美国高等教育发展进程中的院校研究

“院校研究”是流行于美国高等教育领域的一个重要术语。美国高等教育发展进程中的每一次重大变化都对院校研究实践产生了直接或间接的影响。院校研究在美国的产生和发展源于来自高等学校内部和外部两个方面的驱动力。高等学校基于改进院校管理的需要是院校研究得以产生的内在动力，而政府和社会公众对于高等教育质量和效益的关注所施加于高等学校的压力，则是推进美国院校研究大规模、制度化开展的根本原因。几十年来，院校研究的功能和领域不断扩展，为美国高等学校改进管理决策、提高办学效益、履行说明责任、赢得外部支持发挥了应有的作用。

The Evolvement of Institutional Research in American Higher Education

"Institutional research" is an important terminology that is popular in American higher educational field. Every significant change in the development of American higher education always makes direct or indirect influence on the practice of institutional research. The institutional research in America originates and develops from both internal and external driving force from universities. The inner power on which institutional research has been carried out is the need for universities to improve the administration, while the pressure that the government and the public exert on the universities about the quality and benefit of higher education is the ultimate reason to carry out American institutional research systematically on a large scale. In the recent decades, the field and function of institutional research have expanded continuously. And it plays an important role in improving universities' administrative decision, enhancing their profits, fulfilling accountability, and gaining external supports as well.