Showing papers by "Philip G. Altbach published in 2004"

Globalization and the university: myths and realities in an unequal world

Abstract: Much has been said about the impact of globalization on higher education. Some have argued that globalization, the Internet, and the scientific community will level the playing field in the new age of knowledge interdependence. Others claim that globalization means both worldwide inequality and the McDonaldization of the university. It is argued that all of the contemporary pressures on higher education, from the pressures of massification to the growth of the private sector are the results of globalization. There is a grain of truth in all of these hypotheses—and a good deal of misinterpretation as well. The purpose of this essay is to “unpack” the realities of globalization and internationalization in higher education and to highlight some of the ways in which globalization affects the university. Of special interest here is how globalization is affecting higher education in developing countries—the nations that will experience the bulk of higher education expansion in the coming decades. Much has been said about the impact of globalization on higher education. Some have argued that globalization, the Internet, and the scientific community will level the playing field in the new age of knowledge interdependence. Others claim that globalization means both worldwide inequality and the McDonaldization of the university. It is argued that all of the contemporary pressures on higher education, from the pressures of massification to the growth of the private sector are the results of globalization. There is a grain of truth in all of these hypotheses—and a good deal of misinterpretation as well. The purpose of this essay is to “unpack” the realities of globalization and internationalization in higher education and to highlight some of the ways in which globalization affects the university. Academe around the world is affected differently by global trends. The countries of the European Union, for example, must adjust to new degree structures and other kinds of harmonization that are part of the Bologna and related initiatives. Countries that use English benefit from the increasingly widespread use of that language for science and scholarship. Of special interest here is how globalization is affecting higher education in

Globalisation and the university: Myths and realities in an unequal world

Abstract: Much has been said about the impact of globalisation on higher education. Some have argued that globalisation, the Internet and the scientific community will level the playing field in the new age of knowledge interdependence. Others claim that globalisation means both worldwide inequality and the McDonaldisation of the university. It is argued that all of the contemporary pressures on higher education, from the pressures of massification to the growth of the private sector, are the results of globalisation. There is a grain of truth in all of these hypotheses ‐ and a good deal of misinterpretation as well. The purpose of this essay is to “unpack” the realities of globalisation and internationalisation in higher education and to highlight some of the ways in which globalisation affects the university. Of special interest here is how globalisation is affecting higher education in developing countries ‐ the nations that will experience the bulk of higher education expansion in the coming decades.

Higher Education Crosses Borders: Can the United States Remain the Top Destination for Foreign Students?

Abstract: (2004). Higher Education Crosses Borders: Can the United States Remain the Top Destination for Foreign Students?. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning: Vol. 36, No. 2, pp. 18-25.

The task force on higher education and society

Abstract: L'article propose l'analyse de trois specialistes de l'enseignement superieur concernant le rapport du groupe de travail sur l'enseignement superieur et la societe, rapport qui peut potentiellement bouleverser les politiques d'aide aux pays en developpement concernant l'enseignement superieur...

Asian universities : historical perspectives and contemporary challenges

Abstract: Since 1980, higher education access and endorsement have grown more dramatically in Asia than in any other area of the world. Both developed and developing nations are witnessing rapid expansion in the higher education sector. Nor is this progress entirely quantitative: a number of Asian universities are on a par with the finest institutions of higher education in the U.S. and Europe. Until now, however, there has been little historical analysis and virtually no comparative analysis of Asian higher education. This volume offers a detailed comparative study of the emergence of the modern university in Asia, linking the historical development of universities in the region with contemporary realities and future challenges. The contributors describe higher education systems in eleven countries-Korea, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Phillippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, India, and Japan-and explore similarities and differences through two comparative essays. Each case study includes a discussion of the nature and influence of both indigenous and European educational traditions; a detailed analysis of development patterns; and a close examination of such contemporary issues as population growth and access, cost, the role of private higher education, the research system, autonomy, and accountability.

The Future of the City of Intellect: The Changing American University (review)

Abstract: (2004). The Future of the City of Intellect: The Changing American University. The Journal of Higher Education: Vol. 75, No. 3, pp. 364-365.