These reforms have, however, proved to be more difficult than initially anticipated. The deep economic recession in most of the countries concerned is one of the main reasons for this problem, as it has usually been presented. Instead of increasing funding to higher education, rather strict limitations have been imposed on universities. Secondly, an important reason is that humboldtian higher education was never supposed to be and cannot be massive. The former highly centralized and formal mechanisms have been replaced with a mix of new market regulations and some old habits.
University finds itself increasingly subjected to conflicting demands and interests.
As a natural outcome of this East European higher education sector is increasingly diversified. The actual mix of various characteristics in particular institutions is becoming increasingly more complex. The role of the university in the reforms has also changed over the last decade. Whilst in many places universities were among the initiators of the reforms, their role has gradually diminished. This presentation will look into some of the institutional types and examples, the forces which are molding them, and discuss how this is related to the democratic reforms and transition to market economy in Central East European countries.