PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

In some higher education systems the traditional ideal of a close coupling between teaching and research, often associated with Humboldt, is increasingly getting under pressure. Based on empirical case studies of researchers and research groups in a variety of scientific fields in Germany and Austria on the one hand, and England and Australia on the other hand, the authors investigate whether the implementation of New Public Management brings about a de-coupling of research and teaching in terms of resources and roles for both activities – and if so, which causal mechanisms are at work. Germany and Austria do not yet show much evidence of this kind. However, in England and Australia considerable tendencies of de-coupling can be observed and the underlying factors can be identified. In this respect a performance-based mechanism of research funding is a key factor of the Matthew effect described by Robert K. Merton.