نشریه سیاست نامه علم و فناوری
سال چهارم شماره 4 (پیاپی 9، زمستان 1393)

Investigating the emersion and evolutionary trends of universities as a modern unit in the whole world for two centuries and comparing it with infrastructures of universities’ emersion and development in country clarifies the fundamental differences which can be attributed to different insights and attitudes from university in comparison to the world. This perception has resulted in a variety of differences and excessive weakness in the field of academic research. Thence, the research accomplished by universities is away from the real world requirements. So, some suggestions are provided for evolution.

In this study the educational and research mission of a university is investigated considering different outlooks toward universities’ mission during its emersion and development. Thence, Humboldtian model of higher education, research-based university model, and a third approach which emphasizes on service delivery of universities are first explained. Secondly, the relationship between education and research is explained and strengths and existing damages are investigated both in general and in terms of some models.

Universities financing is one of the important challenges of higher education systems. Dual financing encourages university administrators to simultaneously maintain and promote statements declaring universities academic level along with increasing wealth creation. This is accomplished by investigating financing methods by world top universities (who has succeeded in these contexts), and decreasing trend of independence to governments or intended use of it along with wealth creation from other financing resources. This study aims to recognize financing models and their integration in top universities. Having investigated the case studies, a classification and financing systems reckon is obtained and applied lessons are extracted to be used by academic authorities.

Japan had cut its ties with the whole world in early 17th century until it inevitably started its relationships in 1845. Afterwards, it moved through modernization with an incredible pace which affected all aspects of Japanese life. Going through this procedure, technology development can be referred as the main fundamental of this accelerated progress which can be analyzed from different points of view. Some believe that technology development of Japan is influenced by the novel political system governing Japan in Meiji era. Others ascribe it to the novel economical procedures in Japan. However, the relationship between social values and structures with technology development based on votes and Feinberg’s attitudes are considered in this study. Therefore, Japan technology development is explained by defining critical theory on technology in this paper. Next, lessons are extracted for technology adoption and development in Iran considering technology development models in Japan.

International ranking of universities was ignited in 2003 by the start of Shanghai Ranking (ARWU). In facing with the diversity of criteria and methodologies of rankings, different stakeholders including higher education authorities need to have a valid interpretation of rankings’ results and limitations. The pillars studied for the seven selected rankings were: if a ranking’s mission is commercial or not, and if educational or research-oriented; if the target population is all universities or just top ones, or just research universities, and to what extent; if the criteria cover all five missions of an exemplar university, i.e. education, research, industry relations, internal and international scientific collaboration, and international students and faculty; if the data used are of bibliometric type (ISI or Scopus databases or else), of survey type, self-reported, or other secondary sources; are rises and falls due to methodologic changes separable from a university performance changes in a trend analysis; the format of results presentation; and availability and openness of final results, raw data and methodology including normalization details. Answering the aforementioned questions helps to reach more integrated picture of universities by understanding limitations and distinct features of each ranking.

Nowadays, cultural industries policy making is turned to be one of the most important fields considered by governments. Rapid growing rate of creative and cultural industries production and consumption along with variable innovations of these contexts especially in social networks technologies, computer-based games, fashion and design have multiplied the importance of these industries. However, considering cultural, economic, and social conditions of each country or region, different policies has been made and there is even a difference among the implications and attitudes. In this study, a review on key concepts and implications of this field in the realm of cultural technology, goods and services, and creative and cultural industries has been executed. Also, cultural policy making procedures are indicated in Britain and Australia which can provide lessons for country’s cultural policies.