Abstract
This chapter reviews how higher learning systems have developed in the east as well as in the west. Although the word “university” originated from the medieval university, the idea of higher learning dates back to ancient times. The chapter also reviews how the ancient ideals of higher learning were incorporated into the medieval university, and how the medieval university ideal was, in turn, incorporated into the modern university. Through this historical overview, the chapter provides a broader view on the development of the modern university. In addition, this chapter conceptualizes contemporary higher education as post-massification, and then compares how post-massification differs from elite and mass higher education in terms of teaching and research. Finally, this chapter discusses how global rankings and the world-class university profoundly change the identity of the modern university.
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Acknowledgment
The author gives thanks to Prof. Bruce Macfarlane at the University of Hong Kong for his academic colleagueship and invaluable comments on the draft of this chapter.
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Shin, J.C. (2014). The University as an Institution of Higher Learning: Evolution or Devolution?. In: Shin, J., Teichler, U. (eds) The Future of the Post-Massified University at the Crossroads. Knowledge Studies in Higher Education, vol 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01523-1_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01523-1_2
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