Old Universities in New Environments: New Technology and Internationalisation Processes in Higher Education

In this book the authors discuss globalisation, the use of new technology and its effects on higher education. Four old universities in Europe (Bologna, Cambridge, Leuven and Lund) are used as illustrations of different approaches to managing a changing environment. The authors focus on questions like: Differences in organisational structure and strategic choices, how do they affect internationalisation and the use of new technology in education? Is commercialisation a feasible strategic alternative in a state funded traditional academic institution, or is it collaboration between universities as in the “Bologna process” that will dominate internationalisation strategies among traditional universities? Will the young generation choose to be a “Wanderstudent” or will they prefer to inculcate a specific university culture? And, following Manuel Castells’ diagnosis of current globalisation processes, will universities in the future become nodes in a continuously changing network?