Re-envisioning Higher Education's Public Mission

This book covers initiatives related to higher education's public mission such as university-community engagement, knowledge transfer, economic development, and social responsibility, using empirical and conceptual cases in the US, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. In order to develop a better understanding of public mission initiatives in higher education across the globe, the volume editors developed a theoretical framework emerging from organizational theory. Each chapter analysis uses both external environmental elements (political, economic, sociocultural, and technological), as well as internal institutional elements (mission, vision, leadership, and governance). Finally, each chapter highlights issues related to implementation and challenges with the intent of prompting readers to consider appropriate ways in which to adopt some of the lessons learned by the contributing authors.

Antigoni Papadimitriou is Associate Professor of Organizational Leadership in the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at Western Kentucky University, USA. She also holds a courtesy appointment at Johns Hopkins University, USA, to complete two internal grants focused on university-community engaged research and social change.

Marius Boboc is Professor of Education in the College of Education and Human Services and Provost for Academic Planning at Cleveland State University, USA.