A study of 14 British universities that underwent severe retrenchment in 1981-1984 is reported, and successful policies, procedures, philosophies, and techniques that may be applicable to institutions in many countries are outlined. (MSE)

Since 1977, Canada's federal transfers to the provinces for financing postsecondary education have increased according to the growth rate of nominal gross national product rather than to operating costs, implying that the block funding arrangements have slowed the growth of federal contributions. (MSE)

The changes occurring in historiography in recent decades and their effects on the present state of writing about Canadian higher education are outlined and discussed. The kinds of questions needing to be asked and some assumptions that need to be analyzed are examined. (MSE)

The results of a survey concerning the learning experiences of 740 university and community college adult students in western Manitoba are analyzed in terms of adult learning theory, and the importance of intellectual maturity as a guiding principle in organizing learning experiences is examined. (MSE)

The knowledge era demands that students and faculty analyze and organize information, which requires intellectual skills rooted in critical thinking, problem solving, formal operations, creative, and more recent metacognitive and cognitive concepts. These skills seem to have operations in common, including description, selection, representation,…

The results of a study of the need for humanities in the curricula of one- and two-year technical/vocational programs in the 10 public colleges and two technical institutes in Alberta are summarized, focusing on curriculum implications and the need to relate humanities instruction to student needs and interests. (MSE)

Assessment of private funding for university research reveals much ambiguity concerning the public or private status of Crown corporation funding. Quebec data show the drop in corporate funding is due to decreased public and parapublic assistance and that university-industry ties are closely related to institutional language (French or English).…

Data on male and female senior science undergraduates in nine Canadian universities show substantial gender discrepancies in defection rates and career aspirations, father's occupation as a distinguishing background variable between males and females, and greater likelihood of top women achievers defecting from science than average women…

A study of Canadian community college goals as perceived by their chief executive officers and the provincial personnel responsible for college development shows continued emphasis on early development goals and goals reflecting provincial differences in priorities. In general, the results show diversity in community college role and contribution.…

An approach to staging examinations that uses dramaturgical techniques to achieve fairness and prevent cheating has also been found to communicate important messages about the values of individualism and universalism and emphasize reward on the basis of equal competition. (MSE)

An amendment to the Canada Assistance Plan, a national-provincial cost-sharing arrangement, is suggested. The adjustment would ensure that citizens in all provinces have access to comparable services and bear comparable tax burdens by allowing greater fiscal transfers to provinces with greater need and/or smaller tax bases. (Author/MSE)

Comparison of Canadian and United States school attendance patterns beyond age 17 reveals a lower rate of secondary school completion in Canada, and little indication of any trend in postsecondary or graduate study in either country. Analysis shows social factors not to be important in the high Canadian dropout rate. (MSE)

A survey of full-time undergraduates at Laurentian University (Ontario) measured student perceptions of the benefits of a university education. Six diverse student categories were identified based on the reasons for pursuing an education: self-improvement, social pressure, learning, self-development, career, and continued study of a favorite…

A survey of first-year students in an association-sponsored management program found students were drawn to the program by business or personal contacts, program reputation, course practicality, and program length. They ranked the program as just below a university management degree and somewhat higher than a non-management degree. (Author/MSE)

Policies in Chinese education, especially higher education, have undergone major shifts since 1949 in response to general swings in Chinese policy, ideological debates, and leaders. The shifts have been between education as a party device to sustain revolutionary values and education as a government instrument to promote modernization. (MSE)