Stepford Universities? Differentiation in the New Higher Education Landscape

About
What should the role of universities and colleges be? Do they have an obligation to Canadians? Are research universities failing undergraduate students?
Higher Education Strategy Associates (HESA) is pleased to announce a new conference in its line-up of events for this year. Stepford Universities? Differentiation in the New Higher Education Landscape will take place September 28-29 in Toronto.
Conference Themes
1. The many missions of higher education. This theme invites participants to showcase different higher education models and to explore diverging institutional missions. It asks when and where narrowly focussed missions can succeed, and looks at case studies for a variety of different types.
2. The role of incentives and quality assurance mechanisms. University financing and accreditation structures restrain growth in some areas while promoting development in others. These complex incentive structures have helped to create the current landscape of universities and colleges across Canada. How can institutions differentiate and thrive under these restraints? Are changes needed? If so, how should the policy environment be changed to offer a more appropriate system of incentives?
3. Image and Promotion. Institutions depend heavily on their reputation to draw students and funding. Reputation is increasingly linked to factors that often seem outside of the institution's control, such as league tables, media reactions, and public sentiments. This session looks at how inter-institution and international competitions for prestige have affected institutional mission, takes a close look at relationships between media and institutions, and looks to professionals, academics, and marketing experts for guidelines on navigating these issues.
4. Time and Place. Institutions and governments often flirt with the possibility of offering baccalaureate degrees at colleges, and offering intensive programs at a reduced length. Do these possibilities offer an effective means of increasing degree offerings and diversifying the sector, or are the risks to quality and competitiveness too great? Are there other options that need to be considered?