Isomorphism in Higher Education Policy

The Incorporation of Supranational Perspectives into Irish National Policy

This paper explores the influence of transnational actors and agencies on national higher education policy. It presents a case study of the external influences on the National Strategy for Higher Education, the policy document prepared by a government appointed strategy group and endorsed by the Irish government as the determinant of future higher education policy to 2030. The report of the strategy group is characterised by the absence of any detailed research and analysis of the characteristics and operation of the Irish higher education system. A documentary analysis of the strategy report reveals the extent to which its analysis and recommendation are entirely congruent with the current policy consensus as developed and promulgated in two major OECD reports. The paper points to the limitations of policy analysis and recommendations, which ignore the structural and operational characteristics of national systems.