Approaches to the organization and administration of higher education drawn from other countries are presented. In some countries, higher education is coordinated by a central bureaucracy in which there is much nationalization of the curriculum, a nationalized degree structure, and a nationalized system of admissions. This approach is contrasted to decentralized and diversified systems which are more responsible to societal changes. The control of higher education by a monopoly of power or by a single form of organization is discussed. Decision-making needs to take place closer to the participants and the realities of local operating conditions. Cross national comparison indicates the insufficiency of uniform institutions and the need for institutional differentiation. The European version of open-door access and the notion of educational equality are discussed. Autonomous action and planning are both needed as mechanisms of differentiation, coordination, and changes. (SW)