Critical Case Studies of Universities as NGOs: Clarifying Agendas and Evaluating Outcomes

• In Event: Universities as non-governmental organizations: Promises and challenges of United Nations NGO status

Abstract

As a competitive enterprise, universities develop global partnerships that further integrate the primary goals of teaching, research, and service. According to the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education in the Twenty-first Century, massification of education necessitates that higher education institutions further respond to a diverse and changing global environment in order to contribute to sustainable development through innovation and close partnerships amongst all stakeholders. Public surveys reveal that NGOs often enjoy a high degree of public trust, which can make them a useful - but not always sufficient - proxy for the concerns of society, suggesting that universities which act as NGOs are legitimized to a higher degree than those that do not. This paper provides an in-depth critical analysis of the activities of selected universities recognized as NGOs by the UN to investigate how universities enact their roles as NGOs. Furthermore, this study recognizes and investigates the competitive enterprise characteristics and massification consequences of higher education through partnerships with the UN. It presents the similarities and differences between these universities and their relationships with the UN, and reviews the challenges and promises of being a recognized university partner with UN NGO status. This paper’s significance to the panel is demonstrated by its examination of policies and practices implemented by universities as NGOs and the relationship between these actions and the role of higher education in the globalization of education.

Authors

• Angel Oi Yee Cheng, Lehigh University

• Christine Gravelle, Lehigh University