Spanish University Reforms and Job Satisfaction: Is There Only One Way Out?

Abstract

The reform of higher education institutions is no longer confined to the theoretical domain. This article describes some of the organizational developments that have occurred in Spanish public universities over the past decade. It does so from the perspective of the academics who staff universities, considering their perceptions on the nature and consequences of said reforms, and gathering their views on the influence these have had on their job satisfaction. The responses are analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, including principal components analysis. The article concludes that the model of reform in Spanish higher education is different from the one in English-speaking countries in that the erosion of collegiality is due more to the standardization of the academic role than to the reinforcement of managerial authority. The impact on academics’ job satisfaction is negative.