The increasing role of institutions of higher education and specialized training

Universities are potent agents for social change

Higher education plays a critical role in development
Universities are essential institutions in modern knowledge-based economies and societies.

• They train the personnel that operate the key institutions of society.
• They generate knowledge and translate it into new applications and products.
• They preserve cultural heritage and variety.

The past decade has raised new challenges
Institutions are facing the impact of:

• declining public funding: erosion of research capacities and facilities for teaching
• demographic changes: expansion, varying composition and structural diversification
• globalization: internationalization of research, increased international flow of students and commercialization of education. Risks include inequity, decreased quality and brain drain
• new knowledge: information and communication technology offer opportunities both for teaching and research, yet the digital divide is growing.

Six research priorities to address these new issues
Since year 2002, IIEP programmes have focussed upon:

• enhancing capacity of higher education in developing countries
• restructuring university administration, finances and technology to adapt to the new dynamic environment
• new mechanisms for assuring quality in the global higher education market
• managing changing university-industry linkages
• ICT and the 'virtual university'
• improving professional education and facilitating the transition to the labour market.