Research and Development for Higher Education: An Overview. R & D for Higher Education 1978:8.

Overview & Synopsis

This overview about research and development for higher education in Sweden discusses the organization of research and development, questions of policy and control, and the nature of the program areas. The research and development department is divided into the following components: research into higher education; followup of the reform of higher education; research and development projects of the planning boards; local development work; and information, documentation, and library. Two thematic areas of these program areas are (1) the relationship between conception of knowledge, subject content, and learning arrangements, and (2) recurrent education. Questions concerning the purpose and direction of research and development activities are handled by several advisory bodies, which are described. Research into higher education are divided into the following problem areas: the role of higher education in society; higher education as a system: structure and governance; the environment and working conditions of research and teaching; and research and development organization and planning. The reform followup program concerns the following main problem areas: the organization of higher education, budgeting systems and the planning of activities, institutional self-evaluation, the content and forms of education, and social effects of the reform. Funds for local development work are intended for development projects and for partial sabbatical leave for the compilation of teaching materials. (SW)