Globalization, Trade Liberalization and Higher Education: Research Areas and Questions. Occasional Papers in Higher Education.

Overview & Synopsis

A weeklong interdisciplinary seminar/workshop was held September 8-14, 2001 in Victoria, Canada to discuss the relationships between globalization, trade liberalization, and higher education, and to share information about the implications and impact of various multilateral trade agreements on higher education. A major purpose of the workshop was to outline a broad research agenda for this area. Some of the trends identified in higher education in the new global context are the changing objectives of higher education, new labor force demands, the massification of higher education, and increases in the number and diversity of higher education suppliers. New technology and the internationalization of colleges and universities are important elements of the new context for higher education. The workshop can be said to have achieved its main objective of mapping a broad agenda for research on the relationships between, and effects of, globalization and trade liberalization on higher education. Research objectives are identified for: (1) higher education and the knowledge society; (2) the emerging global economy; (3) multilateral trade liberalization; (4) regional free trade agreements; and (5) trade in education services. The following are appended: List of Participants; Schedule of Seminar/Workshop; and List of Related Readings. (Contains 63 references.) (SLD)