Exploring interest intermediation in Central and Eastern Europe: is higher education different?

Abstract Higher education interest groups remain somewhat understudied from a comparative theory-driven perspective. This is surprising because political decisions regarding higher must increasingly be legitimized to students, taxpayers, the academic community and society. article aims advance our understanding of stakeholders in post-communist Europe. In view, region deserves more attention, not least students academics were very instrumental bringing down communism institutionalizing democracy. First, we draw on Klemenčič’s (EJHE 2(1): 2–19, 2012; SHE 39(3):396–411, 2014) distinction between corporatist pluralist as well formalized informal systems representation education. Looking at survey data four countries—Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary Slovenia—we examine what extent democracies have established institutions facilitate formal participation various crucial stakeholder organizations, e.g. students’ unions, rectors’ conferences, etc. Then address whether organizations enjoy privileged access policy-makers compared those other policy areas, while engaging with argument that particular case “stakeholder democracy” otherwise characterized by weak civic corporatism. To wrap up, discuss different “mutations corporatism” each country.