Challenges in Research: A Strategic Approach

This chapter represents reflections on the current situation of the financing of higher education, especially in Europe. The views presented here are based on almost 20 years’ experience in working with the external funding of research at the University of Copenhagen, being at the same time involved in national and international professional collaboration within the field of research administration. With a background in Computer Science and Danish Language, my learning about the internationalization of research and education started in the Danish National Union of Students and proceeded into working life with the task to form the first EU research support office in Denmark at the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen in 1994. So even though the views presented are based on articles, reports, statistics, documents, and so on, they are interpreted and adopted in a context of the strategic and practical work in managing and leading universities. I will also avoid discussing higher education quality as such: research and education are two sides of the same coin in higher education institutions, and this chapter will reflect on the research side. The impact of the trends in research on higher education quality is complex but significant, as the changes primarily cause instability and uncertainty. On the other side, a strategic approach to tackling these challenges can lead to new potentials for increasing higher education quality.