A system approach to tertiary education institutions: towards knowledge networks and enhanced societal trust

This paper argues that strengthening the knowledge dimension and external societal links (i.e. ‘system linkages’) are critical in making the institutional changes required for tertiary education institutions (TEIs) to meet the needs of global competition and the knowledge economy. In public policy terms, by focusing governmental and political actions on the growing appropriation of scientific and technological culture by society and on the external dimension of knowledge institutions, we require TEIs to strengthen their capacity to make the critical internal changes for modernizing their systems of teaching and research within a path of diversity and specialization, without compromising quality. Furthermore, by strengthening their institutional integrity together with enhancing their external links with society, TEIs are asked to carefully improve their relationships with economic, social and political actors, thereby creating ‘new’ reinforced institutions that have gained societal trust. And this must be achieved in a way that will promote new leaderships for our institutions. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.