ABSTRACT
The domination of free-market economies, predominance of supranational institutions, and the formation of a consumer culture across the globe, in addition to rising costs of public services in general and the evolution of the knowledge-based economy, have all contributed to dramatic changes in the character and function of higher education (HE) around the world (Ohmae 1990; Waters 2001; Sklair 1999; Burbules and Torres 2000; Mok and Welch 2003). Higher education systems in many countries have recently been going through significant restructuring processes to enhance their competitiveness and hierarchical positioning within their own countries and in the global education market, with governments attempting to transform their higher education systems to reflect an image of “world-class” universities (Deema et al. 2008).
