| By: |
Andrea Borsato (UniBg - Università degli Studi di Bergamo = University of Bergamo, BETA - Bureau d'Économie Théorique et Appliquée - AgroParisTech - UNISTRA - Université de Strasbourg - Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) - Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) Mulhouse - Colmar - UL - Université de Lorraine - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement);
Valentina Erasmo (UNITO - Università degli studi di Torino = University of Turin);
André Lorentz (BETA - Bureau d'Économie Théorique et Appliquée - AgroParisTech - UNISTRA - Université de Strasbourg - Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) - Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) Mulhouse - Colmar - UL - Université de Lorraine - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement) |
| Abstract: |
We develop an evolutionary model to analyse the role of policymaker's
preferences on the amount and direction of funding in determining university
trajectories. Results are four. First, the policies that maximise performance
in certain dimensions do not require that funds targeted at those dimensions
are maximised, due to the complementarities between research and teaching. In
most cases, the Humboldt model in which a university commits to a balance
between teaching and research tends to generate more robust performance
patterns. Second, any policymaking that boils down to reduced competition in
the research market and allocates most resources to top institutes might
curtail research quality. Third, a generalised increase in funding is not
effective if the distributive mechanisms are untouched and prioritise
reputation, unless they target small institutes and sustain competition in the
research domain. Finally, we have some evidence of the Baumol's cost disease
when a system-level wage rate combines with the emergence of technological
advantages. At the best of our knowledge, this article constitutes the first
endeavour to model the scientific and pedagogical trajectories of universities
as emergent properties of the micro-dynamic that involves the amount and the
direction of public funding, which is our way to formalise the third mission. |
| Keywords: |
University trajectories, Funding policymaking, Teaching and research complementarity, Third mission |
| Date: |
2026–04–28 |
| URL: |
https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05750518 |