Title: Challenges for Higher Education in Multicultural and Globalised Societies
1Challenges for Higher Education in Multicultural
and Globalised Societies
- Jussi Välimaa, Dr., Professor of higher
education studies - Finnish Institute for Educational Research
- University of Jyväskylä, Finland
2The Aims of the Keynote
- to discuss on the different roles higher
education institutions play in contemporary
societies - Analyze the nature of contemporary societies as
networked knowledge societies - Analyze the topics of internationalization,
multiculturalism intercultural issues - Reflect on the challenges for higher education
institutions
3Defining Globalization internationalization
- Globalization processes which affect the whole
world / are recognized throughout the globe. The
basic hypothesis nation states loose their
decision-making capacity at the cost of global
organizations processes - Internationalization is based on contracts
between nation states, or their institutions. The
processes of internationalization (e.g.
international exchange programs) show that nation
states continue be important political players. - Often overlap each other
4On the Nature of Contemporary Societies
- Knowledge Societies
- Increasing importance of knowledge everywhere in
societies (Stehr 1994) - Mobile Network societies
- Crucial categories of time and space are
transforming because of ICT (Castells 2006) - Network Societies
- Describes the dominating social structures of
contemporary societies networks (Castells 2009,
Latour 2007)
5Main Problems with These Soci(logic)al Theories
- Knowledge Society does not take seriously the
means of communication (ICT) and emerging new
social structures (networks) - Mobile Network Societies emphasizes ICT too much
as a source of change - Network theories (ANT) and Network Society do
not pay enough attention to the contents of
communication (knowledge)
6Defining Networked Knowledge Societies (NKS)
- Contemporary societies can not be defined either
knowledge societies or network societies both
describe important social phenomena of
contemporary global realities - The crucial elements are
- 1) CONTENT. The need use of knowledge
- 2) MEDIA. Information technology
- 3) SOCIAL STRUCTURE. Networking as the social
form of communication knowledge production
7The Need and Use of Knowledge ( HE)
- The quantity and quality of the needs for most
up-dated knowledge is a new phenomenon -gt
research and HEIs are crucially important. - the content of information and communication is
crucially important matter in itself - Knowledge needs to be taken seriously as the core
element in contemporary societies.
8Information Technology ( HE)
- ICT has re-defined the categories of time space
? identity, social forms, society, but
institutions social structures frame social
choice communication choice. - wireless communication internet enhance
considerably the intensity and density of
interaction. - HEIs may act as important nodes of knowledge
networks because of their intellectual and
material resources (academic traditions,
administrative structure physical space).
9Social Form Networks
- new forms of knowledge production knowledge is
produced in networks of partnerships
cooperation with academics and universities (e.g.
open access) and with other stakeholders outside
HEIs - Networking and networks are the most efficient
way to organize these multiple and flexible
academic, business and social partnership
relations. - Networking is the social form of communication
knowledge production.
10New competencies needed in the Knowledge Societies
- Old academic qualifications are not enough
- New competencies are needed
- 1) intercultural communication skills
- 2) team-working skills
- 3) Leadership qualities
- 4) Basic disciplinary knowledge
11Three Internationalizations
- Context While higher education is global as a
sector, it remains a nationally-based institution - 1) Traditional internationalization, emphasis on
international nature of higher education short
term temporary, academic mobility student
exchange, faculty visits and conferences,
international publications international
cooperation in projects or scientific research
12Three Internationalizations (2)
- 2) Emerging internationalization, newer
developments often directly connected to
globalization (increasing competitive potential
in cross-border higher education consortia)
attempts to recruit tuition and fee-paying
students from around the world - 3) Ideological internationalization, includes
arguments about what internationalization efforts
should be -gt internationalization policies at the
local and national level should mitigate many of
the negative effects associated with globalization
13Essential is that
- there is not one definition of internationalizatio
n that will serve all purposes, at every level of
higher education, everywhere. - Universities need to define what kind of
internationalization they want to have
14On Multiculturalism
- The same can be applied with multicultural or
intercultural issues there is not only one
definition that serves all purposes - multicultural is often used in relation to 1)
recognition of civil rights, 2) integration
adaptation of migrants, 3) multicultural /
intercultural communication - In intercultural cooperation CULTURAL SENSIBILITY
is essential
15Trends in the Changes of Knowledge
Changes of Knowledge Traditional Society Networked Knowledge Society
Locus of knowledge Local national institutions Global networks
Nature of knowledge Controlled /closed open
Mode of knowledge production universities Cooperative networks of universities others
Production of knowledge Individual academics Collective networks, peer production
Storage of knowledge Libraries archieves Internet
Access to knowledge Limited, controlled Free
Mode of knowledge transmission Teacher-centered, lecture rooms Student-centered, www-based learning
16Challenges for Universities
- have both local, national and global social
responsibilities - have tense networks (local, national, global)
- 3) be active contributors and defenders of free
and open access to knowledge - 4) create conditions and maintain infrastructure
for global communication - 5) educate citizens (rather than labour force)
17Challenges for Universities (2)
- 6) Educate students with competencies needed in
Knowledge Societies - 7) Change pedagogical thinking (towards
constructive cooperative learning) - 8) Recruit multicultural academic staff
- gt University should decide what kind of future
it wants to create for itself
18Thank You