Autonomy in Higher Education - Towards an Accountability Management Model

Abstract

Higher Education Institutions cherish the desire to obtain the status of ‘Autonomy’. This gives substantial freedom and maneuverability to improve the quality of education and global brand building exercise which is crucial for their survival and growth in the face of challenges and competitions. Autonomy implies the freedom to have self-sustainable practices in the overall management of academic and administrative matters. Developing new courses, designing curriculum, determining fee structure, admission of students, engaging teachers, remuneration and retention, teaching-learning, examination and evaluation, and grading, all come under the purview of autonomy. Eventually, autonomy is paving way for increased responsibility and accountability. This paper aims to discuss the institutional responsibility-autonomy linkages in the main operational areas of autonomy and illustrates the accountability outcomes of autonomy. An attempt is also made to arrive at an Accountability Management model that compares conventional management practice styles and Accountability Management practice styles and discusses the processes which come into play therein. Besides, key principles of Accountability management are elaborated.