
• Jungblut, Jens Patrick Wilhelm; Vukasovic, Martina & Stensaker, Bjørn (2015). Student perspectives on quality in higher education. European Journal of Higher Education.  ISSN 2156-8235.  5(2), s 157- 180 . doi: 10.1080/21568235.2014.998693
• Leiber, Theodor; Stensaker, Bjørn & Harvey, Lee (2015). Impact evaluation of quality assurance in higher education: methodology and causal designs. Quality in Higher Education.  ISSN 1353-8322.  21(3), s 288- 311 . doi: 10.1080/13538322.2015.1111007
• Maassen, Peter & Stensaker, Bjørn (2015). A conceptualisation of available trust-building mechanisms for international quality assurance of higher education. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management.  ISSN 1360-080X.  37(1), s 30- 40 . doi: 10.1080/1360080X.2014.991538
• Møthe, Svein; Ballangrud, Brit Bolken & Stensaker, Bjørn (2015). The values and vision of the professional department head: not so different from the past?. International Journal of Educational Management.  ISSN 0951-354X.  29(3), s 298- 308 . doi: 10.1108/IJEM-05-2014-0061 Vis sammendrag

  Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze how appointed leaders in Norwegian higher education perceive their role and influence, and their discretion as academic leaders. Design/methodology/approach – The paper applies strategic, cultural and political perspectives on leadership to investigate the understanding and perceptions held by academic leaders regarding their own work. The study applied a qualitative strategy based on a cross-sectional design. The findings are based on semi-structured interviews with 18 purposefully selected academic leaders. Findings – The findings reveal that appointed academic leaders are struggling with traditions and cultures and current governing structures and funding mechanisms on the other. The paper argues that this dilemma limits the potential for academic leaders to instigate change and that leadership perhaps has been overemphasized as a factor driving transformation of higher education. Originality/value – The paper suggests the heated debates in Norway about whether academic leaders should be elected or appointed has limited relevance for understanding how academic leadership is performed in the actual daily work of leaders. The paper suggest that the current interest in selection of leaders perhaps should be downplayed in favor of a perspective focussing on the cultural factors framing current leadership practices.

• Papadimitriou, Antigoni; Gornitzka, Åse & Stensaker, Bjørn (2015). Designed diffusion? The impact of an EU instrument for public management reform in the Western Balkans. Journal of European Integration.  ISSN 0703-6337.  37(6), s 629- 647 . doi: 10.1080/07036337.2015.1046857
• Seeber, Marco; Lepori, Benedetto; Montauti, Martina; Enders, Jurgen; De Boer, Harry; Weyer, Elke; Bleiklie, Ivar; Hope, Kristin Lofthus; Michelsen, Svein; Nyhagen, Gigliola Mathisen; Frølich, Nicoline; Scordato, Lisa; Stensaker, Bjørn; Waagene, Erica; Dragsic, Zarko; Kretek, Peter; Krücken, Georg; Magalhãesh, António; Ribeiro, Filipa M.; Sousah, Sofia; Veiga, Amélia; Santiago, Rui; Marini, Giulio & Reale, Emanuela (2015). European Universities as Complete Organizations? Understanding Identity, Hierarchy and Rationality in Public Organizations. Public Management Review.  ISSN 1471-9037.  17(10), s 1444- 1474 . doi: 10.1080/14719037.2014.943268
• Stensaker, Bjørn (2015). Organizational Identity as a concept for understanding university dynamics. Higher Education.  ISSN 0018-1560.  69(1), s 103- 115 . doi: 10.1007/s10734-014-9763-8
• Stensaker, Bjørn & Fumasoli, Tatiana (2015). Scandinavian Flagship Universities: An Appraisal of Leading National Universities in the European Context, In John Aubrey Douglass (ed.),  The New Flagship University. Changing the Paradigm from Global Ranking to National Relevancy.  Palgrave Macmillan.  ISBN 978-1-137-50048-9.  Chapter.  s 153 - 172
• Stensaker, Bjørn & Leiber, Theodor (2015). Assessing the organizational impact of external quality assurance: Hypothesising key dimensions and mechanisms. Quality in Higher Education.  ISSN 1353-8322.  21(3), s 328- 342 . doi: 10.1080/13538322.2015.1111009
• Stensaker, Bjørn; Persson, Mats & Pinheiro, Romulo (2015). When mergers fail: a case study on the critical role of external stakeholders in merger initiatives. European Journal of Higher Education.  ISSN 2156-8235.  6(1), s 56- 70 . doi: 10.1080/21568235.2015.1099456
• Stensaker, Bjørn & Prøitz, Tine Sophie (2015). Fra en elitistisk til en demokratisk forståelse av kvalitet, I: Nicoline Frølich (red.),  Hva skjer i universiteter og høgskoler? Perspektiver fra vitenskapelig ansatte og studenter.  Universitetsforlaget.  ISBN 9788215024349.  Kapittel 2.  s 25 - 36
• Brockerhoff, Lisa; Stensaker, Bjørn & Huisman, Jeroen (2014). Prescriptions and perceptions of teaching excellence: a study of the national ‘Wettbewerb Exzellente Lehre’ initiative in Germany. Quality in Higher Education.  ISSN 1353-8322.  20(3), s 235- 254 . doi: 10.1080/13538322.2014.978134
• Frølich, Nicoline; Stensaker, Bjørn; Scordato, Lisa & Botas, Paulo (2014). The strategically manageable university: Perceptions of strategic choice and strategic change among key decision-makers. Higher Education Studies.  ISSN 1925-4741.  4(5), s 80- 88 . doi: 10.5539/hes.v4n5p80
• Gornitzka, Åse & Stensaker, Bjørn (2014). The Dynamics of European Regulatory Regimes in Higher Education: Challenged Prerogatives and Evolutionary Change. Policy & Society: Journal of public, foreign and global policy.  ISSN 1449-4035.  33(3), s 177- 188 . doi: 10.1016/j.polsoc.2014.08.002
• Kanazir, S.; Papadimitriou, Antigoni & Stensaker, Bjørn (2014). Quality Assurance Agencies in the Western Balkans: Balancing European Standards and Domestic Needs?, In Jelena Brankovic; Maja Kovacevic; Peter Maassen; Bjørn Stensaker & Martina Vukasovic (ed.),  The Re-Institutionalization of Higher Education in the Western Balkans: The Interplay between European Ideas, Domestic Policies, and Institutional Practices.  Peter Lang Publishing Group.  ISBN 978-3-631-64148-4.  Kapittel.  s 175 - 198
• Mårtensson, Katarina; Roxå, Torgny & Stensaker, Bjørn (2014). From quality assurance to quality practices: an investigation of strong microcultures in teaching and learning. Studies in Higher Education.  ISSN 0307-5079.  39(4), s 534- 545 . doi: 10.1080/03075079.2012.709493
• Papadimitriou, Antigoni & Stensaker, Bjørn (2014). Governance capacity of Western Balkans Universities: Perceptions of institutional leadership, In Jelena Brankovic; Maja Kovacevic; Peter Maassen; Bjørn Stensaker & Martina Vukasovic (ed.),  The Re-Institutionalization of Higher Education in the Western Balkans: The Interplay between European Ideas, Domestic Policies, and Institutional Practices.  Peter Lang Publishing Group.  ISBN 978-3-631-64148-4.  Kapittel.  s 91 - 120
• Pinheiro, Romulo & Stensaker, Bjørn (2014). Strategic actor-hood and internal transformation: The rise of the quadruple-helix university?, In Jelena Brankovik; Manja Klemencik; Predrag Lazetic & Pavel Zgaga (ed.),  Global Challenges, Local Responses in Higher Education. The contemporary issues in national and comparative perspective.  Sense Publishers.  ISBN 9789462095793.  Kappittel nr. 9.  s 171 - 189
• Stensaker, Bjørn (2014). European trends in quality assurance: New agendas beyond the search for convergence?, In M.J. Rosa & Alberto Amaral (ed.),  Quality assurance in higher education. Contemporary debates.  Palgrave Macmillan.  ISBN 978-1-137-37462-2.  chapter.  s 135 - 148

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• Stensaker, Bjørn; Bilbow, Grahame; Breslow, Lori & Van der Vaart, Rob (ed.) (2017). Strengthening teaching and learning in research universities. Strategies and initatives for institutional change.. Palgrave Macmillan.  ISBN 978-3-319-56498-2.  228 s.
• Cloete, Nico; Goedegebuure, Leo; Gornitzka, Åse; Jungblut, Jens Patrick Wilhelm & Stensaker, Bjørn (ed.) (2016). Pathways through higher education research: A festschrift in honour of Peter Maassen. Department of Education, University of Oslo.  ISBN 978-82-569-7044-5.  166 s.
• Brankovic, Jelena; Kovacevic, Maja; Maassen, Peter; Stensaker, Bjørn & Vukasovic, Martina (ed.) (2014). The Re-Institutionalization of Higher Education in the Western Balkans: The Interplay between European Ideas, Domestic Policies, and Institutional Practices. Peter Lang Publishing Group.  ISBN 978-3-631-64148-4.  278 s.

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• Caspersen, Joakim; Aamodt, Per O; Stensaker, Bjørn & Federici, Roger Andre (2018). Evaluering av den nasjonale rektorutdanningen 2015-2019 Delrapport 2. Vis sammendrag

  Arbeidet i skolene er i stadig endring. Endringene skyldes en rekke årsaker: politisk vektlegging av ulike verktøy i skolens arbeid (Skedsmo & Mausethagen, 2017), nye lærerroller som lærerspesialister skaper nye spenningsforhold og mellomposisjoner mellom skoleledere og lærere (Seland, Caspersen, Markussen, & Sandsør, 2017), demografiske endringer som følge av innvandring og økt heterogenitet gir nye utfordringer for skolen og systemene rundt (Pihl, 2010), elevers psykiske helse settes under lupen og løftes frem som viktig tema (Uthus, 2017) og teknologi og digitalisering gir både muligheter og utfordringer som må løses (Gilje, 2017). Slike endringer, og mange andre, setter nye krav til alle som arbeider i skolene, og i stor grad til dem som skal lede arbeidet i skolene. Skolelederne, og særlig rektorene, skal lede sine ansatte til endring, og ha pedagogisk og administrativ kontroll over virksomheten. Til dette må de rustes, og det er innsatsen for å ruste rektorene (og andre skoleledere) som er under lupen i evalueringen som denne rapporten er en del av.

• Elken, Mari; Frølich, Nicoline; Maassen, Peter & Stensaker, Bjørn (2018). Organizing quality work in higher education institutions.
• Elken, Mari; Maassen, Peter; Nerland, Monika; Stensaker, Bjørn & Vabø, Agnete (2018). Sentrale funn og anbefalinger fra QNHE prosjektet.
• Elken, Mari & Stensaker, Bjørn (2018). All student-centered now? Analyzing institutional teaching and learning policies in Scandinavia.
• Frølich, Nicoline & Stensaker, Bjørn (2018). Navigating complexity: leadership work at institutional top level.
• Stensaker, Bjørn; Elken, Mari & Maassen, Peter (2018). Study program leadership: a matter of organization?.
• Elken, Mari & Stensaker, Bjørn (2017). Quality work in Higher Education.
• Hovdhaugen, Elisabeth & Stensaker, Bjørn (2017). The Practices of Quality Management: Collaboration and control of study program delivery.
• Aamodt, Per O; Hovdhaugen, Elisabeth; Stensaker, Bjørn; Frølich, Nicoline; Maassen, Peter & Dalseng, Carmen Celine From (2016). Utdanningsledelse: En analyse av ledere av studieprogrammer i høyere utdanning. NIFU Arbeidsnotat. 10.
• Bugge, Markus; Wollscheid, Sabine & Stensaker, Bjørn (2016). Evaluering av Kunnskapssenter for utdanning. NIFU-rapport. 12.
• Damsa, Crina I.; Nerland, Monika & Stensaker, Bjørn (2016). Enhancing student learning through ‘student-centered approaches’: What matters for educational quality?.
• Frølich, Nicoline & Stensaker, Bjørn (2016). State power and university autonomy: Analyzing the role of internal governance modes.
• Hovdhaugen, Elisabeth; Aamodt, Per O; Reymert, Ingvild & Stensaker, Bjørn (2016). Indikatorer på kvalitet i høyere utdanning. NIFU Arbeidsnotat. 3.
• Stensaker, Bjørn; Frølich, Nicoline & Aamodt, Per O (2016). Beyond Bologna? Change processes and change drivers within study programs in Norwegian higher education.
• Stensaker, Bjørn; Vabø, Agnete & Reymert, Ingvild (2016). Evaluering av ordningen med fakultets- og instituttstyrer ved Universitetet i Stavanger. NIFU-rapport. 7.
• Stensaker, Bjørn; Vabø, Agnete & Reymert, Ingvild (2016). Organisasjonsstrukturen ved Universitetet i Stavanger – synspunkter fra de ansatte. NIFU Arbeidsnotat. 5.
• Aamodt, Per O; Frølich, Nicoline & Stensaker, Bjørn (2015). Learning outcomes - a useful tool in quality assurance. Views from academic staff.
• Damsa, Crina I.; de Lange, Thomas; Elken, Mari; Esterhazy, Rachelle; Fossland, Trine; Frølich, Nicoline; Hovdhaugen, Elisabeth; Maassen, Peter; Nerland, Monika; Nordkvelle, Yngve Troye; Stensaker, Bjørn; Tømte, Cathrine Edelhard; Vabø, Agnete; Wiers-Jenssen, Jannecke & Aamodt, Per O (2015). Quality in Norwegian Higher Education: A review of research on aspects affecting student learning. NIFU-rapport. 24.
• de Lange, Thomas; Lycke, Kirsten Hofgaard; Skodvin, Arne; Strømsø, Helge Ivar; Fremstad, Ester; Stensaker, Bjørn; Enqvist-Jensen, Cecilie; Beck, Eevi Elisabeth & Solbrekke, Tone Dyrdal (2015). Egenrapport: Programevaluering - pedagogisk basiskompetanse Fagområdet for universitetspedagogikk, UiO. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv.
• de Lange, Thomas; Stensaker, Bjørn & Vabø, Agnete (2015). Litteraturstudie: kvalitet i høyere utdanning. Kunnskapsdepartementet 10 juni 2015.
• Elken, Mari & Stensaker, Bjørn (2015). Organisering av flercampusuniversitet: En diskusjon av prinsipper og etablert praksis ved noen utenlandske læresteder. NIFU Arbeidsnotat. 10.
• Elken, Mari; Stensaker, Bjørn & Hovdhaugen, Elisabeth (2015). The painters behind the profile: the rise and functioning of communication departments in universities.
• Røsdal, Trude; Elken, Mari; Stensaker, Bjørn & Gunnes, Hebe (2015). Evaluering av faglig understruktur ved Høgskolen i Bergen. NIFU-rapport. 31.
• Stensaker, Bjørn (2015). Norske universiteter og høyskoler som strategiske organisasjoner, I: Kristin Oxley (red.),  Eksellens. Innovasjon. Effekt. Resultater fra forskningen. Program: Kunnskapsgrunnlaget for forsknings- og innovasjonspolitikken - FORFI.  Norges forskningsråd.  ISBN 978-82-12-03395-5.  Kapittel 1, del 3.  s 16 - 19
• Vabø, Agnete & Stensaker, Bjørn (2015). Presentasjon av kunnskapsstatus om kvalitet i norsk høyere utdanning. Kunnskapsdepartementet 12. oktober 2015.
• Vossensteyn, Hans; Stensaker, Bjørn; Kottman, Andrea; Hovdhaugen, Elisabeth; Jongbloed, Ben; Wollscheid, Sabine; Kaiser, Frans; Cremonini, Leon; Thomas, Liz & Unger, Martin (2015). Dropout and Completion in Higher Education in Europe.
• Bleiklie, Ivar; Michelsen, Svein; Sweetman, Rachel & Stensaker, Bjørn (2014). The Landing of a Policy Instrument.
• Elken, Mari; Hovdhaugen, Elisabeth & Stensaker, Bjørn (2014). The impact of global rankings in the Nordic region: Challenging the identity of research-intensive universities?.
• Frølich, Nicoline; Waagene, Erica & Stensaker, Bjørn (2014). På vei mot integrasjon? Universiteters og høgskolers arbeid med internasjonalisering. NIFU-rapport. 44.
• Fumasoli, Tatiana; Pinheiro, Romulo & Stensaker, Bjørn (2014). Strategizing Identity in Higher Education. ISL Working Paper. 03.
• Hybertsen, Ingunn Dahler; Stensaker, Bjørn; Federici, Roger Andre; Olsen, Marit Schei; Solem, Anniken & Aamodt, Per O (2014). Ledet til endring: Nasjonal rektorutdanning i grunn- og videregående skole; endringer på skolene, måloppnåelse og anbefalinger. Sluttrapport fra Evalueringen av den nasjonale rektorutdanningen. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv. Vis sammendrag

  ​I 2009 ble det igangsatt en nasjonal rektorutdanning for skoleledere i grunn- og videregående skole. Initiativet kan sees på som en konkret oppfølging av politiske ambisjoner om kvalitetsheving i norsk skole. Den nasjonale rektorutdanningen er styrt fra Utdanningsdirektoratet, som også besluttet å gjennomføre en evaluering av hvordan tiltaket fungerer. Etter en anbudsrunde ble NIFU og NTNU Samfunnsforskning tildelt oppdraget, og følgeevaluering ble iverksatt fra høsten 2010. Evalueringen bygger på flere datakilder for å belyse rektorutdanningen fra ulike perspektiver. Dette inkluderer dokumentanalyser av styringsdokumenter, studieplaner fra de seks lærestedene og intervjuer med representanter fra hver programtilbyder, observasjon av studiesamlinger, samt spørreundersøkelser til flere kull med deltakere på studietilbudene ved oppstart og i etterkant av utdanningen. I tillegg bygger evalueringen på case-studier av et lite utvalg deltakere og deres skoler i etterkant av gjennomført utdanning. Disse deltakerne er fulgt «hjem» til egen skole, der både rektorene og lederteam har reflektert over egen ledelsespraksis og endringer på skolen. Dette er den siste av fire rapporter fra evalueringen, og den inkluderer både en presentasjon av nye funn basert på siste runde datainnsamling og en samlet vurdering av rektorutdanningen. I denne rapporten sluttføres evalueringen og det foretas en samlet vurdering av deltakernes opplevelse av utdanningen – hvor alle tre kullene sees under ett. Her rapporteres også resultatene fra deltakere som ble fulgt «hjem» til egen skole, og hvordan rektorutdanningen har hatt betydning for endringer i praksis på skolene. Avslutningsvis oppsummeres sentrale funn og rektorutdanningens måloppnåelse, og det diskuteres mulige praktiske implikasjoner i lys av dette.

• Lekve, Kyrre; Kyvik, Svein; Stensaker, Bjørn; Vabø, Agnete; Elken, Mari; Røsdal, Trude & Gleinsvik, Audun (2014). HiOA underveis mot strategiske mål? Ekstern underveisevaluering av styring og ledelse, faglig og administrativ organisering, Høgskolen i Oslo og Akershus. NIFU-rapport. 14.
• Morphew, Christopher; Fumasoli, Tatiana & Stensaker, Bjørn (2014). Changing Missions in Public Higher Education? Analyzing Strategic Plans of Research-Intensive Universities.
• Piro, Fredrik Niclas; Hovdhaugen, Elisabeth; Elken, Mari; Sivertsen, Gunnar; Benner, Mats & Stensaker, Bjørn (2014). Nordiske universiteter og internasjonale universitetsrangeringer: Hva forklarer nordiske plasseringer og hvordan forholder universitetene seg til rangeringene?. NIFU-rapport. 25.

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