View in EDS

The Process and Effectiveness of Strategic Planning in Higher Education: Evidence from Five European Countries

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: The Process and Effectiveness of Strategic Planning in Higher Education: Evidence from Five European Countries
Language: English
Authors: Maria Eliophotou Menon (ORCID 0000-0002-9235-197X), Elizabeth Lintzerakou (ORCID 0000-0002-4670-114X), Chara Georgiou (ORCID 0009-0008-2267-5558), Dimitrios Vlachopoulos (ORCID 0000-0002-2033-7343)
Source: European Journal of Education. 2026 61(2).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Higher Education, Stakeholders, Program Descriptions, Participative Decision Making, Program Effectiveness, Administrators, Educational Methods, College Planning, College Administration
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom, Sweden, Greece, Cyprus, Netherlands
DOI: 10.1111/ejed.70585
ISSN: 0141-8211
1465-3435
Abstract: The paper aims at investigating the strategic planning process and its perceived effectiveness in universities based on evidence from five European countries (UK, Sweden, Greece, Cyprus and the Netherlands) and 10 higher education institutions. The investigation focused on the following: the characteristics of the strategic planning process; stakeholder involvement in strategic planning and their role in the process; and the major problems faced in relation to the effectiveness of strategic planning. The elements investigated relate to the process and effectiveness of strategic planning in an attempt to examine the development of strategy by higher education institutions and its perceived effectiveness. Qualitative research was used to collect data from academics and/or high-ranking administrators with a role in the institutional strategic planning process. The data were subjected to thematic analysis. According to the findings, universities were more likely to subscribe to a top-down model in strategic planning. Respondents drew attention to three categories of problems and/or limitations associated with the strategic planning process, namely, human resources/stakeholder problems, technical/content-related problems, and external limitations and restrictions. The paper attempts to inform the higher education literature by providing evidence from five countries on an under-investigated topic, i.e., the perceptions of higher education stakeholders regarding the process and effectiveness of strategic planning.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1507030
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1507030
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: The Process and Effectiveness of Strategic Planning in Higher Education: Evidence from Five European Countries
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Maria+Eliophotou+Menon%22">Maria Eliophotou Menon</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9235-197X">0000-0002-9235-197X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Elizabeth+Lintzerakou%22">Elizabeth Lintzerakou</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4670-114X">0000-0002-4670-114X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chara+Georgiou%22">Chara Georgiou</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2267-5558">0009-0008-2267-5558</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dimitrios+Vlachopoulos%22">Dimitrios Vlachopoulos</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2033-7343">0000-0002-2033-7343</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22European+Journal+of+Education%22"><i>European Journal of Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 61(2).
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 13
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stakeholders%22">Stakeholders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Descriptions%22">Program Descriptions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Participative+Decision+Making%22">Participative Decision Making</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Effectiveness%22">Program Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrators%22">Administrators</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Methods%22">Educational Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Planning%22">College Planning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Administration%22">College Administration</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom%22">United Kingdom</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sweden%22">Sweden</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Greece%22">Greece</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cyprus%22">Cyprus</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Netherlands%22">Netherlands</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1111/ejed.70585
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0141-8211<br />1465-3435
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The paper aims at investigating the strategic planning process and its perceived effectiveness in universities based on evidence from five European countries (UK, Sweden, Greece, Cyprus and the Netherlands) and 10 higher education institutions. The investigation focused on the following: the characteristics of the strategic planning process; stakeholder involvement in strategic planning and their role in the process; and the major problems faced in relation to the effectiveness of strategic planning. The elements investigated relate to the process and effectiveness of strategic planning in an attempt to examine the development of strategy by higher education institutions and its perceived effectiveness. Qualitative research was used to collect data from academics and/or high-ranking administrators with a role in the institutional strategic planning process. The data were subjected to thematic analysis. According to the findings, universities were more likely to subscribe to a top-down model in strategic planning. Respondents drew attention to three categories of problems and/or limitations associated with the strategic planning process, namely, human resources/stakeholder problems, technical/content-related problems, and external limitations and restrictions. The paper attempts to inform the higher education literature by providing evidence from five countries on an under-investigated topic, i.e., the perceptions of higher education stakeholders regarding the process and effectiveness of strategic planning.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1507030
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1507030
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/ejed.70585
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Higher Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Stakeholders
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Descriptions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Participative Decision Making
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Administrators
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Methods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Planning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Administration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sweden
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Greece
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cyprus
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Netherlands
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The Process and Effectiveness of Strategic Planning in Higher Education: Evidence from Five European Countries
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Maria Eliophotou Menon
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Elizabeth Lintzerakou
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Chara Georgiou
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Dimitrios Vlachopoulos
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0141-8211
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1465-3435
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 61
            – Type: issue
              Value: 2
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: European Journal of Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1