Showing papers by "Philip G. Altbach published in 1991"

Patterns in higher education development

Abstract: Universities are singular institutions. They have common historical roots yet are deeply embedded in their societies. Traditionally 61ire institutions, modern universities have provided social mobility to previously disenfranchised groups. Established in the medieval period to transmit established knowledge and provide training for a few key professions, universities over the centuries have become the most important creators of new knowledge through basic research. 1 The contemporary university stands at the centre of its society, an institution which is crucial to every modern society. It is the most important institution in the complex process of knowledge creation and distribution, not only serving as home to most basic science but also to the increasingly complex system of journals, books and data bases which communicate knowledge worldwide. 2

Impact and adjustment: foreign students in comparative perspective*

Abstract: Foreign study is a multifaceted phenomenon - its impact is felt on academic institutions in both the ‘host’ and ‘sending’ countries, on the economies of nations, and of course on the individuals involved. With more than one million students studying abroad, foreign study has assumed considerable importance in higher education planning. This article considers the many aspects of foreign study and discusses the interrelationships of these elements. The policies of the ‘host’ nations, for example, have an impact on higher education planning in the sending countries. The non-return of foreign students, traditionally referred to as the ‘brain drain’, is considerably more complex than was once thought since Third World graduates settled in the industrialized nations often retain contacts with their home countries and increasingly return after a period abroad. This article also considers the various ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors which determine the constantly changing flow of foreign students.

Trends in Comparative Education

Abstract: The political economy of comparative education has not attracted much attention. This article describes and analyzes factors that influenced the development of comparative education in the postwar period and provides an overview of the field and its infrastructures.' Its purpose is to relate societal trends as well as developments in the social sciences to the emerging field of comparative education. It is particularly appropriate to place comparative education in this context as the field has achieved a measure of stability after a half-century of postwar growth. The focus is on the United States, which has by far the largest community of researchers in the field, although worldwide trends are also considered. This is not an analysis of methodology or of the philosophy of knowledge in comparative education but rather a discussion of the interplay between societal and academic developments as they affect the field. I am convinced that comparative education is, in any case, not a \"discipline,\" but rather a multidisciplinary field that looks at education (not necessarily limited to schools or formal educational institutions) in a cross-cultural context. A formal methodology for such a hybrid field is impossible.2 Rather, the various methodologies in the social and behavioral sciences can be applied to the study of comparative education. The focus here is to elucidate some of the structural, institutional, and intellectual currents that affect the field of comparative education at present. Comparative education looks in many directions at once, and this has helped to shape a field that at the same time is left without a clearly defined center. Most often, comparative education has analyzed educational problems by providing a needed international perspective to what are generally national discussions and debates. The comparative studies of educational achievement done by the International Association for the Study of Educational Achievement are among the best examples of comparative research having an impact on national educational debates.3

International higher education : an encyclopedia

Abstract: Australia. Grant Harman. Europe Western Europe Ulrich Teichler. Czechoslovakia Jiri Kotasek. France Alain Bienayme. German Democratic Republic Mark A Ashwill. German Federal Republic Jens Naumann and Beate Krais. Hungary Gabor Halasz. Italy Roberto Moscati. The Netherlands Frans A van Vught. Poland Jan Sadlak. Romania Jan Sadlak. Soviet Union. George Avis. Spain Jose Luis Garcia Garrido. Sweden Jan-Erik Lane. United Kingdom Graeme C Moodie. Yugoslavia Niksa Nikola Solijan. Latin America Orlando Albornoz. Argentina Carlos Alberto Torres. Brazil Robert E Verhine. Chile Joseph P Farrell. Colombia Rosa C Briceno. Cuba Rolland G Paulston. Mexico Carlos Ornelas and Daniel C Levy. Nicaragua Robert F Arnove. Venezuela Orlando Albornoz. Middle East. The Arab World Byron G Massialas. Egypt Samir A Jarrar. Iraq A A Al-Rubaiy. Israel Yaacov Iram. Kuwait H A Al-Ebraheem. Lebanon Samir A Jarrar. North America. Canada Michael L Skolnik. United States Marian L Gade. Bibliography. Index.

Patterns in Higher Education Development: Toward the Year 2000.

Abstract: This article explores key developments that have affected academic institutions worldwide. The expansion characteristic of the post-World War II period has been particularly dramatic in the Third World. Other trends include broadened access to education, the tension between accountability and autonomy, changes and reforms triggered by societal demands on higher education, changing patterns of funding and access, and the political role of students. The essay concludes by examining issues affecting the future of higher education at the end of the twentieth century.