This study examines the role of predatory competition, student expectations and unclear institutional purposes in shaping the main management challenges present in Brazilian universities. The study explores the experiences, perceptions and recommendations of 42 rectors and academic directors working in Brazilian universities regarding the future…

This paper contributes to discussions about the processes and implications of technology transfer through analysis of the work of technology transfer professionals. The analysis relies on interviews with technology transfer professionals in Israeli universities, coupled with theory from the domains of knowledge brokering, boundary work, and the…

Within-school marketing has a new twist, and teachers are at the center. Corporate firms, particularly those with education technology products, have contracted with teachers to become so-called brand ambassadors. A brand ambassador is an individual who receives some form of compensation or perk in exchange for the endorsement of a product. Unlike…

We examined the potential for institutional conflict of interest between the 26 private universities belonging to the Association of American Universities and the corporations to which they are tied through their boards of trustees. We were interested in the degree to which interlocks may have tightened over three points across an 11-year period…

Heightened commercialism on campus is pulling universities and their faculties away from higher education's core commitment to academic research, teaching, and the production of reliable public knowledge. Nearly a century ago, similar threats led to the birth of a new faculty organization--the American Association of University Professors…

This article presents an interview with Marion Nestle, the New York University food scientist and author of "Food Politics." Marion Nestle is Paulette Goddard Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University. From 1986 to 1988, she was senior nutrition policy adviser in the Department of Health and…

University-industry relationships can bring significant benefits to the university, the company and the individual researcher, but there is also the potential for risks to all parties. This paper presents the potential rewards and risks from university-industry relationships and the related opportunities for economic growth and job creation. The…

Refereed journals in science and medicine are the gatekeepers and repositories of knowledge in their respective fields. Research reported in peer-reviewed journals builds professional careers, determines which drugs and medical devices are licensed, influences what medical treatments become standards of care, and establishes the veracity of…

This article considers whether a threat is posed to academic independence in corporate universities by the United States Studies Centre (USSC) at the University of Sydney. The USSC rapidly worked its way into Australia's oldest university, building a unique governance structure in which a private business lobby vets senior academics and controls…

The distinctive role of the university in society is always fragile and always in jeopardy. At its core, that role is primarily extending and deepening human understanding through research, scholarship, and teaching. This report presents an analysis of the following 12 collaborations between Canadian Universities and corporations, donors, and…

This paper analyses the intensification of university-industry relationships and its impact on university research. The paper consists of recent follow-up research to an international comparative research project conducted in the 1990s. It deals specifically with the Quebec (Canada) situation. Twenty-eight in-depth interviews were conducted in the…

Issues of ethics and leadership are important, growing and intense in universities. Five examples are discussed, drawn from the personal experience of the author. These involve the selection of research, the collection and use of ethically sensitive materials, major relationships with industry and donors, access and admissions, and the content of…

Introduction: There is a serious debate over the involvement of the pharmaceutical industry in continuing education. Policies that govern the planning of continuing education for pharmacists center on the potential conflict of interest when there is commercial support for programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of…

Reports that many new technology companies are recruiting top academics to join their boards in an effort to gain credibility and capture the higher education market. Finds controversy between those who wish to influence the direction of those businesses in order to better serve college constituencies and those who see possibilities for conflicts…

Scientific researchers on campus increasingly worry that commercial sponsorship skews conclusions and restricts data sharing. Boards can help balance conflicting interests. This article discusses how boards of trustees and all leaders at universities and nonprofit research institutes can set the balance in accepting privately funded research…