Higher Education, State and Society

In the world of academia, intellectual pluralism is indeed comparable to freedom of speech. If this is to be achieved, more researchers need to become truly cross-cultural, and higher education is one of the first fields we are likely to encounter the integration of civilizations. This volume has done a great service. It prepares the author and writers of similar background to tackle such an arduous task and achieve really highly. It also facilitates epistemologically participatory research in higher education more broadly. --Rui Yang, Professor of Education and Associate Dean for Research, the University of Hong Kong, China Based on several years of research, this book is a careful and original exploration of two key cultural, educational, philosophical and political traditions underpinning distinctive configurations of higher education. It puts these traditions into critical conversation, whilst seeking shared horizons and linguistic keys for synergetic interpretations. --Alis Oancea, Professor of Philosophy of Education and Research Policy, University of Oxford, UK This book is essential. Presently confronted with the sheer necessity to view our ideas about society from different perspectives, we need this excellent proof that the young generation is capable of constructively bridging ideologies and cultures that underpin our ideas about the role of Higher Education. We need it as a basis for mutual understanding and for actual dialogue about the future of higher education in the changing global landscape. --Marijk van der Wende, Distinguished Faculty Professor of Higher Education, Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance, Utrecht University, The Netherlands