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Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe. H.G. Wells, The Outline of History. Higher Education in Developing Countries:. Peril and Promise. The Task Force on Higher Education and Society. Central questions.
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Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe H.G. Wells, The Outline of History
Higher Education in Developing Countries: Peril and Promise The Task Force on Higher Education and Society
Central questions • What is the role of higher education in supporting and enhancing the process of economic and social development? • What are the major obstacles that higher education faces in developing countries? • How can these obstacles best be overcome?
Five areas of inquiry • the public interest • systems of higher education • governance • science and technology • general education curricula
Longstanding problems • funding • faculty quality • student conditions and preparedness • curriculum • teaching methods • research capacity • vision
New realities • rapidly changing world • increasing use of information technology • growing income inequality • knowledge capital replacing physical capital as source of wealth • higher education becoming more important and in greater demand • resulting expansion: rapid, chaotic, and unplanned
Public interest • high private and social returns • build knowledge capital resource • address topics with long-term value to society • promote equal opportunity • venue for free and open discourse of ideas and values
Government as supervisor • deter abuses of private education • encourage autonomy • ensure coherence and coordination • ensure cooperation and openness • encourage competition • encourage connections to broader economy and society
Governance – some problems • governments often closely involved in running of universities • universities are hostage to changes in political weather • lack of open dialogue about reform • corruption • active student political life
Science now • accelerating pace of scientific progress • link between scientific capacity and economic performance • higher education essential for strong science
Science and the developing world • large and growing scientific gap between developed and developing countries • brain drain • scientific advance and global public goods
General education • develops the whole individual • interactive teaching methods over a broad range of subjects • promotes citizenship, ethics, and ambition • encourages broad-mindedness, critical thinking and communication skills • provides adaptable leaders, and is a good grounding for specialists • contributes to national development
Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire W. B. Yeats