11: Some Thoughts about the (necessary) Evaluation of the Ombuds Profession: What we can/can’t/should/shan’t

Josef Leidenfrost (Austria), Jean Grier (UK), Natalie Sharpe (Canada), Guadalupe Barrena (Mexico)

The institution of the ombudsman has been first created and is around in public administration since the early 19th century. Ombuds offices in higher education had first been set up during the mid-1960s in Canada and in the USA as part of the civil rights movement, followed by Mexico during the first half of the1980s. In Europe the political participation of the rapidly growing civic society and hence engagement of the people in all sectors of politics is a phenomenon of the post-war and specifically of the post-totalitarian societies, public Ombuds institutions included. Since the late 1980s higher education ombudspersons have been set up, whatever their different titles and assignments might be. They became an essential part of university governance. They in fact do encourage members of HEIs, students as well as personnel (academic and administrative staff), to speak up-also against hierarchies- if any issues arise.

The main intentions of the panel are looking into evaluations which have taken place over the last decades or are going on right now, their outcomes and reactions to it. Focusses are independent and non-independent reviews, mandated by legislation and/or statutes, reporting and its publicity, mandatory reviews and obligations for changes after reviews.

Three examples from three continents, North America, South America, and Europe will be given.

Presenter(s):

Josef Leidenfrost: ENOHE President

Jean Grier: ENOHE Vice President

Natalie Sharpe: Ombudsperson

Guadalupe Barrena: Defensora