Higher education facing the challenges of the information age

It is claimed that traditional higher education has become obsolete. It was justified as long as knowledge was concentrated in the hands of a few experts and in not-easily accessed libraries. However today, the three pillars of higher education - the production of new knowledge, teaching, and the preservation of knowledge - can easily be and more efficiently replaced by electronic means. One can learn whatever and wherever one wants. This can make the diffusion of knowledge far more affordable, more democratic, and less elitist. However, there are a number of social, psychological and societal factors that need to be taken into consideration, serving as counter-forces to the rush to provide electronic replacements to higher education. These factors cast strong doubts on the true value and efficacy of virtual higher education. The solution may lie neither in the wholesale abolishment of institutions of higher education nor in ignoring the opportunities afforded by novel information technologies, but rather in pursuing differentiation between virtual universities and regular ones such that each will excel in its own way. Similarly, we will have to think of differentiation within our institutions so that we come to harvest the new technological opportunities to improve existing higher education. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Hungary's pre-accession strategy to the European Union in education, training and research

The article presents an analysis of the expected impact of EU accession on the Hungarian education, training and academic research system with a number of recommendations for an integration policy in these sectors. The first part of the article develops four themes: (1) the current level of preparation of the country for accession in the education sector, (2) the possible longer term benefits of accession, (3) the shorter term costs and (4) the most important elements of a policy of integration. A distinction is made between material and cultural, and that of political cost and benefits, the stress being laid on the second. One of the conclusions of the author is that accession may open up a number of new opportunities for the development and modernisation of the country but that these can be exploited only if the country has a coherent sectorial strategy. Specific preparation actions are proposed in the areas of school education, higher education, vocational training and research policy. The article presents a list of the most important short term government measures and the needs for institutional development. It also makes a proposal for possible further themes of investigation and research. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Regulation in Comparative Perspective

Structural changes in the world economy pose challenging new problems for comparative policy analysis. One such problem is the harmonization of domestic policies and institutions, which the Uruguay Round of GATT negotiations has identified as a key principle of international economic relations. Harmonization may mean the creation of a single policy space out of a number of distinct jurisdictions. It can also mean the adoption of common policy goals or general principles that national governments can pursue by different strategies. Comparative analysis can help in choosing the type of harmonization most appropriate in a given context. This article analyzes the development of harmonization strategies in the European Community/European Union. The European experience shows that far-reaching economic integration can be achieved without suppressing cultural diversity and legitimate differences in national preferences.     

贫困地区推进城乡经济一体化的思考

我国80％的人口在农村，绝大部分贫困人口也在农村，贫困地区经济发展滞后是影响小康社会建设进程的重要因素。缩小城乡差别，加快推进城乡经济一体化是实现贫困地区又好又快发展的必然路径。贫困地区推进城乡经济一体化必须用现代化理念作支撑，必须用特色化目标作引领，必须用市场化的机制作保障，必须用法制化的进程作规范。     

英国二元化律师制度的近期发展与融合之争

英国实行独特的二元化律师制度,事务律师与出庭律师共同为社会提供法律服务,但二者在执业资格取得、出庭权、行业组织、晋升法官的机会等方面有着传统区分。自二十世纪六十年代末期以来,政府开始介入一直自律发展的律师业,制定和推行了一系列打破传统分界的立法与改革举措,由此引发了人们关于律师业是否应当融合以及最终能否融合的争议。或许是否融合只是表面现象,律师分立的传统行业规则带来的弊端才是促使政府推行改革的真正动力。     

整合与创新——国有企业改革30年理论发展的走势分析

三种不同理论流派在空间上的并存与相互之间不时发生的理论交锋,构成了当前国有企业改革的理论格局与态势.三种理论流派各执一端的激烈争执与交锋,在一定程度上牵制和制约了国有企业改革的前进步伐.超越派别之争,把三大理论流派的合理性和互补性加以有效的整合,可以使国有企业改革获得一种新的理论能源和动力,这对于国有企业改革摆脱目前发展的困境,推进社会主义和谐社会的建设无疑具有重大的现实意义.     

农村留守儿童教育问题的成因及出路分析

农村留守儿童教育问题是我国经济社会发展处于特定阶段而出现的历史性问题。它的存在有其历史必然性和相对长期性。留守儿童教育问题的根本解决有待于我国经济社会的进一步发展，尤其是我国城乡经济社会发展一体化新格局的实现。     

和谐社会构建过程中文化生态的整合

文化和谐是和谐社会构建过程中的一个重要组成部分，文化生态建设的提出要求我们从整体上着眼于各种文化具体形态之间的整合。文化生态系统中的三个具体文化形态，即主导文化、精英文化、大众文化，只有在经济整合以后才能克服各自存在的不足和缺陷，从而为和谐社会的构建提供有力的支撑。     

生态型农村小城镇构建的现实伦理困境及出路

农村小城镇建设因受传统城市化发展模式影响而陷入极为严重的生态伦理困境之中。出现这种生态伦理困境的主要原因是没能正确把握人与自然的关系。要克服这种弊端，整合农业文明和工业文明的积极成果，是生态型农村小城镇构建的唯一出路。     

发展中的东盟“中国观”：从威胁到机会？

本文旨在分析为何东盟国家曾经将中国视为威胁，如今却转变观念，将中国视为促进地区稳定和一体化的重要推动力。第一部分将阐述东盟国家对中国的官方立场的变化，即从“中国威胁论”向“中国机会论”的转变。在80年代，当中国的经济开放促进了其与南部周边国家之间的关系时，这种观念的转变尤为突出。第二部分认为，在欧美日经济发展呈现出保护主义趋势，并遭遇发展瓶颈的情况下，中国的发展为东盟国家的经济增长提供了新契机。同时，笔者着重分析了中国从地区的不稳定根源向地区安全保障者转化的原因。第三部分指出，尽管中国与东盟国家之间建立起了特殊关系，但中国无法排斥其他大国，尤其是日本与美国在该地区的影响力。