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

and checked, consistency of analysis is ensured, and legitimacy secured. We explored to what
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extent this situation is already real. The availability, quality and relevance of the data required for the
classifi cation’s indicators was explored. This analysis followed a three step procedure.
The fi rst step was the inventory of an extensive number of data sources.
The second step was to determine whether the data sources were relevant. We used the following
criteria:
• Does the data source comprise information on any of the indicators of the draft-classifi cation?
• Is the information presented at the institutional level?
• Does the data source comprise underlying data at the institutional level?
• May the underlying data be used?
• Can the conditions for use (privacy, costs etc.) be met?
Third, once the relevance of the data source was determined, we assessed the quality of the data,
on the basis of the following criteria:
• Data must be up to date
• Consistency through time/ reliability
• Cost of data retrieval
Views and opinions, as expressed by experts and in the Advisory Board and Stakeholder Group
meetings, were used to complement the information regarding the most relevant data sources.
The results of this analysis are reported in Annex I.
The conclusion of the analysis is that international databases are only to a very limited extent available
and suitable for a European classifi cation of higher education institutions. The major bottleneck is
that these databases usually comprise system-level data or aggregate data that are not suffi ciently
institution-specifi c. Therefore, part of the data would have to be collected from national data sources.
A fi rst estimate is that about one third of the data can be retrieved that way. Most of the data thus
has to be collected at the institutional level.
2.3.2 Case-studies and pilot-survey
MAPPING DIVERSITY
For the in-depth case-studies two levels were distinguished. In two institutions an elaborate on-site
investigation took place into the potential strategic benefi ts of a European classifi cation.
These institutions were:
• the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway;
• the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
The case study reports on these two institutions can be found in Annex II.
In addition to the two elaborate case-studies another six higher education institutions were analyzed
regarding specifi c issues and aspects of the possible use of the classifi cation.
These institutions were:
• Budapest Tech, Hungary;
• Fachhochschule Osnabrück, Germany;
• Fachhochschule Vorarlberg, Austria ;