Higher Education And National Development Universities and Societies in Transition

Higher Education and National Development: Universities and Societies in Transition Edited by David Bridges, Palmira Juceviciene, Robertas Jucevicius and Terence McLaughlin Contemporary universities in many parts of the world are subject to changes driven by the collapse of the former Soviet empire, by the triumph of neo-liberal economic policies and by the mobility of capital and the ease of communication that are features of the global economy. They are also responding to the re-configuration of social, political and economic structures in which global, regional, national and local identities compete for attention. Nowhere, perhaps, have all these changes been more dramatically felt than in the Baltic States that are the source of and focus for a number of contributions to this volume. Universities are increasingly expected not merely to respond to these changes but to drive economic and social development in the new environment, contributing to business competitiveness and innovation through: (in the language of the contemporary discourse) 'knowledge transfer', 'research-based business start-ups', 'demand led education and training', the development of 'the learning society' and the contribution of higher level skills to 'the knowledge economy'. At the same time, perhaps, they struggle to retain a sense of more traditional roles in the formation an intellectual leadership, the education of a democratic citizenry or the cultivation of a wise as well as a skilled community. The intersection of these changes in society and higher education provides the themes for this wide ranging text by an international group of contributors. Higher Education and National Development includes concrete illustration of these developments, analysis and critique. It will be valuable reading for all higher education researchers and policy makers. David Bridges was Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of East Anglia until 2000 when he became founding Director of the Association of Universities in the East of England. Palmira Juceviciene is Professor of Kaunas University of Technology, Head of the Department of Educational Systems and Director of the Institute of Educational Studies. Robertas Jucevicius is Professor and Head of the Strategic Management Department at Kaunas University of Technology. He also is Director of Business Strategy Institute at the same University. Terence McLaughlin was formerly Professor of Philosophy of Education at the London Institute of Education. Higher EducationBridges, David is the author of 'Higher Education And National Development Universities and Societies in Transition', published 2006 under ISBN 9780415331104 and ISBN 0415331102.