Rethinking Relevance: Human Development and the Contemporary University

Rethinking Relevance: Human Development and
Higher Education
Anne-Claire Hervy
GLCRSP End of Program Conference
June 18, 2009 - Naivasha, Kenya

Overview
Importance of higher education
Recent historical trends in higher education
What does relevance mean?
Current challenges and opportunities for change

Why Higher Education Matters
Source: www.worldmapper.org

Primary Education Spending

Secondary Education Spending

Tertiary Education Spending

Science Research

New Patents

Population living on less than $1 per day

HIV Prevalence

Malaria cases

Why is the question of relevance important?
The Knowledge Revolution
Tremendous external pressures on higher education
“Universities and the people within them have been relatively quiet about their role and purpose in contemporary societies.”
- Sally Baker, Brian J. Brown
Rethinking Universities: The Social Functions of Higher Education

Differing Models of Higher Education
The Critical University
Freedom of inquiry
Deep thinking about fundamental questions
“What for?” is not the most important question
Goal is understanding
Employment-Oriented Higher Education

Historical Trends in the Global North

Influencing Factors
Increasingly market-oriented societies.
Democratization of education, the creation of polytechnics and community colleges, and the development of the U.S. land-grant institutions.
Measurement of teaching and knowledge

Gross Enrollment Ratios in Higher Education

Historical Trends in the Global North

Influencing Factors
Increasingly market-oriented societies.
Democratization of education, the creation of polytechnics and community colleges, and the development of the U.S. land-grant institutions.
Measurement of teaching and knowledge

Historical Trends in the Global South

Influencing Factors
Colonization/Decolonization
Limited Resources
“Massification” of education
Pressure from international donors

Tertiary Education Spending

Influencing Factors
Limited Resources

Gross Enrollment Ratios in Higher Education

Influencing Factors
Limited Resources

What is Relevance?
Relevance has come to mean relevant to the “global economy.”
A global economy that now faces
A global food crisis
Financial meltdown
Climate change and other serious environmental challenges

Thank you.
Contact information:
Anne-Claire Hervy
achervy@ais.msu.edu