
European Universities in Transition: Issues, Models and Cases
Author(s): Carmelo Mazza (Editor), Paolo Quattrone (Editor), Angelo Riccaboni (Editor)
- Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
- Publication Date: June 30, 2008
- Language: English
- Print length: 304 pages
- ISBN-10: 1847207480
- ISBN-13: 9781847207487
Book Description
The authors debate whether the reform of universities suffers from the undue influence of generalisations that do not stand up to scrutiny. It is simply too narrow to focus on strategies such as imitating a ‘university model’, hoping that best practices will solve the inefficiencies of the organisation as a whole, or relying on the presence of few external individuals on the universities’ board to save the difficult relationships between the university and the surrounding economy and society. These ideas ignore the diversity of universities geographically and historically. Above all, they underestimate the power that such diversity holds in making universities survive across centuries.
Researchers with an interest in university reform will appreciate this important contribution to the debate, whilst policymakers and university administrators will find this book invaluable in understanding the changes and problems facing European universities and gaining insights on possible solutions.
Editorial Reviews
Editorial Reviews
Review
‘The future of the university, this old European institution, is of utmost interest not only to university students and teachers, but to whole societies; not only in Europe, but in the whole world, as the institution has become global. Nobody can predict it, but the editors of this volume were able to ask incisive questions and collected thoughtful and provocative answers, which can contribute to the debate on the fate of universities in a significant way.’ — Barbara Czarniawska, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
‘While acknowledging the value of better university management, this book resists the idea that an externally imposed standardization and a more homogenous European system of higher education adds up to a desiderata. On the contrary the book editors argue that the persistence of the university and its survival in the future is aided by differences between universities. European Universities in Transition is must reading for students of higher education reform.’ — Francisco O. Ramirez, Stanford University, US
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