Mapping Diversity: Developing a European Classification of ... - U-Map

Table 1: Draft and classifi cation (result of project phase I)
Dimension
Types of degrees offered
Range of subjects offered
Orientation of degrees
European educational
profi le
Research intensiveness
Innovation driven
research
European research profi le
International orientation
Involvement in life long
learning
Size
Mode of delivery
Community services
Public/private character
Legal status
Indicator
a) highest level of degree offered
b) number of qualifi cations granted in each type
number of subject areas covered by an institution using the UNESCO
ISCED subject areas
institutions themselves indicate to what extent their institutional profi le
corresponds to the categories ‘academic orientation’, ‘professional
orientation’, ‘mixed orientation’, ‘not relevant’
an institution’s fi nancial turn-over in European higher education
programmes related to total turnover.
number of peer reviewed publications relative to the total number
of staff
a) number of start-up fi rms
b) number of patents
c) volume of research contracts
an institution’s fi nancial turn-over in European research programmes
(Framework Programmes and European Research Council) related
to the total turnover.
a) proportion of international students related to the total number of
students in each type of degree
b) proportion of European students related to the total number of
students in each type of degree
c) proportion of international staff members related to total number
of staff members
the proportion of adult learners (e.g. older than thirty years) per type
of degree related to total student body.
a) number of students enrolled at the institution
b) number of staff members employed by the institution
a) campus-based versus distance learning
b) domestic versus abroad mode of delivering educational
programmes.
the percentage of staff time attributed to community services
the proportion of an institution’s private funding related to its total
funding base
the legal status of a higher education institution can either be public
or private
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2.3 Elaborating the draft-classification
During the second phase of the research project the draft-classifi cation has been elaborated and
tested. The following activities have been undertaken:
• an exploratory analysis of the existing (European) data sources in order to fi nd out whether the
relevant information for ‘fi lling the classifi cation’ could be collected from these sources;
• a number of in-depth case-studies have been undertaken in order to better understand the
needs and expectations of individual higher education institutions regarding the classifi cation;
• a survey was conducted amongst a number of higher education institutions in order to test the
relevance, validity and reliability of the elements of the classifi cation and to learn whether the
necessary information can be supplied by the institutions.
2.3.1 Exploratory analysis of existing data sources
In an ideal world, a European classifi cation of higher education institutions would be based on
readily available, trustworthy data that are defi ned and gathered at a European level or are at least
comparable at that level. The advantages are obvious: defi nitions are spelt out, data are gathered
MAPPING DIVERSITY