This book primarily addresses the variety and gaps in higher education across the globe, concentrating on the challenges to transitional and developing countries. It addresses the related issues of research capacity, research productivity, and research relevance and utility.

The massive expansion of higher education across all continents is one of the defining features of our century. This volume examines two dimensions of this: those of access and equity.

Five educational researchers, coming from a variety of higher education institutions, academic disciplines, and cultural backgrounds, met together over a three-year period to discuss the present and future of doctoral education and training in the field of education. Their hope was that the product of their discussions would enable educators and policy makers around the world to rethink, restructure, and even design new programs to prepare the rising generation of educational researchers in their countries. These differences in academic, national, and institutional perspectives led to a variety of ways, even conflicting ones, in which the quality of doctoral education and training could be improved. Based on our discussion, we came to the conclusion that there are no universal solutions to the problems involved in setting up and operating a quality doctoral program. Rather, educators would be wise to be aware of the alternatives at their disposal and make informed choices based on an understanding of the larger societal and political contexts in their states, regions, or nations. To facilitate this decision-making process, we have chosen to conclude with a set of key questions that should be addressed by those seeking to examine and improve their doctoral programs in education and briefly describe some of the alternative ways of answering these questions. Instead of passively absorbing a unified position, then, the reader is invited to join the dialogue that has taken place (and is still taking place) between and among the authors. To exemplify such a dialogue, each chapter is followed by one or two commentaries written by members of the group. We would encourage the reader to write commentaries on the individual chapters (and perhaps the commentaries), thereby engaging in a dialogue with the authors on a fairly personal level.

This publication is based on the discussions of the 2004 Global Colloquium on Research and Higher Education Policy of the UNESCO Forum for Higher Education, Research and Knowledge, held in Paris in December 2004. It contains contributions from 17 international experts in the field of higher education which explore the global rise of the 'knowledge society' and its implications for higher education and for sustainable human development in the future.

Partnership in Higher Education: Trends between African and European Institutions is a pioneer contribution bringing a comprehensive perspective not only on the conceptualization of higher education partnership but also the empirical trends that exist between African and European institutions.