From the Editor - International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives - Volume 9, Number 1, 2008

In present-day terms, higher education is far different than in its past. Broadly speaking, universities in the 21st Century are under increasing Pressure to meet certain protocols, most of which are financial, and to recast their respective degrees and research to be more in keeping with industry standards. Other institutions of higher education are also under such pressure, but with the added challenge of differentiating themselves from their university counterparts and meeting specific needs. Both types help improve the economic well-being of the nation-state through the formal education and training of skilled workers but, because of generous donations from the 'public purse', they are often held up to scrutiny with regard to quality issues in teaching and research. In general, all are differentiated from their past to the degree that educational goals, loyalties, and degree attainment have changed over time. The pace of change at all levels of higher education from around the world is extraordinary, but caution must be considered if national assessment practices are to have a certain validity.