^aHögskolan i Kalmar, 391 82 Kalmar, Sweden. E-mail: Agneta.Bladh@hik.se

Abstract

In recent years, Swedish higher education institutions have experienced reduced regulation while at the same time more authority has been given to the boards of the institutions. Paradoxically, this situation has neither been experienced as an increase in autonomy nor as increased — or maintained — academic freedom.

On the contrary, dependency on new external factors, such as increased external economic support, has reduced independence both at the institutional and the individual level. In order to counterbalance these external forces clear and distinct academic leadership is required, along with increased goal orientation in the internal decision-making of higher education institutions.