Politicization is seen as dysfunctional to the academic goals of Indian universities. Eliminating political control of higher education, however, poses a challenge to the Indian political system. Suggestions for doing so are offered. (LBH)

The Brazilian system of higher education is discussed, including its evolution, the 1968 reform and its unintended consequences, and the recommendations of the 1985 presidential commission on higher education. Issues of interinstitutional diversity, institutional autonomy, and the influence of special interest groups on policy are addressed.…

At the present time, the universities in Alberta remain, as do the universities in the rest of Canada, autonomous though accountable institutions. An account is given of attempts during the 1970s to change the decentralized nature of Alberta's universities. (CJB)

Two kinds of academic freedom--personal academic freedom and institutional academic freedom--are discussed. It is argued that, in Australia, institutional academic freedom is the more important notion for universities and that current structural and governmental constraints threaten it seriously. (CJB)

Interest in decentralized decisionmaking for schools (DDS) is on the rise. With state and federal accountability systems placing pressure on school-level leaders to improve student performance, increasing attention is being paid to the question of how to help principals do their job more effectively. "Business as usual" in American…

The centralization of authority in public higher education from a local campus to the multicampus system and from local governing boards to state mechanisms is discussed. Dissipation of staff time in meeting bureaucratic requirements and faculty uneasiness with centralized planning and long-distance decision-making are described. (MLW)

A centralization index was used to analyze data from 269 accredited graduate business programs. Most (88.7%) had decentralized administration. Greater administrative quality and student service were associated with schools with more autonomous administration. (SK)

Review of job training in Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan found no single system appropriate for all. Desirable characteristics included (1) late specialization in school and on-the-job acquisition of specialized skills; (2) private financing; (3) institutional autonomy; (4) high employer involvement; and (5) regular evaluation of training…

In 1986, new statutes provided New Jersey's nine state colleges with autonomy from the state government for specific administrative, fiscal, and personnel matters, with boards of trustees assuming greater responsibility and authority. Discusses the transition process and reviews the outcomes of the new governance pattern. New Jersey's experience…

Key issues affecting higher education are globalization, technology, the need for diversification, preservation of autonomy, and collaboration. To respond to changing needs, higher education institutions must increase the transparency and accessibility of their programs and enhance their market advantages while protecting essential principles of…

Autonomy is the right of self-determination and self-governance of higher education institutions by independent academic boards without state government control. In "Sweezy v. New Hampshire," the U.S. Supreme Court defined a college's four essential freedoms: to determine who may teach, what may be taught and how, and who may be admitted…

Can a school board choose a minority teacher, using race as a "plus" factor to promote a more diverse faculty for students' benefit? A school board in New Jersey unanimously voted to keep the minority instructor. The case of "Taxman" involves how much academic discretion educators should have in putting together a faculty. The…

This paper argues that, using Eric Ashby's writing on academic freedom and autonomy and Burton Clark's essay on different modes of coordination, the British government has unnecessarily terminated the University Grants Committee and, in its overreliance on market forces, is threatening the future academic integrity of British universities.…

A document on higher education, a decade in preparation, recognizes certain rights of Roman Catholic institutions to academic freedom and independence, a more moderate stance than anticipated. It outlines norms that may be tailored to existing statutes and operating principles in some instances. For American institutions, rules may be…