Universalizing the university in a world society

Abstract

A set of policy ideas has been institutionalized in global society in the last decade or two and has spread very widely among nation-states. Higher education in general and the university in particular are highly valued and as much more than incidental prestige good. The teaching and research they produce are now seen as core components of development. And development itself is defined much more broadly than in traditional economic notions. Now, dominant conceptions stress the knowledge society and economy, which directly values education and which also sees education as a core factor in the production of most other goods. The whole system of assumptions involved has shifted to the global level, and national progress is seen as requiring success at this level. Thus, the traditional inter- and intranational status competitions over education, once seen as counterproductively inflationary, are now seen as central strategies for national success. Furthermore, university organization and management are now also seen as important features of these central strategies.