The universities and the global democratisation of nations

The third focus area takes a historical and global approach to the previous two, paying particular attention to the processes by which democratic rule is achieved and how it is sustained. From a global perspective, important breakthroughs for democracy have often begun at universities and indeed success in democratisation seems to presuppose independent universities. From their emphasis on the increasing importance of research into the conditions for social transformation to the role played by student protest movements in calling attention to defects in the organisation of society, universities play a key role. For a systematic understanding of these processes, it is important to deepen the analysis of how higher education is organised at both a national and international level, and this includes careful study of the relationship between universities and other social institutions and key professions, such as journalism and independent research.