Study Of The Autonomy Tradition And Current Autonomy Mode Of The Universities In UK

A university is understood as an academic community that accommodates groups of talents with their mission to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning and research. In essence, the university actively functions its socio-educational role however in the manner of autonomy independent of bureaucracy and government intervention. This is universally true across different regions and different social systems, and beyond the historical time line.Certainly, as times go by, social needs also develop with time changes. With the function of universities extending in the face of challenges, their autonomy increases, so do its types. In the case of China, how do we understand university autonomy? Do we believe that increasing institutional autonomy is a key to enabling universities to best respond to the new demands placed on universities? Although it is arguable that perceptions and terminology of institutional autonomy vary greatly across east and west, autonomous university typically refers to a university that exercises independent control over its day to day operations and curriculum or in other words, the university cannot be run against academia. However, autonomy does not mean deregulation as it always comes with responsibility. In China today overregulation and bureaucracy are the main problems that demand a solution. The saying that’A stone from other hills may serve to polish the jade’would imply that China should look for what is possible by using insights drawn from the practices in another country, or countries. The rationale behind comparative education believes that many important educational issues can be best explored from an international-comparative perspective. My thesis is therefore set within this understanding, looking at the experience of the UK universities that are renowned for their institutional autonomy. It is anticipated that the UK autonomous universities will serve as immediate references for Chinese universities to foster autonomy and reduce bureaucracy. Structurally, the thesis will begin with a historical review of the UK tradition of exercising university autonomy by examining its origin and evolution under Great Charter, the British constitutional document, and then proceeds in its main body to identify by organization various types of institutional autonomy that UK universities have complied with since World War Ⅱ. For example, in the UK there are federal universities, non federal universities, and the private independent university. In order to best illustrate how each organization functions, University of London, University of Warwick and University of Buckingham are highlighted to represent the three major types. The analysis is centred on their differences and commonalities whereby the yardsticks by which to judge the performance of university autonomy will be offered for China to draw upon however with variation in its own context. It is hoped the thesis will initiate more in-depth discussions of possible reforms that would do away bureaucracy that has dominated over China’s higher education for ages.