Dear Bilola,

In Brazil we have the National System of Higher Education Evaluation, establhished since 2004 by a Federal Law. The main dimensions it evaluates could be considered, in my view, as main topics of a higher education system. That is:

1. Institution Mission and Institution Development Planning

2. Policy for teaching, research, graduate and extension

3. Social responsibility and Communication with society

5. Personnel policies, the careers of teachers and technical and administrative

6. Management organization of the institution

7. Physical infrastructure

8. Evaluation planning

9. Policies to assist students

10. Financial sustainability

Dear Bilola,

In Brazil we have the National System of Higher Education Evaluation, establhished since 2004 by a Federal Law. The main dimensions it evaluates could be considered, in my view, as main topics of a higher education system. That is:

1. Institution Mission and Institution Development Planning

2. Policy for teaching, research, graduate and extension

3. Social responsibility and Communication with society

5. Personnel policies, the careers of teachers and technical and administrative

6. Management organization of the institution

7. Physical infrastructure

8. Evaluation planning

9. Policies to assist students

10. Financial sustainability

Bilola:

In addition, I think the core values of the HE system also help to tell the story of the institution. For example, having "diversity" as a core value speaks volumes for the HE institution in today's global village. The latter is an important part of the HE system and if overlooked can have negative impact on continued international enrollment as shared in the attached article which I hope would be useful to your research.

Best regards,

Debra

Data Generation I: International and invisible in a workforce edu...

Hi, Bilola, here in Brazil, I am developing an Action learning System for Higher Education in Management with five dimensions: learning styles, environment learning, experience, reflective practice and active teaching strategies. This system was published in a chapter (Action Learning: Lecturers, Learners, and Managers at the Center of Management Education) of this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Human-Centered-Management-Executive-Education-ebook/dp/B01A92V27S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455045050&sr=8-1&keywords=Human+Centered+Management+Executive+Education%3A+Global+Imperatives%2C+Innovation+and+New+Directions

 Best Regards, 

Anielson.

Dear Bilola,

Among many possible answers, I want to add that educating and preparing students to the life is one of the main topics and responsibility of higher education systems.

I would not confuse the essential descriptors of a higher education system with the nature or mission or educational goals of individual higher educational institutions. The essential descriptors of a higher educational system are:

The number of institutions and enrollments by sector (using the OECD International Standard Classification of Education (revised 2011) tertiary levels 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Further divided by on public, private non-profit, and private for-profit institutions.

For public institutions. Some attention to the degree to which the institutions (in each sector) are controlled by a central or a provincial (e.g. state, lander, etc.) government, and the degree to which the institutions or systems are controlled as governmental agencies or as public corporations. If there is any degree of public corporatization, this should reveal the degree of authority delegated to public governing boards (as opposed to being retained by ministries or parliaments), status of faculty (e.g. as employees of the public corporation or as civil servants), the locus of authority for appointment of presidents, vice chancellors, or rector), and the like.

For public institutions the level of tuition (up-front, deferred, or dual track) and other fees.

Amounts of financial assistance, including student loans, percentage of students so assisted, and division of loans into true loans and subsidies.

Higher education system can be described by the inputs (e.g. enrollment, school facilities, instruction, faculty, etc.) and/or by the outcomes (e.g. success of graduates in professional examinations, employment, etc.). Hence, higher education system can be inputs-based, outcomes-based or a mixture of the two.

Dear colleague,

   One of the major topics related to the higher education sector is Bologna process comprising internationalization, modernization, maintenance of national identity, globalization...  The following papers highlight these topics.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277883218_Globalization_and_Its_Role_in_the_Development_of_Post-Soviet_Higher_Education_Institutions_on_the_Example_of_Ivane_Javakhishvili_Tbilisi_State_University

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303543422_RECENT_REDAGOGICAL_STRATEGIES_DIRECTED_TOWARDS_THE_MAINTENANCE_OF_NATIONAL_IDENTITY?ev=prf_pub

   https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276542670_GLOBALIZATION_AND_ITS_IMPACT_ON_THE_EUROPEAN_HIGHER_EDUCATION

Article Globalization and Its Role in the Development of Post-Soviet...

Conference Paper RECENT REDAGOGICAL STRATEGIES DIRECTED TOWARDS THE MAINTENAN...

Article GLOBALIZATION AND ITS IMPACT ON THE EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION