NEW TRENDS IN BULGARIAN HIGHER EDUCATION

The process of reform in higher education in post‐1990 Bulgaria is briefly presented. The first step was a law in 1990 mandating academic freedom and university autonomy. Other legislation led to the creation of private higher education institutions and the charging of tuition fees for certain course programmes offered by the state institutions. A serious problem has been the decline in the quality of higher education and research, this due to the economic difficulties resulting from the period of transition and to too much laissez‐faire in higher education in general. In reaction, the state has taken steps to lay down basic requirements for admission to higher education; nationally mandated standards for state certification in certain subjects including medicine, economics, and engineering; and the development of a national quality assessment system for higher education. There has also been the influence of certain international programmes, most notably, TEMPUS. Everyone understands that higher education has a major role to play in order to guarantee the success of the transition process.     

ENROLMENT TRENDS IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES

A statistical report, “The Condition of Education 1976”, prepared by the Planning Office of the US National Centre for Education Statistics and submitted to the Congress of the United States in March 1976, also analysed the developments in US higher education concerning: - present and projected educational attainment of the labour force

- enrolment in higher education and its pattern

- age structure of students in US higher education institutions.

Data on these problems, presented mainly in graphical form, serves as the basis for the information below.     

RECENT TRENDS AND CURRENT PROBLEMS IN USA HIGHER EDUCATION

In the following article, Professor John D. Millett, Vice‐President of the USA Academy of Educational Development, points out major trends and problems of higher education in the United States, especially in the context of structural economic changes. Many issues discussed in this article will also effect American higher education in the 1980s.

The article is based on a paper Professor Millett presented at the International Seminar on Efficiency of Higher Education (Nieborow, 25‐28 September 1979), (Editor's Note: In No.1, January‐March 1980 of “Higher Education in Europe” other papers delivered at this meeting were presented, as well as the summary of the seminar's discussions.)     

TRENDS IN ADMISSION POLICY TO HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Higher education has been identified as an important social institution because of its formative effect and its influence on social, political, and economic development. Moreover, it is the major means by which upward social and economic mobility is achieved. In this context, the admissions process is recognized as a major link between higher education's social responsibilities and its educational goals, since the selection process is an important factor in determining the type and quality of education the student receives.     

高等教育质量保证的国际趋势与中国的选择

本文在简要阐述有关高等教育质量保证概念的基础上,从质量保证的主体、目的、对象、指标或标准以及实施层面等五个方面入手,对近年来美、英、欧盟主要国家以及日本的变化趋势和特点进行考察,并对如何构建具有中国特色的高等教育质量保证体系提出几点建议。     

FINLAND: REPORT ON THE REGIONAL EXPANSION OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM

In October 1974 a committee was appointed by the Finnish Ministry of Education, with the assignment of studying the necessity, prerequisites, and principles relating to a more balanced regional expansion of the higher education system in Finland.

The committee has recently presented its findings, which concentrate on the following issues:

• the distribution of higher education places between the regions of Finland;

• the regional effects of a unit of higher education;

• the regional distribution of the higher education system and the administrative decisions concerning regional development;

• principles informing the regional expansion of the higher education system;

• resources for the regional expansion of the higher education system.

The below information gives the main elements of the committee's report.