Higher Education in America and Europe

Development of systems of mass higher education, first in North American region and later in Europe, is fourth time in long critical history of university - equivalent in importance to its former bases in medieval Europe , and its transformation into Renaissance and Reformation (and Counter-Reformation) in the more secular institution and State (or, in any case, princely dynasty o); and, effectively, re-founded in 19th century after the period of stagnation and decline, even in part the response to aggressive rise of national (and bureaucratic) state (most dramatic example of creation of University Berlin in 1810) and partly in response to emergence of new forms of urban and industrial society increasingly dependent on science, technology and professional experience (an example, although initially in context of agricultural improvement through establishment of major U.S. universities land grant in 1860). massification of higher education, which began after 1945, accelerated between 1960 and 1980 and still complete, is fourth big revolution in longue durée of university, its advance over medieval centuries Europe's global school or institution (Scott 1995). There have been two major factors of mass (Deer 2005). first, host of "pull" is growing demand for graduates and professionals with specialized skills. Although medieval universities produced secular clergy who filled many offices and religious, between ages 16 and 19, gradually ceased to be so deeply involved in training of emerging elites, but their main activity is best described as preservation of cultural capital of existing elite. In the similar way universities, with outdated curricula and aversion to intellectual novelty, is passing through scientific institutions more responsive - by academies in case of Enlightenment and speculative science, and doctors in case of scientific and technological applications. In ages 19 and 20 universities resumed the more active role - staff of growing bureaucracy of nation-states, business and industry to support development of professions, new energy and new, and to meet growing demand for scientific and technical experts. Since social mobility and increased traditional hierarchies collapsed role of universities in preservation and transmission of cultural capital was the new and more dynamic way - not only to preserve status of existing elites, but also to forge new elite identities and more flexible. At same time, universities acquired the novel, but aggressive play in investigation moved from periphery, task restricted to academic and speculative research, to center stage, industrial scale experiments (and instruments?) research that dominates modern university. In 21 century rapid development of the global knowledge-led economy, and almost undisputed hegemony of discourse of the "knowledge society" (over-simplified), have further strengthened link between higher education and economy (Reich , 1991, 2001). business of mass higher education is simply that business - to produce graduates well-qualified and useful research.

Second - "push" - mass driver is growing demand for higher education. In some ways this second driver crosses first, as jobs once available to those who had completed high school is now restricted to graduates of higher education. This is the complex process, partly ...