ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author explores the international aspect of universities and the increase in competition globally, both at the level of the nation state and the individual institution, as a setting for later discussion of global hubs and global league tables. The author suggest that global competition has increased interest in comparisons among national systems, particularly in those countries that do not show up well in international league tables, but also in those that do. A more conjectural conclusion moves beyond what some have termed a neo-liberal conception of globalisation and considers another possible future as radical changes take place in the availability of knowledge in the world. Some of the national systems that are least managed by government and that pay least attention to quality assurance are also the least well regarded. Globalisation requires universities to project a sense of prestige to anywhere in the world that the institution wishes to be influential.
