ABSTRACT
The National University of Mongolia, currently one of several institutions of higher education located in Mongolia, represents an interesting example of how one institution is developing and changing as part of a nation experiencing rapid and severe social and economic changes. This chapter examines the larger historical, social, and political context of Mongolia in general as well as the higher education sector in particular. In the last 8 years, the Mongolian government has instituted many changes that clearly and dramatically affect higher education. These changes range from the establishment of new laws and the modification and reorganization of the major ministerial agency responsible for education to the redefinition of responsibilities and authority for administering higher educational institutions. During this period, the National University, as a public institution, has been forced to respond rapidly to these changes and has not had the luxury of systematically planning and initiating new programs and activities.
