The social functions of the university in the context of the changing State/Market relations (the global, European Union, and accession countries' perspectives (original) (raw)

2002, Brussels: European Commission

The university in its modern form (invented 200 years ago by German Idealists and Romantics for the University of Berlin) has traditionally been in very close relations with the state and in relatively distant relations with the market. Now, as the state/market relations get changed with the advent of globalization, the university is unexpectedly located in a different landscape in which the state (or "government" in American tradition) is becoming - generally, with notable exceptions - weaker and the market is becoming stronger. The university, as traditionally a very important part of the public sector, comes under public scrutiny and its social and cultural missions get increasingly challenged. There is a significant difference between the positions taken with respect to higher education in general by supranational institutions and organizations (such as the World Bank, the IMF or the WTO), by the European Union, by governments of anglophone countries (mainly the US, Great Britain, Canada, and Australia), by governments of EU countries and, finally, by governments of EU accession countries. The influence of globalization forces differs significantly, and hence the impact of globalization on higher education is different in the above mentioned groups of countries. If we take into consideration the aspects of globalization with respect to higher education as described in more detail below (weakening of the nation state, questioning of the principles of the welfare state and the scope of social services it provides, and corporate culture/business attitude), the countries most strongly affected by it would be anglophone countries and EU accession and non-accession countries (as well as developing countries globally, and Latin America in particular). The countries least affected would be (Continental) EU countries. The difference lies perhaps in the role played in globalization: the strongest countries play the biggest role (US and countries close to it culturally, economically and linguistically), the weakest play the globalization game according to its rules. The countries of the European Union are in the middle, neither actively promoting globalization and using fully its opportunities (as the US), nor being strongly affected in their public sector, welfare state services etc as developing and EU accession countries. Higher education in the vast majority of developing countries in general (and in Latin America in particular) are provided with clear-cut policy recommendations in the landscape painted by globalization challenges: they include the gradual diminution of the public sector, the decomposition of the welfare state and its services as well as deregulation and privatization of those fields that in EU countries have traditionally belonged to the public sector (including higher education).