The University: a view from "outside" future-oriented

In the first point of this work some evidences are provided about facts as the expansion of HE systems, the raising study cost, the internationalization or the work conditions of faculty. The higher education enterprise has changed, but the traditional tenure model has stayed the same. In the second point it is assumed that some sectors of higher education probably will change fundamentally. New models of university: the elite university -'world class-university'-, the mass university, the niche university, the local university, the lifelong learning mechanism, or the flagship university are some of the new approaches. However, one sector of higher education is unlikely to be dramatically altered -the research universities. These institutions have the power of tradition, and they are quite good at what they accomplish. But, if the leading universities need to think strategically to stay ahead of the research activity, more modest universities (whose research output is similarly modest) have serious questions to ask. Also, the mergers appear to be at a crossroads and in Europe the french mergers are an outstanding experience. The report, 'University Mergers in Europe', maps and analyses the growing phenomenon of university merger and concentration processes in 20 higher education systems. Finally, some evidences are provided about the characteristics of Spanish university system, and also some interesting questions are pointed out about the future challenges.