The purposes of this paper are twofold: a presentation of the theoretical basis of benchmarking and a discussion on practical benchmarking applications. Benchmarking is also analyzed as a productivity accelerator. The authors study benchmarking usage in the private and public sectors with due consideration of the specificities of the two areas.…

University-industry cooperation in East Germany takes a variety of forms: cooperation on scientific committees, industry-commissioned faculty research, joint university-industry research groups undertaking projects for industry, university-industry projects of significance for the national economy, joint applied research organizations, and…

This paper focuses on two theoretical frameworks of integration (neo-functionalism and liberal inter-governmentalism), exploring their implications for current trends of integration in European higher education: the marketization of and trade in educational services, the involvement of supranational institutions, and the focus on quality…

Current efforts and emphases in higher education in Byelorussia, aimed at improving the training of technological and scientific specialists, are discussed. Among the topics of current research are curriculum development, teaching methods and management, training for professionalism and communism, teaching aids, and economic management in higher…

Relationships between the higher education institutions of the USSR and Bulgaria and their respective academies of sciences with regard to the conduct of scientific research are discussed. Focus is on the need for contact and exchange between the two kinds of institutions. (MSE)

Twelve strategies for redirecting university research efforts to respond to present-day needs are outlined, as discussed in a conference session of European university administrators. (MSE)

The evolution, purposes, and administration of teaching-research-industry complexes in the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, established to improve the coordination of specialist training and industry productivity and technology, are described, and industry progress made in recent years as a result of these programs is outlined. (MSE)

The Romanian aproach to the concept of integrating education in general and higher technical education in particular with scientific research and production is outlined. It is illustrated with an engineering program of the Bucharest Polytechnic and its relationship with research and industry. (MSE)

A collection of nine papers related to international recognition of studies and degrees is presented. The papers are as follows: "Problems of Equivalence of Studies and Diplomas in Higher Education Systems" (Hanna Jablonska-Skinder); "Unveiling the Hidden Information in Credentials: A Proposal to Introduce a 'Supplement to Higher…

Characteristic of contemporary knowledge is its exponential growth. The era of generalists is over, and what is needed is scientific literacy and an orientation toward solving real, not academic, problems. University-industry cooperation offers excellent opportunities for the development and transfer of new knowledge. (MSE)

A cooperative program of the physics departments of Chulalongkorn University (Thailand) and the University of Ottawa (Canada) to develop a semiconductor physics research laboratory in Thailand is described, and issues in the program's design and implementation are discussed. (MSE)

University scientists and researchers in Europe or in Third and Fourth World countries are challenged to work on special problems of relevance to these countries, cooperating with their colleagues there and providing financial resources, training, and professional expertise. (MSE)

The relationships between industry and higher education in Switzerland, involving two federal polytechnics and financed directly by the government, are described, including characteristics and intensity of the relationships, training, consultation and other services, exchange agreements, and the issue of patents. The two specific polytechnic…

The role of the International Council of Scientific Unions is to establish links between organizations around the world for the development of science and technology education, particularly in developing countries. (MSE)

The evolution of the role of research and development units in Netherlands higher education in the last two decades is discussed in the context of its tasks, organization, and position in the university hierarchy; dissemination of research results; cooperation with other units and researchers; and the field of study. (MSE)