The case of university foundations in Finland: evaluating success

Abstract

The chapter uses a model, developed in public policy research, to evalulate aspects of policy success: political, process, programme, and endurance (PPPE). By analysing the two Finnish foundation universities, Aalto University and Tampere University, and comparing them to public universities, we analyse the extent to which the political goals of the reform have been met. The process success remained conflicted as the ministry and the founding members of the university foundation held substantial influence on the reform. The programme success is also conflicted: foundation universities have not performed better in more competed funding than their public peers; internationalisation has been succesful, but not only for foundation universities. Lean managerial foundation universities did not materialise. Using PPPE, we argue that the success has been modest and conflicted, However, there were difficulties in using this theoretical tool for complex and broad goals. Time will show the policy endurance and potential increasing returns.