Academia in the 21st century: an analysis of trends and perspectives in higher education and research

What are world wide the main trends that will or should have an impact on the future of academia? What is expected from academia by different stakeholders in the years to come? These and related questions are addressed in CHEPS?s report ?Academia in the 21st century. An analysis of trends and perspectives in higher education and research?. The report is the outcome of a challenging project commissioned by the Advisory Council for Science and Technology Policy (Dutch abbreviation AWT). In the report the following seven trends in higher education have been analysed: 1) the development of information and communication technologies, 2) the marketisation in higher education and science, including the changing roles of governments, 3) globalisation, internationalisation and regionalisation, 4) and advancing network society (e.g. rise of consortia, strategic alliances, etc.), 5) an advancing knowledge society, 6) socio-cultural trends, and 7) demographical trends. In the concluding chapter general observations and reflections have been put forward. They concern the issues of differentiation at the system and organisational level, excellence and diversity, and the role of universities in a knowledge society.