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2005:48 R

Review of Sweden's Net University, Final report 1: The Swedish Net University Agency

Summary of the report

The mandate


In its budget directive for 2004 the National Agency for Higher Education was instructed to undertake a study during 2004 and 2005 of whether the collaboration between the higher education institutions in Sweden´s Net University had helped to make higher education more accessible or to broaden recruitment to higher education. This mandate also included evaluating the importance of the support provided by the Swedish Net University Agency to Sweden´s Net University.

A panel of assessors from the Nordic countries consisting of four experts in the field of IT-supported distance learning was appointed to evaluate the support provided by the Swedish Net University Agency. The panel based its appraisal on a self-evaluation drawn up by the Swedish Net University Agency at the beginning of the spring semester of 2005. Later during the spring the panel made a site visit to the Agency and study visits to eight Swedish higher education institutions.

The conclusions and recommendations made by the panel of assessors are based on the work so far undertaken by the Swedish Net University Agency. At the same time they are designed to support the continued work of the Agency with the extended mandate announced in the Government Bill 2004/05:162 New world - new higher education.

Overall impression


The overall impression of the panel of assessors is that the work of the Swedish Net University Agency is sound. In a short space of time its staff of 15 have initiated extensive activities that, in the panel´s opinion, have provided adequate support for the collaboration of the higher education institutions in Sweden´s Net University.

On the other hand, the conditions on which the Agency has been operating do not appear to be optimal. The panel of assessors considers that the political signals have been vague, which has led to an opaque and not always functional division of responsibilities between the Agency, the Government and the higher education institutions.

In its interpretation of the Higher Education Ordinance and its own budget directive, the Swedish Net University Agency has opted for a defensive stance and mode of operation in its relationships with the higher education institutions - a strategy that the panel of assessors considers problematic in its report. With more proactive procedures developments in the field could have been given a more distinct orientation.

Now that the Government has announced that the Swedish Net University Agency is to be given a wider mandate in the future, with the focus on broadening recruitment and national support for methodological developments at the higher education institutions, the need for a more assertive strategy will become even greater.

Registration and information about courses


Sweden´s Net University and the Swedish Net University Agency were both founded in 2002. During the period 2002-2004 the Government allocated a total of about SEK 470 million as augmented funding for activities that were registered in the Net University. In order to register the courses nominated by the higher education institutions as eligible for the extra funding, the Swedish Net University Agency set up what it called its legal database. Another database, the search database, was used to present the courses on offer in the Agency´s portal. The panel of assessors considers that both databases can be phased out. The extra funding came to an end from 2005. There is therefore no need to retain the legal database. Information for the search database is taken from the studera.nu database maintained by the National Agency for Higher Education. The panel considers that students may find it confusing to have two separate approaches to the same range of courses and see no reason for the presentation of identical data through two different portals.

Irrespective of how the Net University´s course offerings are presented, and irrespective of whether in the future this will be through the National Agency for Higher Education or the Swedish Net University Agency, it is, in the opinion of the panel, important to strive for greater uniformity of presentation.

Development of methodologies and knowledge


The Swedish Net University Agency has participated in many interesting projects, of which one, for example, Librarian on duty, has now become permanent. Several projects have also meant that interest has been focused on issues of common interest in the field of IT-based education. The panel considers that these aspects of the work of the Agency on the development of methodologies and knowledge have been important and relevant. A long-term perspective and sustainability should be the watchwords in this development work. Other aspects seem to be somewhat more transient. The panel of assessors also noted the lack of any overall analysis on which to base the selection of development measures. Funds for development have not been advertised and could not therefore be applied for either. Instead initiatives have been framed on the basis of project proposals submitted to the Agency by the higher education institutions. During the study visits a number of higher education institutions criticised the lack of transparency in the way in which the Agency distributed funding for development. The panel of assessors concurs with this criticism.

In implementing the projects the Swedish Net University Agency has initiated collaboration between different higher education institutions. The panel would like the Agency to give even more priority to this form of brokering in the future.

The panel also point to the need for systematic follow-up of the results of projects. The Swedish Net University Agency needs follow-up as a basis for its own internal planning and to enable wider dissemination of experiences from projects in the higher education sector. The panel of assessors formed the impression that there is only very restricted circulation of the methodological developments and knowledge gained to the higher education institutions so that they do not therefore receive the attention they deserve.

Finally the panel points out that the new extended mandate announced by the Government during the spring of 2005 will require the Swedish Net University Agency to both reorganise and develop its operations, which will in its turn demand effective management. The Agency´s former Director General resigned the post during the spring of 2005 and the panel of assessors therefore urges the Government to give priority to the recruitment of a new Director General.

The recommendations of the panel of assessors


The recommendations have been framed to provide support for the development of the Swedish Net University Agency for the wider mandate indicated by the Government in its Bill 2004/05:162, New world - new higher education. The emphasis has been placed on the aspects of this future mandate that concern the Net University and the development of net-based education.

The Swedish Net University Agency has also stressed the importance of several of these recommendations. The analysis on which the various recommendations are based is presented in the following chapter of the report.

Overall strategies

To the Government

  • The mandate given to the Swedish Net University Agency in connection with the Net University should be clearly related to the national educational policy objectives for the Net University.

To the Swedish Net University Agency

  • The Agency should adopt a more assertive stance than hitherto in its development work, which should be based on clear and explicit strategic considerations.

Registration and information about courses in the Net University´s portal

To the Government

  • The legal database should be phased out.
  • The section of the Net University´s portal that contains the courses offered should be phased out and this information should instead be integrated into the studera.nu website. Here the courses offered by the Net University should be presented more uniformly on the basis of user needs.

To the Swedish Net University Agency


If the Agency continues to be required to present the courses offered by the Net University, the following measures are required:
  • The Agency should develop methods of presenting the courses offered by the Net University with greater uniformity, on the basis of user needs, on the portal.
  • A comprehensive and coherent evaluation of both the student portal and the section of the portal that contains information about and from the Swedish Net University Agency needs to be undertaken.

Development of methodologies and knowledge

To the Swedish Net University Agency


Measures adopted to develop methodologies and knowledge in the field of net-based education should be long-term and sustainable:
  • A comprehensive analysis of the field of distance and net instruction should be undertaken in order to identify the need for educational, methodological, technical and organisational changes.
  • In development work the emphasis should be placed on measures that have the possibility of making a widespread and permanent impact on the practices of the higher education institutions.
  • Work on common issues and central themes in this area - for instance net-administered examinations, student counselling, digital library resources and indicators for quality assurance - should be intensified.
  • The international perspective should be enhanced and involve participation in collaborative knowledge development at an international level. The changing conditions that will result from European developments in higher education should be taken into account.

The development of systematic and transparent project procedures is required for the Swedish Net University Agency´s projects:

  • Development funding should be advertised.
  • The application procedure needs formalisation and the criteria for the award of funding should be clearly stated.
  • Strategies for following up the outcome of projects should be developed.
  • The processes for circulating information and exchanging experiences can be refined:
  • Strategies to attract increased attention to the Net University´s portal, in particular the sections relating to the Agency, should be developed.
  • Other channels of information in addition to the portal should be used strategically.
  • As one element of the new mandate announced for the Agency, it will need to take a more active role in establishing greater acceptance and awareness of the existing national fora for the exchange of experiences.

Coordination and administration in connection with the Net University

To the Swedish Net University Agency

  • The Agency should continue to initiate joint agreements, for instance concerning technical infrastructure, learning material and property rights.
  • The Agency should continue to offer active support for the division of labour and responsibilities in narrow subject areas where the range of courses on offer can be rationalised and enhanced with the assistance of net-based instruction.

Staffing consequences

To the Government

  • A new Director General should be appointed as soon as possible.

To the Swedish Net University Agency

  • The qualifications of the staff should be reviewed. General expertise in IT issues and in distance teaching methodologies needs to be enhanced.
Swedish National Agency for Higher Education  Visting address: Luntmakargatan 13  Box 7851, 103 99 Stockholm
Phone: 08-563 085 00  Fax: 08-563 085 50  Email: hsv@hsv.se