Abstract

The article describes the funding mechanisms of Higher Education institutions in five countries (France, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom and Spain). The focus is on the informal and latent aspects, hence how the rules are translated into behaviour in the application phase. Top and middle managers of 15 universities (3 for each country analysed) have been interviewed. The analysis highlighted the consequences of the recent reforms. Market orientation is translated into pervasive incentive mechanisms at different levels. It is transforming the European universities, especially from the point of view of human resources' selection, which must be able to attract funds, to engage with external parties, to transfer knowledge to the market.