寻求高等教育的明智增长——美国高等教育结构的历史与趋势

Seeking Smart Growth in Higher Education:A Look at the Structure of US Higher Education,Past and Future

美国庞大的高等教育系统以高校类型和数目众多见长。超越单一的大学模式拓展高等教育是美国率先实现高等教育大众化的关键理念。本文论述了美国扩张高等教育系统的过程,系统当前的结构和特征,以及奥巴马政府的高等教育系统远景目标,突出美国高等教育的成就和挑战。与其它正处于人口增长期的国家别无二致,追求高等教育的"明智增长"对美国来说也是一项有难度的政策和一个困难的政治问题。这个问题在当前全球大范围经济衰退的背景下变得更加复杂。

One of the great strengths of America＇s vast higher education system is the variety and number of its colleges and universities.Extending higher education beyond the singular model of the university was a key concept that allowed the US to pioneer the idea of mass higher education.How did the US expand its higher education system,what is the current structure and character of that system？ What are the Obama administration＇s goals for the future of this system？ The following provides my attempt to briefly answer these questions and to capture a few of America＇s higher education triumphs and challenges.Like other nations with growing populations,intelligently expanding enrollment capacity,or what one might call pursuing a program of ＂smart growth,＂ is a difficult policy and political question-one made even more complicated by the current global economic downturn of epic proportions.