This review of literature was written in preparation for conducting a research study on the U.S. community college system as a potential model for developing countries, and using Vietnam as a specific case. It is divided into four sections: (a) a discussion of the purposes of higher education (HE), (b) an examination of problems faced by the HE…

PISA (the Programme for International Student Assessment) is a triennial survey of the knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds. It is the product of collaboration between participating countries and economies through the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), and draws on leading international expertise to develop valid…

The goal of this comparative essay on higher education in Mexico and the United States is to provide a description of the common issues within the different contexts of each country to facilitate discussions of new binational programs. Government and business sectors of both countries have acknowledged the need to reform their education,…

By analyzing contemporary literature, this paper posits a federal role in what is seen as a trend toward "normalizing" college faculty positions and shifting control away from state and local jurisdictions. Three factors are seen as contributing to this shift. The first is the government's role in funding the hard sciences which has, in…

This publication contains two papers on the implications of school decentralization for teacher education, student achievement, and democracy. The first paper, "Devolution in Education Systems: Implications for Teacher Professional Development and Pupil Performance" (Geoff Whitty), explores the way education reform movements for…

This paper describes the general features of educational reform in Spain that emphasize increased school autonomy and teacher collaboration and professionalization and have been initiated since 1978 when a new constitution was democratically approved. The first section which offers background to the reforms describes the general impact of the new…

This book presents a collection of essays dealing with key issues and trends facing the future of higher education on the international level as the world moves into the 21st century. Essays and their authors are as follows: "The Idea of the University: Changing Roles, Current Crisis and Future Challenges" (Torsten Husen); "Patterns…

This report examines the development of higher education and the process of educational reform in Romania through the 19th and 20th centuries and provides statistical data on the numbers of students, graduates, and academic staff that existed during specific time periods. Chapters cover: (1) the founding of the higher education system and its…

Planning for the higher education system in the past involved designing, implementing, and evaluating a set of envisaged policies, strategies and operational actions for the medium and long-run. In Brazil, however, this sort of planning was virtually abandoned and replaced by short-term planning, partly as a result of the interplay of political…

A dual screening device for teacher preparation programs was mandated by the Texas legislature in 1981. The two requirements included passing an entrance examination upon application to a teacher education program, and passing a proficiency examination upon completion of the program. The state must produce competent, well-prepared teachers; train…

The university's many social and ethical responsibilities are examined in this book by the president of Harvard University. After a discussion of the traditional values of academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and political neutrality, ways that the university's desire for autonomy can be reconciled with the legitimate demands of state and…

Criteria for self-study by public college governing boards are presented. For each criterion, questions are presented, along with three response options: "yes,""no," and "do not know or can not judge." A response option for judging the board's overall performance on each criterion is also included. In addition, brief introductory comments for each…

The relationship between state government and higher education institutions is discussed. It is noted that, by and large, state governments have left colleges alone until the past two decades. State intrusions have taken the form of accountability statutes, budgeting, performance audits, program review, minimum standards, sunset laws, and more…

Public policy issues relating to federal assistance to colleges struggling to survive in the 1980s are addressed. Special challenges to postsecondary education result from declining enrollments, inflationary cost spirals, and lack of public confidence in education. Questions are raised in regard to the following five public policy alternatives,…

A bibliography of approximately 120 materials authored, coauthored, or edited by Logan Wilson on the shaping of American higher education is presented. The publications, which span from 1935 to 1980, cover the following topics: Changes in American academe, external governance in higher education, alternatives to college for everybody, library…