问答题 For more than two centuries, America's colleges and universities have been the backbone of the country's progress. They have educated the technical, managerial and professional work force and provided generation after generation of national leaders. Their unparalleled capacity for research has put the United States at the cutting edge of science and of scholarship in the humanities and social sciences. Without this vast network of universities, the nation would never have achieved its current preeminence.
The decentralization, diversity, academic freedom and shared governance that have evolved over the past two centuries have made America's system of higher education one of the most accessible and democratic in the world. Today educators from around the globe are turning to U.S. institutions of higher learning for inspiration. They are apt to find many reasons for the excellence of American universities, including America's tradition of philanthropy, but four historic acts stand out as watersheds. They are education for the masses, competition for success, investing in the future and promoting diversity.
These four factors have helped foster the diversity, dynamism and competitiveness that make American higher education the best—and most democratic—in the world.