Higher education

Across much of the developed world, universities have grown so quickly and on such a scale that roughly half of all people, or more, are expected to study at a university at some point in their lives. Higher education institutions now operate as large enterprises, and governments treat them as engines of economic growth. Their influence also extends beyond national borders through research, the sharing of knowledge, and teaching delivered away from their home campuses.

To help readers navigate a body of scholarship that keeps expanding, this five-volume collection, edited by Malcolm Tight, gathers foundational and recent work on the subject for Routledge's Major Themes in Education series. The material is arranged into eight parts: teaching and learning, course design, the student experience, system policy, institutional management, quality, academic work, and knowledge and research. The collection also examines the methods and theories used to study higher education. Fresh introductions by the editor, both to the whole set and to each part, situate the selected texts within their historical and intellectual settings.

The work is intended for specialists in higher education and related fields, as well as for policy-makers and education professionals who need a comprehensive research resource in one place.