Reinventing the Research University

Book excerpt: The fourth Glion Colloquium, which was held in Glion above Montreux, Switzerland, in June 2003, drew together active university leaders (presidents, rectors, vice-chancellors), along with guests from industry with close ties to academe, to compare perspectives on the future of the research university in America and Europe, as reflected in its title, 'Reinventing the Research University'. Although there was considerable discussion about whether it would be more accurate to use other verbs such as 'reforming', 'renewing' or 'refocusing', there was general agreement that change would characterize the future of the research university, driven by powerful social, economic and technological forces driving change in our world. The papers contained in this book reflect both the consensus and differences in the perspectives of the participants on these issues. In Part I, papers set the stage by considering the forces that are likely to change the nature of the research university. In Part II, the authors discuss the changing nature of education and scholarship. Part III then continues with papers on the changing nature of the interaction between the research university and broader society. In Part IV, the authors discuss the challenges of financing and governing the contemporary research university. In the concluding chapter the editors endeavour to pull together these discussions to develop more specific suggestions concerning the issues and strategies that universities should consider as they approach a period of rapid change. [Publisher, ed].