Emergence of Fourth Generation Technologies

Abstract

Access to higher education has expanded significantly in most countries over the last half century. Worldwide, the normally conservative higher education environment came under considerable pressure from society to change: to become more accountable, more efficient and effective, and more relevant and responsive, while providing greater and more equitable access. This broadening of access to higher education has occurred within the context of a growing global concern for social justice. Governments of all political persuasions found themselves under pressure not only to expand higher education, but also to make access more open and equitable. This global trend away from the perception of universities as elite institutions which perpetuate advantage, towards a more equitable higher education sector, was justified by economic development and human resource utilisation arguments, as well as those reflecting a desire for social justice.