CANADIAN UNIVERSITIES IN AN AGE OF AUSTERITY - MOVING TOWARDS THE BUSINESS MODEL

This paper examines the constraints economic recession has posed for C anadian higher education in the last two decades and how the decisions made to resolve the problems shape that institution. Canadian univers ity administrations have been quite successful in meeting the economic challenges, balancing the budgets and even projecting an image of gro wth. In the process, universities have drawn closer to the corporate f ramework, going after tangible and visible criteria of success/product ivity and an industrial model of research and staff management. In so doing they have undermined the roles of teaching and research. Since h igher education in other parts of the Western world is faced with simi lar financial problems and has adopted similar strategies, the Canadia n experience deserves careful study.