This book discusses the central role education and research play in generating both value and comparative advantages in the (imageries of) global competition, competitiveness and transnational value chains. They are seen as assets placed at the forefront of developments that are arguably reshaping individuals, society and economy. This edited volume explores these developments in terms of changing relations between society, economy, science and individuals. The idea that we live in global knowledge societies and knowledge-based economies or that present-day productive systems constitute an industry 4.0 have gained currency as descriptions of contemporary society that are said to bear direct and indirect consequences for political, economic, and social orders. In this context, innovation, science and education are central themes in contemporary discussions about the future of modern societies. Innovation is enthusiastically embraced as the panacea for all sorts of societal issues of our times; science is equally deemed to play a decisive role in solving current problems and in heralding a bright future with more wealth and more welfare for all citizens; education is conferred the task to producing individuals equipped with both skills and competences considered key to innovation but also displaying the attitudes and dispositions that will secure continuous innovation and economic growth.

Otto Hüther and Georg Krücken analyze the developments of the last 20 years in their new book on German higher education. The foreign observer of German higher education, even the informed foreign observer, struggles to find denominators, not to mention common denominators of a bewildering array of approaches. Otto Hüther and Georg Krücken, in this book, do an absolutely splendid job of offering theoretical perspectives, qualitative and quantitative data, and comparative assessments This book discusses the main higher education structures in Germany, both conceptually and with a particular emphasis on recent developments like, e.g., the growth and differentiation of the system, governance reforms, and the Excellence Initiative. It analyses recent developments from an international perspective, as the German system is clearly embedded in broader, transnational trends. As such, the book provides a comprehensive and detailed account of both new dynamics and stable paths in the German higher education system. This book will be of interest to scholars and students dealing with higher education or Germany as an object of study (e.g. in education research, science studies, organization studies, sociology, psychology, political science), and to higher education managers, leaders, and policymakers who are interested in recent trends in German higher education

The Research Handbook on the Transformation of Higher Education captures the complexities and paradoxes associated with higher education transformation. Drawing upon current empirical and theoretical scholarship, it identifies the drivers, actors, developments and outcomes of transformational processes within the field.

This book critically interrogates the notion of transformation in higher education, focusing on epistemological and structural issues in postcolonial and contemporary Africa. The book considers the multifaceted challenges facing higher education in the continent and uses the concept of transformation as a common thread weaving through a range of issues, including epistemology, identity, relevance, research, collaboration and decoloniality. Arguing for a holistic approach towards progressive and innovative education systems, the book calls for a fundamental transformation that expands access, enhances quality and competitiveness, addresses past injustices and improves the capacity to act together for a more sustainable and just future. Overall, the book makes a powerful case for the power of transformation in higher education to shape the social, economic and cultural fabric of society. This book’s critical evaluation of knowledge production in Africa will be an important read for researchers and policymakers involved in Africa’s higher education sector.

Global rankings and the Geopolitics of Higher Education is an examination of the impact and influence that university rankings have had on higher education, policy and public opinion in recent years. Bringing together some of the most informed authorities on this very complex issue, this edited collection of specially commissioned chapters examines the changes affecting higher education and the implications for society and the economy. Split into four interrelated sections, this book covers: The development of rankings in higher education, how they have impacted upon both the production of knowledge and its geography, and their influence in shaping policymaking. Overviews of the significance of rankings for higher education systems in Europe, Asia, Africa, Russia, South America, India and North America. An analysis of rankings in relation to key concerns that pervade contemporary higher education. Examination of the role rankings are likely to play in the future directions for higher education. This is a significant scholarly work that analyses in depth an important development in higher education systems, and which is likely to have an important influence upon how we understand the higher education policy-making process – past, present and future. It provides new analysis and conceptual understanding for researchers, and firm evidence for policy makers to use when addressing the value of rankings in measuring the quality of their institutions. Besides bringing together a powerful cast of academics, this book incorporates contributions from heads of important international higher education organisations – from both those involved in making and also in administering key decisions. This timely, reflective and accessible book forms crucial reading for those studying the subject of rankings, as well as the broader implications and unintended consequences of rankings on national higher education policies. Extending beyond academic researchers and students, this book will also be of significant interest to policymakers, higher education leaders and key stakeholders.

This edited book collects papers with perspectives from scholars and practitioners in Asia, Australia, and Europe to reveal the pros and cons, chances and challenges, constraints, and potential risks that educators and learners are facing as the new paradigm for communication and learning takes place, with a view to shedding light on the global education climate in the midst of the pandemic. Since the onset of the global pandemic, education has been revolutionized in almost every aspect. The emergency precautionary measures which were once supposed to be temporary school arrangements only have now become the new normal, reshaping our understanding of learning environments, redefining the pedagogic standards in terms of teaching practices, learning designs, teacher–student interaction, feedback, and assessment. Online teaching, distanced learning, flipped classrooms, and self-paced e-learning have all played an increasingly vital role in shaping a new education culture in various education settings, affecting school management, teachers, students, and parents alike. While ICT in education, alongside new media, has provided ample benefits and convenience for educators and students, communication and virtual lessons conducted in the socially distanced classroom appear to have brought issues such as the digital divide, e-mental health, insufficient technical support, inefficient classroom management, reduced interaction between teachers and students, not to mention the growing concerns over privacy and security.

The surge in the demand for higher education is closely connected with the liberalization and globalization of education. Websites and social media have been chosen for promotional purposes for obvious reasons – they are globally accessible. For rapid communication of a significant amount of information, virile institutional websites and social media spaces with promotional messages have become very important assets for higher institutions and their stakeholders. Transformation of Higher Education Through Institutional Online Spaces presents multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to promotional discourses as presented on higher institution online spaces. Covering topics such as brand building and marketing, content marketing, curriculum marketing, digital marketing, higher education digital marketing, and higher education marketing campaigns, this book is ideal for educational website managers, educational institution managers, public relations units, researchers, academicians, practitioners, instructors, and students.

This book discusses higher education research as a field of study in Asia. It traces the evolution of research in the field of higher education in several Asian countries, and shares ideas about the evolving higher education research communities in Asia. It also identifies common and dissimilar challenges across national communities, providing researchers and policymakers essential new insights into the relevance of a greater regional articulation of national higher education research communities, and their further integration into and contribution to the international higher education research community as a whole.