In times of rapid international political and economic change the great universities of Europe and North America are being transformed. Public expectations about access to higher education, government concerns about the role that universities can play in innovation and economic development, and the application of the principals of market economics to the university systems of all countries have created a new context for higher education. Universities whose governance and organization have been among the most stable and predictable in modern society are experiencing unprecedented pressure for change. Social demands in Europe are leading for the first time in history to a corporate form of university, similar in structure to American institutions.
American universities are confronted with new levels of national and international competition as well as new government policies.

The papers of this volume are the outcome of the remarkable process of discussions which took place during the 1995 international symposium on the future role of the university held in Vienna, Austria. The papers have been thoughtfully revised to reflect the insights and contributions of the participants at the symposium and the editors have provided a synthesizing introduction and conclusion. The respective chapters are rich in scholarly insight regarding the complex intersection between public policy and university organization.

Higher education institutions are now operating in a rapidly changing environment, as economic, societal and technological developments such as cost containment and lifelong learning force them to adopt flexible structures that can adapt quickly to market demands. Adaptive University Structures examines the level of adaptability in universities in Europe and the United States, drawing out the lessons learnt for policy makers and managers to develop such structures, and help their institutions survive and embrace change. The author draws on three studies of universities which are identified as comparatively adaptive and innovative- New York University, University of Michigan, and the University of California at Berkeley- and in contrast three European institutions which are trying to improve their adaptive capacity- Universita Bocconi, Universitat St. Gallen and Wirtschafts universitat Wien.

The book presents an overview of difference disciplines within the universities and their views on adaptation. It examines the importance of an institution's environment and its dynamics for adaptive capacity, and concludes that an ideal academic organization is open to change, with collegial governance structures that provide faculty support for adaptation. The author highlights in particular the role of institutional leaders in encouraging adaptation and a professional management and entrepreneurial spirit. The book concludes with an overview of different adaptation theories, and proposes a new theory to help university management to understand their institutional adaptive capacity better and develop strategies for the future.