National Evaluations as Governing Instruments: How Do They Govern?

Abstract

The National Agency for Higher Education in Sweden carried out an evaluation, during 1995–1996, of all higher education programmes in care and nursing. The aim was to see if the programmes reached standards appropriate for higher education. Several care and nursing schools and programmes were found to be below the necessary standards, i.e. the criteria set by evaluators engaged in the national evaluation. According to those responsible for the programmes, the evaluation and its criteria were used at the local level to set out plans for development, even though the evaluation was criticized. Therefore in this article it is argued that national evaluations can work as national governing instruments, to support national policy. Two different theoretical frameworks are used to explain how actors at the local level are ‘governed’. Through this, it is believed that a more comprehensive understanding can be gained of how evaluation is related to governance.