National higher education systems are undergoing profound changes, discussed in many but unrelated studies as outcomes of internationalisation dynamics and institutional isomorphism pressures. We propose to link these studies by emphasising the influence of both internationalisation and isomorphism on the formation of a global educational regime.…

This paper argues that country size can play a crucial role in shaping the type of gradual change observed in collective skill formation systems. Collectively governed dual-apprenticeship training has its base in the industrial and crafts sectors of the economy and builds on the decentralised cooperation of multiple public and private…

The present article addresses the issue of structuration of the field of Comparative Education in Portugal. The narrative is constructed at two levels, one of a more descriptive nature, the other more interpretative. In the first part of the text, the construction of a comparative imagination is addressed on the basis of four main points in time:…

The borrowing and transfer of policies, ideas and practices from one system to another may in part explain the convergence of educational systems. Using text documents as research material, this paper examines the adoption and transfer of Bologna Process (BP) ideas in the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) and in the…

In this special issue exploring parents' responses to neoliberal policy changes, especially shifting notions of risk and responsibility, this article provides a historical account of local and national policy initiatives in the contemporary United States that have increased risk and placed responsibility for this risk on the shoulders of parents…

Today the modern Silk Road between Asia and Europe is increasingly well-travelled in both directions by students, academics and policy makers. Over the last decade the European Union (EU) and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) have been making more attempts to shape this route by creating an educational partnership through an…

In the last half decade, a rising literature has focused on the idea that processes of economic, political and social globalization require analysis in terms of governance at the global level. It is argued in this article that emerging forms of global governance have produced significant challenges to conventional conceptions of international…

Globalization is revitalizing comparative and international educational research. While recognizing that context matters, this process should emphasize increased collaboration between the humanities and social science research traditions; the global and the local; mainstream and specialist research communities; differing units of analysis;…

This paper focuses on the analysis of student mobility in the EU as a means to stimulate convergence of diverse higher education systems. The argument is based on official texts and other texts of political communication of the European Commission. The following discussion is placed within the current context of the Bologna process and its aim to…

Cuba has concentrated more than most developing countries on building a sound educational system, and as a result, it has been able to collaborate with other countries in their efforts to improve educational planning and practice. Based on recent research in the field, this paper examines the work of Cuban teachers in schools and sports programmes…

This paper investigates European Union (EU) education and training policies in the light of the evolving Lisbon agenda on improving the competitiveness of the EU. It examines the ways in which EU policies have developed over time, focusing on their legal basis, underlying principles, main forms of implementation and their impact on national…

This paper (1) defines "quality education"; (2) examines choices for improving primary education in developing countries; (3) describes the processes of change and decision making; (4) identifies the historical, economic, political, and social contexts within which these decisions are made; and (5) proposes ways to improve educational decision…

In Norway, a separate curriculum for primary and lower secondary schools has been introduced in indigenous Sami areas, and some jurisdiction over the school system has been transferred to the Sami Parliament. These recent initiatives are discussed against a backdrop of three international relationships: between the Sami people and other speakers…

Examines the past and present roles of comparative education research in the USSR--once a source of criticism against capitalist systems and now a search for useful educational theories and methods to aid in the major reforms arising from perestroika. Contains 15 references. (SV)

Examines innovation in Scotland from the standpoint of structural change and investigates some of the medium term changes in the relationship between secondary and post-secondary education over the past ten years or so. (Author/RK)