Assessing Governance and Regulatory Reforms: A Public Policy Analysis of Universities in KPK

Abstract

of universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). Using an institutional theory lens, we examine strategic responses to plethora of overly coercive policy pressures as objectives of study. An inductive-qualitative research design in conjunction with 24 interviews is used to analyze data collect from faculty members through a three staged constructionist version of Grounded theory (GT). The study found out that private universities are more pre-emptive in terms of regulatory policy adoption and compliance. Public universities were slower in adoption of new policy reforms; hence measures of avoidance and defiance were more visible. The governance boards of private universities mostly comprise of old cronies in contrast to public sector where active participation of various stakeholders is involved, although to the exclusion of rank and file representation. A high level of government representation is present in governance bodies of universities, especially public universities although such universities are autonomous bodies. The study concludes that plethora of policy changes; inspired from New Public Management (NPM) doctrine under the pressure of International governing bodies coupled with electoral hopes is counterproductive, especially during a time of pandemic induced economic downturns. Plethora of prescriptive policy changes has overstressed the university level governance in both public and private sector universities. The study contributes to public policy discourse and debate to inform policy decisions for good governance in Universities.

       Keywords: New Public Management, Good Governance, Institutional theory, Public Universities, Private Universities.