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Innovation in UK higher education: A panel data analysis of undergraduate degree programmes

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  • Hewitt-Dundas, Nola
  • Roper, Stephen

Abstract

In the UK, higher education is increasingly a marketised service sharing many characteristics with other professional services such as legal, medical or financial services. With marketisation comes competition, and the need for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to develop and maintain strong programmes to attract and retain high-class faculty and fee-paying students. Here, we consider the drivers of programme innovation − i.e. the introduction of new programmes and the withdrawal of existing programmes − in UK universities. Our focus is on undergraduate programmes as these account for three-quarters of all student enrolments. Using panel data for UK universities we identify significant resource, internationalisation and business engagement effects. Financial stringency and more extensive international market engagement both encourage programme introduction. Collaboration with businesses has offsetting effects depending on the nature of the interaction. The results have both strategic and systemic implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Hewitt-Dundas, Nola & Roper, Stephen, 2018. "Innovation in UK higher education: A panel data analysis of undergraduate degree programmes," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 121-138.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:47:y:2018:i:1:p:121-138
    DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2017.10.003
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    Cited by:

    1. Lykopoulou Zacharoula, 2019. "Innovate Practices In Education Management In Greece," Economics and Management, Faculty of Economics, SOUTH-WEST UNIVERSITY "NEOFIT RILSKI", BLAGOEVGRAD, vol. 16(2), pages 141-156.
    2. Hewitt-Dundas, Nola & Gkypali, Areti & Roper, Stephen, 2019. "Does learning from prior collaboration help firms to overcome the ‘two-worlds’ paradox in university-business collaboration?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(5), pages 1310-1322.
    3. Horner, Sam & Jayawarna, Dilani & Giordano, Benito & Jones, Oswald, 2019. "Strategic choice in universities: Managerial agency and effective technology transfer," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(5), pages 1297-1309.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Higher education; Under-graduate: innovation; Globalisation; Business engagement;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O39 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Other
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development

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