Conclusion

Abstract

There are many changing dynamics of societies, and consequently, education systems around the globe. As societies increase in international awareness and gain a global perspective, it is possible to trace the landscapes and flows of various trends and policies in higher education. Individual institutions and regions are adopting a particular set of assumptions, which are indications of how conceptions of prestige and legitimacy are internalized. The most persistent and discussed example of a trend and flow in higher education is the response to international rankings. Elite institutions have created a set of criteria that have been adopted as the most universal definition of being world- class, and ranking models have followed suite and formalized the criteria, causing a critical mass of institutions to chase publications, prizes, and other initiatives to climb the rankings. While the critical mass engages in similar behavior, the rankings have generally stayed the same as most institutions are doing the same thing (for a full discussion of this trend, see Altbach and Slami 2011, Salmi 2009, and Altbach 2004). Another example of a flow in higher education is the world-wide spread of quality assurance practices, agreements, and agencies.