The 14 papers in this collection examine how a globalizing political economy affects the way universities are governed, discussing practices such as managerialism, accountability, and privatization which represent a shift toward business values and a market agenda. Part 1 gives a theoretical overview of the globalization agenda. Part 2 gives three…

Education and training in Australia represent a significant sector of the economy, comprising some 7 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. Public policy is fashioned to support three main sectors: schools, vocational education and training, and higher education. The mix of Commonwealth policy across these sectors is determined by distribution of…

Dominant social, economic, and political philosophies manifested in the recent debate over the University of Costa Rica general studies curriculum reforms are discussed. It is concluded that the debate is really about the university's role in an environment that values privatization, individual (contrasted with social) benefits of higher…

Issues in the evolution of Brazil's higher education system are discussed, including growth during the 1970s in the private sector, the need to improve access to education for low-income groups, and the need for a system of loans and scholarships to compensate for inequities in elementary and secondary education. (Author/MSE)

Discusses a brief history of U.S. trade with Cuba, the current status of Cuba's role in world trade, and the effects the U.S. embargo has on American businesses and U.S. and Cuban citizens. The article presents suggestions on how U.S. businesses can prepare for an open Cuba and argues for the lifting of the U.S. embargo against Cuba. (84…

This article makes a contribution to discussion on the neo-liberal reshaping of education in Western Europe. It argues for a greater attentiveness on the part of education researchers to collective social actors such as trade unions and social movements. Making use of concepts from Gramsci and from Poulantzas, it suggests that such actors had a…

This article turns to the history of the modern practice of adult education to speak to the versatility of lifelong learning as a fluid and indeterminate concept that some have viewed as a learner's way out and others have viewed as a learner's burden. It identifies change forces that have shaped particular purposes and functions of lifelong…

The public sector is becoming less concerned with who is providing a given service but more concerned about the quality, reliability, accessibility, and price of the service. In vocational education and training (VET), one consequence of this transformation is that the various public stakeholders involved with funding, purchasing, and providing…

Despite differences among Mediterranean sub-regions, a shared political history and common state of peripheralization to the global economy make comparing the region's university systems possible. Presents nine propositions that highlight trends throughout the years. Argues that the propositions could constitute an initial agenda for further…

This book examines 1980s educational reforms and their consequences for the 1990s, focusing on the Australian Labor Party government's policy response to conditions of economic scarcity. The first section addresses the broader economic, social, political, and ideological context of educational reform under Australian Labor governments, compared to…

Analyzes the relationship between educational development and Malaysia's sociopolitical and economic context. Under the Vision 2020 rubric, liberalized educational policies are leading to a more democratic, privatized, and decentralized educational system. Curricular revisions stressing basic skills, moral values, and individual development are…

This collection of 17 essays focuses on trends and issues in higher education from an international perspective. It includes: (1) "Introduction" (Zaghloul Morsy); (2) "The Idea of the University: Changing Roles, Current Crisis, and Future Challenges" (Torsten Husen); (3) "Patterns in Higher Education Development: Towards…

An analysis of Australia's two conflicting trends in school governance and their effectiveness in meeting two major educational challenges is the purpose of this paper. Nationalization, which refers to greater centralization and increased national regulation; and privatization, which refers to decentralization, deregulation, and increased local…

A discussion of higher education in West Europe looks at the variety of educational philosophies guiding higher education systems and their implications for teaching, research, and administration. The changing role of universities is examined in the context of expansion and growth of private colleges. Factors affecting access and admission are…

Asserts that Russian vocational school principals now have to think and act as educational entrepreneurs. Discusses three shortcomings of Russian vocational-technical education. Argues that marketing is the foundation of success and provides three principles to guide educational planning and administration in the future. (CFR)