The Global Future of Higher Education and the Academic Profession: The BRICs and the United States

The Global Future of Higher Education and the Academic Profession: The BRICs and the United States
Editors: Philip G. Altbach, Liz Reisberg, Maria Yudkevich, Gregory Androushchak, Yaroslav Kuzminov
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Publication Year: 2013
 

About this Book
The Global Future of Higher Education and the Academic Profession provides a comparative overview of higher education systems in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and the United States, with a particular focus on the professoriate—the core of academic institutions. The volume explores the contextual and structural factors shaping higher education in these countries, including faculty working conditions, compensation, employment structures, research capacity, and professional development.

The book highlights the challenges BRIC countries face in becoming “academic superpowers.” Common issues include underpayment of faculty, brain drain, corruption, outdated organizational practices, and rigid hierarchies that limit mobility and innovation. In Brazil, faculty in public universities enjoy tenure and benefits, but many part-time instructors in private institutions face economic insecurity. Russia experiences chronic underfunding, research provincialism, and corruption, creating systemic vulnerabilities. India and China face both challenges and opportunities, with China beginning to see a return of foreign-trained PhD holders, signaling potential for “brain circulation.”

The U.S. academic system is also examined, providing a point of comparison to highlight differences in professional status, governance, and academic culture. While the book’s analysis is generally descriptive, it draws attention to pressing issues affecting the global professoriate, making it valuable for policymakers, administrators, and scholars interested in comparative higher education and international academic trends.

Contents

The Prospects for the BRICs: The New Academic Superpowers? – Philip G. Altbach

Higher Education, the Academic Profession, and Economic Development in Brazil – Simon Schwartzman

Changing Realities: Russian Higher Education and the Academic Profession – Gregory Androushchak, Yaroslav Kuzminov, Maria Yudkevich

India: Streamlining the Academic Profession for a Knowledge Economy – N. Jayaram

The Chinese Academic Profession: New Realities – Wanhua Ma, Jianbo Wen

The Changing American Academic Profession – Martin J. Finkelstein, Kevin W. Iglesias