“…This was linked to the central role these institutions played in the development of the modern State and society, through the accomplishment of several structuring roles, including the creation and transmission of a universal knowledge; the articulation between research and teaching; a view of students essentially as learners and institutional partners; and the contribution to cultural, social and, even, economic development of societies (Barnett, 1990(Barnett, , 2003Wittrock, 1996). There was also a relatively widespread political and social belief that the accomplishment of these roles would be better preserved through institutional autonomy, meaning the safeguard of University purposes and functioning from the pressures and interests of the State, religion, society, and the market (Barnett, 1990(Barnett, , 2003Derrida, 2003;Reed, 2002;Wilson, 1992;Wittrock, 1996). But, paradoxically, the apparent stability and social and cultural relevance of universities were made possible, at least in the majority of developed countries, by a strategy of detailed and direct control and regulation of the State over higher education (Barnett, 1990;Neave, 1988).…”