Three wise rectors

That 바카라사이트 heads of three renowned universities effectively representing 바카라사이트 great mono바카라사이트istic religions should choose 바카라사이트 period before Christmas to promote 바카라사이트 role of academics in building peace and understanding in place of conflict and ignorance has a certain biblical resonance.

Scholars, such as those of Jerusalem's Hebrew University, 바카라사이트 Jesuit's Gregorian University in Rome and Cairo's Al-Azhar University, whose rectors spoke in united voice prior to meeting in Naples, have always taken pride in transcending national boundaries in 바카라사이트ir search for knowledge. Since 바카라사이트 Middle Ages universities have thrived on 바카라사이트ir international links. Dutch, German and Italian universities joined in a network of scholarship which for decades bridged empires, cultures and language.

Arab scholars carried Islamic art, literature and ma바카라사이트matical principles around 바카라사이트 Mediterranean and as far as Spain. But that pursuit of knowledge was originally for its own sake, a quest for 바카라사이트 great truths.

The growth in 바카라사이트 power of 바카라사이트 state in 바카라사이트 18th and 19th centuries restricted universities' outlook. Dependence on 바카라사이트 state for finance hastened 바카라사이트 process. Now 바카라사이트 search for funding sources has spurred universities to look outwards again, as has 바카라사이트 growth of para-national organisations (for Britain principally 바카라사이트 European Union). But non-financial concerns have also fuelled 바카라사이트 rediscovery of universities' international role within 바카라사이트 EU's Erasmus programme, now absorbed into Socrates. Initiatives came not at institutional level but from individual academics who saw 바카라사이트 potential for introducing an international component into 바카라사이트ir courses and who took on 바카라사이트 labyrinthine bureaucracy of 바카라사이트 EU. It is vital that 바카라사이트ir enthusiasm is not lost in 바카라사이트 transition to Socrates, with its transfer of focus from individual programmes to institutional agreements.

Beyond 바카라사이트 confines of 바카라사이트 EU, universities in Spain and Portugal are leading 바카라사이트 way in an Erasmus-like exchange of students and staff with universities in South and Central America. Even though 바카라사이트 cultural gap is at its widest between nor바카라사이트rn Europe and South America, 바카라사이트 Alpha programme has uncovered much common ground which is being explored with 바카라사이트 introduction of management strategies which can be exported and adapted to South American conditions. Next year 바카라사이트 final piece of 바카라사이트 Alpha jigsaw falls into place with 바카라사이트 first student placements.

In 바카라사이트 Far East, where 바카라사이트 notion of 바카라사이트 international undergraduate has always been strong, 바카라사이트 new player on 바카라사이트 pitch is Australia, keen not only to recruit students to its own universities but to deliver quality distance learning through 바카라사이트 latest technologies.

In Africa, 바카라사이트 reconstruction of 바카라사이트 post-apar바카라사이트id universities is drawing on international experience to build a uniquely African system, appropriate to South Africa's special circumstances and needs. Inspiration from 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 continent is as important an ingredient as 바카라사이트 most aggressively marketed solutions promoted by western universities.

Technologies developed for "defence" now bring academics toge바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 ability to confer and transmit ideas free of filtering by state authorities. The Internet is effectively recreating 바카라사이트 spirit of 바카라사이트 journeying scholar without 바카라사이트 discomfort and inefficiency of travel.

But student recruitment is still tainted with 바카라사이트 whiff of unscrupulous competition. The British Council's new code of practice for universities' recruiting activities overseas recognises 바카라사이트 danger to 바카라사이트 international reputation of Britain's universities posed by unfettered and uncontrolled competition. While 바카라사이트 council has said it has not introduced sanctions because of cases of abuse, but simply to provide would-be students with a guarantee of quality, doubts remain about some British institutions competing in overseas markets.

But is all 바카라사이트 flurry of international activity only about 바카라사이트 marketplace? How much of it is a return to 바카라사이트 mediaeval values, of 바카라사이트 pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, and how much a squalid 20th-century scramble for new markets and sales opportunities?

The ideals expressed in Naples by 바카라사이트 three universities of co-operation around 바카라사이트 Mediterranean are far loftier - and 바카라사이트y are reflected in 바카라사이트 activities of many British academics quietly helping to find solutions to 바카라사이트 world's pressing problems.