Governance in Higher Education: Models, Institutional Transformations and Management Challenges

Jesus Alberto Jimenez Garcia; Julio Cesar Valera Aredo; Alejandro Valencia-Arias; Juan Camilo Patiño-Vanegas; Martha Luz Benjumea-Arias; Gustavo Adolfo Moreno López; Ada Gallegos; Jackeline Valencia

doi:10.48161/qaj.v6n1a2062

Authors

Jesus Alberto Jimenez Garcia Directorate of Planning and Institutional Development, Señor de Sipán University, Chiclayo 14001, Peru;
Julio Cesar Valera Aredo School of Management, Señor de Sipán University, Chiclayo 14001, Peru;
Alejandro Valencia-Arias School of Industrial Engineering, Señor de Sipán University, Chiclayo 14000, Peru;
Juan Camilo Patiño-Vanegas Department of Administrative Sciences, Metropolitan Technological Institute, Medellín 50010, Colombia;
Martha Luz Benjumea-Arias Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences, Metropolitan Technological Institute, Medellín 50010, Colombia;
Gustavo Adolfo Moreno López Rector's Office, Marco Fidel Suárez University Institution, Medellín, 50030, Colombia;
Ada Gallegos Academic Department of Legal and Political Sciences, National University of San Marcos, Lima 15081, Peru;
Jackeline Valencia Vice-Rectorate for Research and Postgraduate Studies, University of Los Lagos, Osorno 5290000, Chile.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48161/qaj.v6n1a2062

Keywords:

University governance; governance models; institutional transformations; educational management; academic sustainability.

Abstract

The governance of higher education institutions is the process of organizing and regulating institutional power in order to guide decision-making, policies, and resource allocation in a complex and diverse context. Confronted with mounting pressures from external sources, including internationalization and demands for greater transparency, academic institutions find themselves compelled to recalibrate their internal structures and redefine their mission. The present research employs the PRISMA 2020 methodology in order to systematically review the extant literature on governance models, recent transformations, and challenges in management, participation, and sustainability. Tensions have been identified between hierarchical and participatory approaches, which reflect the variety of contexts and the need for flexible responses. Transformations driven by social, political and technological factors require updated mechanisms that integrate strategic leadership and effective participation, in addition to considering the well-being of academic staff. The concept of governance is understood as an evolving system that articulates local and global levels, combines public and institutional policies, and applies ethical values to design resilient and inclusive models that facilitate innovation and position higher education as a driver of just and sustainable societies. The findings reveal the predominance of hybrid governance models and highlight governance fragmentation as the most pressing challenge for achieving quality and sustainability in higher education.

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