Article in liber quarterly · October 004 doi: 10. 18352/lq. 7780 · Source: oai citations 45 reads 6,104 authors: Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects

 
new approach to education.
 
Several reports have pointed to the ‘new 
learning reality’ and the need for ‘rethinking the whole learning enterprise’ if countries 
were to succeed in the global knowledge-based society. Therefore, along with all other 
sectors of society, education is undergoing major transformation, rationalization, 
restructure and redefinition (Inglis et al, 2002) to respond to many socio-economic 
developments and educational needs of the modern society. Several observers have 
pointed out that during the last decade, technology, globalisation, and competition have 
caused the ground to shift under higher education worldwide, defying national borders 
and calling into question honoured traditions, scared myths, and previously unquestioned 
assumptions (Green, Eckel & Barblan, 2002: 7; Virkus & Wood, 2004a).
As an integral part of the campus, the academic library will be profoundly affected by 
changes in the academy itself. Thus it is important that the library, while implementing 
and managing internal change, continues to look outward at the university as a whole 
(CETUS, 1997: 3). Changes in higher education, the new student-centred paradigm and 
new learning and teaching approaches have also created a need for a reconceptualisation 
of the roles and responsibilities of librarians. The authors of this paper examine current 
trends and developments in higher education (HE) and the responses of HE institutions 
and libraries to these changes. 

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SIRJE VIRKUS AND SILVI METSAR 
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TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION 
It is acknowledged that universities all over the world face an imperative to adapt and 
adjust to a whole series of profound changes that fall into six major categories: the 
increased demand for HE in a lifelong learning context, the internationalisation of 
education and research, the need to develop co-operation between universities and 
industry, the proliferation of places where knowledge is produced, the reorganisation of 
knowledge, and the emergence of new expectations (European Commission, 2003, 
Virkus and Wood, 2004a). 
Changes in HE are so profound that several observers refer to a paradigm shift. Kathy 
Tiano has characterised the old and new paradigms of HE as follows: 
Figure 1. Paradigms of HE (after Kathy Tiano, cited in Inglis et al, 2002: 22) 
Old Paradigm for HE 
New Paradigm for HE 
Take what you can get 
Courses on demand 
Academic calendar 
Year-round operations 
University as a city
University as idea
Terminal degree
Lifelong learning 
University as ivory tower 
University as partner in society
Student = 18- to 25-year-old
Cradle to grave 
Books are primary medium
Information on demand 
Tenure
Market value 
Single product 
Information reuse/info exhaust 
Student as a ‘pain’ 
Student as a customer 
Delivery in classroom 
Delivery anywhere 
Multi-cultural 
Global
Bricks and mortar 
Bits and bytes 
Single discipline 
Multi-discipline 
Institution-centric 
Market-centric 
Government funded
Market funded
Technology as an expense 
Technology as differentiator 
Changes and challenges in European HE refer to what is commonly known as the 
Bologna Process (UNESCO, 2003). The creation of a Europe of knowledge has been a 
prime objective for the European Union (EU) since the Lisbon European Council of 
March 2000. The universities have a particularly important role in the Lisbon agenda. 
This is because of their twofold traditional vocation of research and teaching. They are 

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General Introduction to the Role of the Library for University Education 
 
 
 
292
also significant players because of their increasing role in the complex process of 
innovation, along with their other contributions to economic competitiveness and social 
cohesion, e.g. their role in the life of the community and in regional development 
(European Commission, 2003; Virkus and Wood, 2004a).
The main trends and developments that have influenced and are going to have a major 
role in the future of HE in Europe are the following (UNESCO, 2003: 28-29; Virkus & 
Wood, 2004a): 
•
the growing demand for HE institutions to assert themselves - through teaching, 
learning, and research - as knowledge providers and learning organizations;
•
the strong impact of ICT on the organization of studies and curricula and the 
modes of study programme delivery; the wide diversification of HE providers;
•
the emerging markets of HE at national, regional, and global levels;
•
the increasing concern with academic quality assurance in HE and the need to 
establish a new pan-European framework for quality assurance, accreditation, 
and recognition of qualifications;
•
the need to develop a European qualifications framework focused on common 
references such as the sequencing of study cycles with specific descriptors of 
the profiles of degrees, introduction of ECTS, and Diploma Supplement;
•
the need for governments to provide the most appropriate incentives for 
encouraging HE institutions to be innovative and entrepreneurial in conditions 
where the public financial support of governments to HE is diminishing;
•
the need to reduce the gap between the level of development of HE in the 
developed countries and those from certain transition countries;
•
the demand for programmes of lifelong learning, etc.
In this context, the quest for successful management of change in educational 
environments has become a focus of activity for many educationalists, educational 
managers and researchers. They are looking for the best way to manage change, which, 
for the most part emerges as a series of steps or ‘recipes’ to be followed to create an 
efficient, effective, successful educational setting. Robinson notes: “Though research has 
produced deeper understanding of the processes, productive educational change appears 
to proceed on an unsteady course, veering between over-control and chaos and no simple 
template or checklist can hope to predict and resolve the complex interactive processes 
involved in this type of change process” (Robinson, 2001: 16). Fullan (1993) describes it 
as “fraught with unknowns” and emphasis problem solving as an integral part of the 
change process. However, the fundamental assumption is that changes facing education 

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are so profound that traditional approaches may no longer be appropriate and radical 
alternatives have to be considered (Virkus, 2003a).
To respond to these changes many HE institutions have had to rethink their environment 
in the light of new technologies and have increased the use of educational technology. 
Increasing numbers of instructors are experimenting with student-centred learning 
approaches and basing their teaching on constructivist models of learning. There has 
been an attempt to improve and innovate traditional HE as well as to provide new and 
alternative learning opportunities. In particular, on-line education and electronic learning 
environments are perceived as innovations that offer the potential to promote flexible 
lifelong learning. Many educational institutions also open their doors to non-traditional 
learners, design new programs and courses and experiment with collaborative learning 
and teaching supported by ITC. However, change in education is a long process. 
According to an
 
international comparative survey on the current and future use of ICT in 
HE in the USA, Australia and Europe, the traditional lecture has still remained the ‘core 
medium’ for many HE institutions with ICT serving as a complement to already existing 
instructional tools (Collis & Van der Wende, 2002; Virkus & Wood, 2004a).