An Exploration of the Evolution of University Education and the Effects of Current Economic and Political Climates on Higher Education University education all over the world is undergoing significant change. According to Universities-UK (2012), most of the changes facing universities today are brought about by cultural, political, technological, and economic factors. Such factors affect how universities are structured, how they operate, how they are funded, and the expectations that both the learners and other stakeholders have on the universities (Altbach & Davis 1999; Universities-UK 2012). Previously, Universities in most parts of the world (including the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and China), enjoyed “high ranking on national, state and local societal agendas” (Goldstein & Qayoumi 2012, p.12). This is no longer the case. Goldstein and Qayoumi (2012) argue that governments’ focus is now divided among different priority sectors, which include K-12 education, social programs, health care, and security. The shifting government focus means that university education is no longer a top priority for most governments, especially in relation to funding and management. The evolution of university education is perhaps best captured by Davenport (2001, para.2), who notes “Governments are cutting funding. Well-trained faculty are becoming increasingly hard to find, and even harder to pay. The demand for university training is increasing, while the ability of universities to provide the educational requirements of the society is being eroded.” The foregoing quotation by Davenport (2001) could be interpreted to mean that universities are now, more than ever, facing difficult times. That is despite universities’ growing importance to the knowledge economy. Considering that universities are perceived as trendsetters in innovation and research, they have found ways through which they can overcome the different challenges they face. Consequently, universities have sought partnerships with government and non-government organizations in order to enhance their sustainability, knowledge development, and knowledge diffusion. In the past, university education was arguably seen as a platform for enhancing the public good. As Goldstein and Qayoumi (2012) note, however, higher education is today perceived as beneficial to individual learners only. The two authors further note that in the past, “it was enough to highlight the economic value of a college education or point out the discoveries growing out of a campus-based research” (Goldstein & Qayoumi 2012, p. 11). Notably, the aforementioned reasons no longer sway governments to support university education willingly. Among the reasons for hesitation by governments is the possibility that universities earn enough money from the fees charged to the students. Brennan and David (2010) note that in the past university attendance was the preserve of the wealthy few, who could afford the high cost of tuition. University attendance, hence, was proof of one’s social status. Today, however, the wealthy and the not-so-wealthy attend universities. According to Brennan and David (2010), the foregoing trend is deliberate since most govern