The Influence of British and German Universities on the Historical Development of American Universities.

This monograph provides a historical review of British and German influences on the development of American universities. The paper traces the foundations of modern universities to medieval institutions, such as the universities of Paris and Bologna, to such institutions as Oxford and Cambridge, and to German universities, which were founded as state institutions with the right of self-government. It also examines the concept of American "Wanderjahre"; the influence of German scholarship on American social science; British and German influences on administrative titles and faculty rank; and the post-World War II university, which is described as an interesting mixture of old and new and having partial solutions to problems of another day. A concluding section examines policy issues of common concern to American, British, German, and other continental universities, including: public perceptions of higher education as a public resource that must be brought to bear on complex societal and cultural problems; international cooperation in a global economy based on technological innovation; innovative partnerships among research universities, industry and business, and government; leadership and management education and/or development in multinational, intercultural, technologically oriented societies; and institutional effectiveness in education and training, research and development, public service, and other university responsibilities. (Contains 33 references.) (SM)