ABSTRACT
As discussed earlier in this book, universities are changing because their world is changing, and perceptions of their functions, role and utility change with it (Duke, 2002:7). Specifically, industry is increasingly demanding professionals with more flexible and assured skills in communication, problem analysis and problem solving, planning and networking, and life-long learning (Kakabadse and Korac-Kakabadse, 2000). Thus, it is perceived by society in general that graduates are not being empowered with all the skills required to be competitive in their professional careers. Consequently, as HE institutions try to meet both old and new expectations from all quarters, the role and activities of universities become more complex (Duke, 2002:26). The function of HE is therefore becoming much wider and a great deal more complicated, encompassing not only the transference of subjectspecific knowledge, but also the promotion of the capability of applying those skills in the context of specific fields or industry sectors (Nunes et al., 2000a).
