The Rise of the Professional Staff in Chilean Public Universities. An Analysis through the Lens of University Models

Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose, rationale and scope of the study

1.2. Research questions

1.3. Structure

2. LITERATURE REVIEW: AN ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK TO COMPREHEND THE RISE OF THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF THROUGH THE LENS OF UNIVERSITY MODELS

2.2. Explaining change through the lens of university models

Why focus on the organisation?

The entrepreneurial university and the legacies of the Latin American university model

The shifting meaning of the public university

2.3. Theoretical implications: the co-existence of models and the relevance of intra-organisational dynamics and actors

The challenge of conceptualising co-existing university models

Intra-organisational dynamics and actors

2.4. The changing nature of work in universities

Managerialism and collegiality in light of the entrepreneurial transformation

The rise of the professional and the changes in the academic profession

Who are they and what does the professional staff do?

3. RESEARCH DESIGN, DATA AND METHODS

Selection of study cases

3.2. Primary data

Selected functional areas and the recruitment of participants

The participants: main features

Interview structure and steps of analysis

3.3. Limits and ethical concerns

Limits: an exploratory study

4. FRAMING THE CHILEAN CASE: PARTICULARITIES AND REFORMS

4.1. General features

Coordination, autonomy and the funding structure of the Chilean HES

Segmentation and the relevance of public universities

Particularities in the Latin American context

4.2. Governmental policies

The MECESUP programme and the World Bank

The 2014-2018 higher education reforms

5. FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS: THE RISE OF THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF

5.1. The university governance and the rise of the professional staff

5.1. The government as a driver of change

The quality assurance framework and MECESUP

CORFO and the “New Engineering 2030” Programme

5.2. The university as a driver of change

Teaching and learning

Internationalisation

Equity and inclusion

5.3. The professional staff as a driver of change

6. DISCUSSION

6.1. The central role of the university in triggering and articulating change

6.2. Towards a balanced approximation of the co-existence of university models

6.3. The perspectives of the professional staff: the missing drivers

6.4. Concluding remarks

Research Objectives and Themes

This dissertation investigates the drivers behind the emergence of a new professional staff within leading Chilean public universities. It examines this phenomenon through the lens of university models, specifically analyzing the tensions between the entrepreneurial model and the legacies of the Latin American university model. The research seeks to understand how external drivers, such as governmental policies and market forces, interact with intra-organizational dynamics to shape the roles and professionalization of this staff.

• The role of the entrepreneurial versus the Latin American university model in shaping organizational change.
• The impact of governmental policy instruments (e.g., MECESUP, CORFO) on university professionalization.
• The interplay between professional staff, academic leadership, and traditional collegial values.
• The emergence of "third space" hybrid roles that blur boundaries between academic and administrative work.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1. INTRODUCTION: Introduces the study's purpose, research questions, and the context of organizational change in higher education, focusing on the rise of a new professional staff.

2. LITERATURE REVIEW: AN ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK TO COMPREHEND THE RISE OF THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF THROUGH THE LENS OF UNIVERSITY MODELS: Establishes the theoretical framework by discussing university models, the tension between entrepreneurial and traditional Latin American legacies, and the changing nature of work in universities.

3. RESEARCH DESIGN, DATA AND METHODS: Details the qualitative case study approach, the selection of two leading Chilean universities, and the methods used for data collection and thematic analysis.

4. FRAMING THE CHILEAN CASE: PARTICULARITIES AND REFORMS: Contextualizes the Chilean higher education system, including its market-oriented structure, governmental policies, and specific reforms.

5. FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS: THE RISE OF THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF: Presents empirical findings regarding how governmental and institutional drivers influence the professional staff, covering areas like quality assurance, innovation, teaching, and equity.

6. DISCUSSION: Synthesizes the findings, reflecting on the university's agency, the co-existence of divergent models, and the perspectives of the professional staff themselves.

Keywords

Higher Education, Professional Staff, Chilean Public Universities, Entrepreneurial University, Latin American University Model, University Governance, Managerialism, Collegiality, Third Space, Organizational Change, Equity and Inclusion, Innovation, Academic Profession, Quality Assurance, MECESUP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this dissertation?

The research explores the drivers behind the emergence and rising prominence of a new professional staff group within Chile's leading public universities, analyzing how these professionals fit into existing institutional structures.

What are the primary thematic areas explored?

Key themes include the coexistence of entrepreneurial and traditional university models, the influence of governmental funding mechanisms, the professionalization of functional areas, and the role of professionals as organizational actors.

What is the study's main research question?

The central question asks which drivers explain the rise of the professional staff in Chile’s leading public universities, considering both external environmental forces and internal organizational dynamics.

What methodology does the author employ?

The research utilizes a qualitative case study design, conducting semi-structured interviews with ten participants and analyzing official documentation to capture the perspectives and experiences of the professional staff.

What aspect of university life does the main section cover?

The main sections analyze the interplay between external forces like government-funded initiatives (e.g., MECESUP, CORFO) and internal university transformations in functional areas such as quality assurance, innovation, internationalization, and equity.

Which keywords best characterize this work?

The study is characterized by concepts such as higher education professionalization, the entrepreneurial university, Latin American university models, and organizational change within a neoliberal policy environment.

How does the author view the "third space" in universities?

The author highlights the "third space" as a hybrid sphere where professional and academic domains intersect, where professional staff work to mediate between competing needs and institutional developments.

Does the professionalization of staff lead to conflict with academics?

The findings suggest that while the transition creates new dynamics, the professional staff often adopts collaborative approaches, using evidence-based discourse to align with collegial values rather than imposing managerial hierarchies.

What specific roles do professional staff play in the Chilean context?

They are involved in supporting decision-making, establishing new services, and professionalizing traditional areas like innovation and equity, often serving as key policy actors within their specific functional units.