From regional colleges to global universities? The impact of academic drift on Norwegian higher education

This paper examines the evolution of Norwegian higher education with a particular focus on the role and transformation of colleges. Historically, these colleges have been instrumental in providing geographically accessible, higher (vocational) education tailored to local and regional needs, significantly contributing to Norway’s workforce and community development. However, reforms over the past three decades have drastically altered their structure and function. By using prior research and descriptive data analysis in combination with a case study of the consequences of a merger process at one leading university, we analyse the concept of academic drift and its implications. Our findings highlight side effects of these changes: While the reforms often claimed to streamline higher education, foster global competitiveness and improving efficiency, they disregard the original function of providing regional educational opportunities and skill needs, focusing less on the original welfare state-oriented goals of these institutions. Additionally, the geographical spread as well as the disciplinary breath of merged institutions are under constant threat as part of ongoing rationalisation processes. In summary, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of how educational reforms have reshaped the landscape of higher education in Norway.