EUROPEAN INTEGRATION THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION. CULTURAL ISSUES

Abstract

European integration influences the way universities operate. Today the activities of a university are interrelated with market values: individualism, competition, innovation, and efficiency. Faculties, departments and academic units in universities are shaped by the new liberalist policies and managerialism by the top university management. The culture of universities has been viewed as much more complex than that of other organizations, despite the fact that this topic has been neglected in academic management debates until recently. Universities possess a number of organisational culture types. These ‘subcultures’ within the organisation are an outcome of the staff involved in a variety of disciplines and departments. The necessity of analysing the culture of university is acute nowadays because an organization cannot be lead without being aware of its values. Only being acquainted with the culture of the university, it is possible to change, transform or modernize it. The powerful cultures often have a certain degree of rigidity and inflexibility and are often threatened with the loss of sensibility to internal or external changes (i.e. European Union policies). This article intends to contribute to further the understanding about the universities’ European integration fundamental issues by providing an interpretation of the fundamental role played by the organizational culture.