DOCUMENT RESUME ED 398 773 HE 029 200 AUTHOR Husen, Torsten, Ed. TITLE The Role of the University: A Global Perspective. INSTITUTION United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France).; United Nations Univ., Tokyo (Japan). PUB DATE 94 NOTE 235p. PUB TYPE Collected Works General (020) Reports Descriptive (141) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC10 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Access to Education; Change Strategies; *College Instruction; *College Role; Developed Nations; Developing Nations; Distance Education; Educational Attitudes; *Educational Change; *Educational Economics; *Educational Methods; Educational Trends; Equal Education; Foreign Countries; Futures (of Society); Higher Education; Information Technology; International Studies; Political Influences; Politics of Education; Socialism; Trend Analysis; *Universities IDENTIFIERS Africa; Asia; Europe (West); Latin America ABSTRACT This collection of 12 essays is drawn from a May 1990 panel meeting in Paris, Franc in conjunction with a joint United Nations University/United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization project on "The Changing Role of the Universities." Papers are grouped into those on: the general role of the university, regional conceptions of the university, the economics of higher education, and strategies of learning. Essays include: (1) "The Idea of the University: Changing Roles, Current Crisis and Future Challenges" (Torsten Husen);(2) "Evolution of Universities" (Yash Pal);(3) "Universities in the Post-Industrial Society" (Edward W. Ploman);(4) "The Role of the University in Asia in the 21st Century" (Ungku A. Aziz);(5) "Higher Education in Africa" (T. L. Maliyamkono); (6)"Education for All in Latin America in the 21st Century and the Challenges of External Indebtedness" (Fernando Reimers);(7) "The State Socialist Model of Higher Education: An Assessment" (Pal Tamas);(8) "Higher Education in Western Europe" (Wolfgang Mitter);(9) "Economics of Higher Education" (Mark Blaug); (10) "Global Learning" (Edward W. Ploman);(11) "Distance Education" (Jean-Marc Pottiez); and (12) "Using the Media" (Naomi E. Sargant). A discussion by Edward W. Ploman on provides concluding observations about the Paris meeting. (Some papers contain references.) 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INFORMATION CENTER(ERIC) 4The United Nations .University United Nations Educational,Scientific and "U" Cultural Organization THE ROLE OF THE UNIVERSITY: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE edited by Torsten Husgn A Joint UNU/UNESCO Project on "The Evolution of the Role of Universities" 3 C The United Nations University, 1994 The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the United Nations University. Academic Division The United Nations University 53-70, Jingumae 5-chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150, Japan Tel: (03) 3499-2811 Fax: (03) 3499-2828 Telex: J25442 Cable: UNATUNIV TOKYO THE ROLE OF THE UNIVERSITY: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE edited by Torsten Husen Table of Contents Page Introduction Torsten Husen 3 I. The Role of the University The Idea of the University Torsten Husen 7 Changing Roles, Current Crisis and Future Challenges Evolution of Universities Yash Pal 32 Universities in the Post- Industrial Society Edward W. Ploman 41 II. Regional Conceptions of the University The Role of the University in Asia in the 21st Century Ungku A. Aziz 47 Higher Education in Africa T. L. Maliyamkono 64 Education for all in Latin America Fernando Reimers 94 in the 21st Century and the Challenges of External Indebtedness The State Socialist Model of Higher Education: An Assessment Pal Limas 119 - 2 - Higher Education in Western Europe Wolfgang Mitter 137 III. Economics of Higher Education Economics of Higher Education Mark Blaug 154 IV. Strategies of Learning Global Learning Edward W. Ploman 172 Distance Education Jean-Marc Pottiez 185 Using the Media Naomi E. Sargant 203 V. Concluding Observations Issues Raised and Discussed at the Panel Meeting inParis Report Edward W. Ploman 212 List of Contributors 231 6 3 Introduction The present volume originated from a joint UNU/UNESCO project on "The Changing Role of the Universities", coordinated by the late Edward W. Ploman, formerly Vice-Rector, Global Learning Division, United Nations University. A panel meeting was held in Paris in May 1990 attended by a number of experts from various regions of the world. Several of them had prepared papers which, after some editing, have been included in the present volume. Various circumstances have contributed to a delay of the report on the project. In the first place, Mr. Ploman's illness and subsequent demise caused the UNU to turn to another editor. I promised to serve in this capacity and accepted the invitation, not least because of the interest I had in the problems raised by the project. Secondly, it soon became evident that we needed some complementary contributions, for instance, on the systems of higher education in the Eastern European countries which, due to the political change after 1990, were in process of re- orientation. We also were waiting for a contribution on Africa and hoped for one on Japan. By the end of 1992 it became evident that we had to set a deadline for the contributions, but at that point the new editor, for personal reasons, had to delay his work. What we are now presenting is a report with most of the contributions presented at the Paris meeting, plus a couple of additional papers, such as the one on African universities. The present role and, most certainly, the future one, of the university varies from region to region. I am, as Editor of this volume, keenly aware of this, not the least because, during my work with the material included, it has become evident to me that my own contribution on "The Idea of the University" mainly reflects the historical development of the Western universities. Even considering the strong influence that these university models have had in Asia,' Africa, and Latin America, it should be kept in mind that these regions have in several instances historically developed indigenous models. What should be the proper role of the university? This is a central question posed by policy makers and planners in education all over the world today. The quest for an answer has become particularly urgent in an era when education (and research) has been conceived as a major factor in social and economic development. It would seem useful to sketch a kind of typology of roles. 1) The university as an institution, as it once emerged in Europe during the Medieval Ages, to train civil servants, professionals (in law and medicine) as well as recruits for the priesthood. 2) The university as a depository and/or ivory tower for knowledge and wisdom as was once the famous library/university in Alexandria in Egypt. 3) The university as a generator of new knowledge, an institution for scholarly research, as was the case with the university conceived by Wilhelm von 4 Humboldt at the beginning of the 19th century. 4) The university should play the role of "public utility" as envisaged for the so-called land grant colleges established in the United States by the Morrill Act of 1862. Another example is the concept spelled out in the early 1970s in a study on the role of the university in the Third World by Kenneth Thompson for the International Council for Educational Development . 5) The university should serve as a fortress for freedom of speech and criticism of the established government; thereby serving political democracy. The overthrow of repressive totalitarian regimes often originated from the universities. Which of these roles should the university play? The overriding answer is, of course,that it should play all of them. However,the mixture varies depending on time and country. As has already been hinted at above, the context provides the conditions for a proper mixture. The research role, particularly the one of cultivating basic research, is more important in affluent countries, whereas the utility aspect is more crucial in developing countries.However, in our pragmatic time with a society built on information and awareness of investing in the so-called human capital with increased material standard of living, and beset with ecological problems, the utility aspect tends to be more emphasized. On the other hand beings do not live on bread alone and the role of higher education in personal development and cultivation what in the German vocabulary is referred to as Bildung must also be seriously considered. The present book reflects the various conceptions sketched above. The university in the different regions of the world has to undertake tasks that vary with the cultural and economic conditions. The contributions will hopefully give a true, multi-faceted picture of the present trends and the future development in the institutions of higher learning in today's world. In spite of cross-national and cross-cultural differences in the role of the university, there are certain issues which are more or less common to all nations and regions. Thereis the tension on the one hand,between the university as a promoter of higher culture and of cultivating the mind for its own sake and, on the other, its pragmatic role of serving society as an agent of development and economic growth. Another issue has to do with the amount of academic freedom that should be accorded to the university and, on the whole its relationship to political bodies and various private interest groups.