Since the early Eighties a number of themes have dominated the landscape of higher education, among them budget cuts, rationalisation in provision, accountability and quality control, closer links between higher education and the region, and a greater alertness to changes in economic and social policy. At the institutional level, the drive towards a greater degree of latitude and autonomy has found a ready echo among universities and other establishments of higher education. And this, in its turn, has posed major questions about the range of responsibilities central government and...

In the centre of the whole educational cosmos stands the pupil, the student. He or she has rights, sanctioned by a national and international judicial apparatus. The freedoms of parents, teachers and education establishments are functional in the service of the rights of the "user of education," as is the government's assignment. They hold a joint responsibility with regard to the right of a young person to be educated, and a fortiori of the school-age young person. The context in which education takes place is nevertheless undergoing major change. In recent times, schools have been...