Author Description

The cyberspace revolution, globalization, and the ever more rapid pace at which new knowledge is created are among the recent developments which challenge our universities. While they have adapted rather slowly in the past to changing circumstances, there is now an urgent need for them to adjust rapidly in order to fulfill their mission. Success will heavily depend on the presence of an appropriate system of governance, which is becoming more complex as the cyberspace revolution makes university structures less hierarchical. This book examines the contours and dimensions of university governance in research-intensive universities, seeks to develop cogent governance principles, and offers appropriate initiatives and recommendations. The authors, current and former heads of leading research-intensive universities in Western Europe and the United States, all share the defining concern that the fundamental changes of today pose serious challenges for universities and their system of governance. Contributors include James J. Duderstadt (University of Michigan), Robert C. Dynes (University of California at San Diego), Hans J. A. van Ginkel (United Nations University), Werner Z. Hirsch (UCLA), Charles F. Kennel (University of California at San Diego), Richard T. Ingram (Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges), Peter Lorange (IMD), Katharine Lyall (University of Wisconsin), Guy Neave (International Association of Universities), Howard Newby (University of Southhampton and CVCP), Frank H. T. Rhodes (American Philosophical Society), Henry Rosovsky (Harvard University), Peter Scott (University of Kingston, UK), Luc E. Weber (University of Geneva), and Harold M. Williams (Getty Trust).