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Harvard University is an institution of higher learning in the United States

The University of Cambridge is an institution of higher learning in the United Kingdom

The University of Toronto is an institution of higher learning in Canada.

Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology. Higher education also includes certain collegiate-level institutions, such as vocational schools, trade schools, and career colleges, that award academic degrees or professional certifications.

The right of access to higher education is mentioned in a number of international human rights instruments. The UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966 declares, in Article 13, that "higher education shall be made equally accessible to all, on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education". In Europe, Article 2 of the First Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights, adopted in 1950, obligates all signatory parties to guarantee the right to education.

Overview[link]

Higher education is an educational level that follows the completion of a school providing a secondary education, such as a high school, secondary school, or gymnasium. Tertiary education is normally taken to include undergraduate and postgraduate education, as well as vocational education and training. Colleges, universities, and institutes of technology are the main institutions that provide tertiary education (sometimes known collectively as tertiary institutions). Examples of institutions that provide post-secondary education are vocational schools, community colleges, independent colleges (e.g. institutes of technology), and universities in the United States, the institutes of technical and further education in Australia, CEGEPs in Quebec, and the IEKs in Greece. They are sometimes known collectively as tertiary institutions. Completion of tertiary education generally results in the awarding of certificates, diplomas, or academic degrees.

Higher education includes teaching, research, exacting applied work (e.g. in medical schools and dental schools), and social services activities of universities. Within the realm of teaching, it includes both the undergraduate level, and beyond that, graduate-level (or postgraduate level). The latter level of education is often referred to as graduate school, especially in North America.

In the United Kingdom and certain other countries (e.g. Ireland), post-secondary school education below the level of higher education is referred to as "further education". "Higher Education" in the UK generally involves work towards a college-degree-level or foundation degree education.

NVQ at level 4 (graduate level) and NVQ at level 5 (post graduate) are deemed "Higher Education".^{[citation needed]}

In many developed countries, a high proportion of the population (up to 50%), now enter higher education at some time in their lives. Higher education is therefore very important to national economies, both as a significant industry in its own right and as a source of trained and educated personnel for the rest of the economy. College educated workers command a significant wage premium and are much less likely to become unemployed than less educated workers. ^{[1] [2]}.

There are two types of higher education in the U.K.: higher academic education, and higher vocational education. Higher education in the United States and Canada specifically refers to post-secondary institutions that offer Associate's degrees, Bachelor's degrees, Master's degrees, Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degrees or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees, or their equivalents, and also higher professional degrees in areas such as law, medicine, optometry, and dentistry.

Such institutions may also offer non-degree certificates, which indicate completion of a set of courses comprising some body of knowledge, but the granting of such certificates is not the primary purpose of the institutions. Tertiary education is not a term used in reference to post-secondary institutions in the United States or Canada.

Types[link]

General[link]

The general higher education and training that takes place in a university, college, or Institute of Technology usually includes significant theoretical and abstract elements, as well as applied aspects (although limited offerings of internships or SURF programs attempt to provide practical applications). In contrast, the vocational higher education and training that takes place at vocational universities and schools usually concentrates on practical applications, with very little theory.

In addition, professional-level education is always included within Higher Education, and usually in graduate schools, since many postgraduate academic disciplines are both vocationally, professionally, and theoretically/research oriented, such as in the law, medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. A basic requirement for entry into these graduate-level programs is almost always a bachelor's degree. Requirements for admission to such high-level graduate programs is extremely competitive, and admitted students are expected to perform well.

In the United States, there are large differences in wages and employment associated with different degrees. Medical doctors and lawyers are generally the highest paid workers, and have among the lowest unemployment rates. Among undergraduate fields of study, science, technology, engineering, math, and business generally offer the highest wages and best chances of employment, while education, communication, and liberal arts degrees generally offer lower wages and a lower likelihood of employment.^[1][3][4][5]

Liberal arts[link]

Academic areas that are included within the Liberal arts include:

• Environmental Science
• Great Books
• History
• Languages including English
• Linguistics
• Literature
• Mathematics
• Music
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Religious studies
• Science
• Sociology
• Theater

Performing arts[link]

The performing arts differ from the plastic arts or visual arts, insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face and presence as a medium; the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint, which can be molded or transformed to create a work of art.

Higher educational institutions include:

• Circus schools
• Dance school
• Drama school
• Music education
• Music school

Plastic or visual arts[link]

The plastic arts or visual arts are a class of art forms, that involve the use of materials, that can be moulded or modulated in some way, often in three dimensions. Examples are painting, sculpture, and drawing, etc.

Higher educational institutions in these arts are:

• Film schools
• List of art schools
• List of art schools in Europe
• List of international architecture schools

Vocational[link]

Higher vocational education and training takes place at the non-university tertiary level. Such education combines teaching of both practical skills and theoretical expertise. Higher education differs from other forms of post-secondary education such as that offered by institutions of vocational education, which are more colloquially known as trade schools. Higher vocational education might be contrasted with education in a usually broader scientific field, which might concentrate on theory and abstract conceptual knowledge.

Professional education[link]

• Graduate College of Architecture
• Graduate College of Business
• Graduate College of Journalism
• Graduate College of the Law
• Graduate College of Library Science
• Graduate College of Optometry
• Graduate College of Pharmacy
• Graduate College of Public Policy
• Human Medicine
• Professional Engineering
• Podiatric Medicine
• Professional certification
• Scientific Dentistry
• Veterinary Medicine

Recognition of studies[link]

The Lisbon Recognition Convention stipulates that degrees and periods of study must be recognised in all Signatory Parties of the Convention.

As employers[link]

Universities may employ a number of people. Depending on the funding, a university typically hires one teacher per 3-20 students. According to the ideal of research-university, the university teaching staff is actively involved in the research of the institution. In addition, the university usually also has dedicated research staff and a considerable support staff. Typically to work in higher education as a member of the academic faculty, a candidate must first obtain a doctorate in an academic field, although some lower teaching positions require only a master's degree.^{[citation needed]}

Most of the administrative staff works in different administrative sections, such as Student Affairs.^{[citation needed]} In addition, there may be central support units, such as a university library which have a dedicated staff.^{[citation needed]}

The professional field involving the collection, analysis, and reporting of higher education data is called institutional research. Professionals in this field can be found, in addition to universities, in e.g. state educational departments.^{[citation needed]}

See also[link]

	Education portal
	University portal

• Governance in higher education
• Higher education accreditation
• Higher education bubble
• Higher education policy
• Higher Education Price Index
• League of European Research Universities
• List of schools in United States territories associated with US military
• Technical and Further Education (TAFE)

Notes[link]

References[link]

Higher education in the United States

• Bakvis, Herman and David M. Cameron (2000), "Post-secondary education and the SUFA". IRPP.
• Commission Reports: A National Dialogue: The Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education, United States Department of Education, 2006. [1]
• Davies, Antony and Thomas W. Cline (2005). The ROI on the MBA, BizEd.
• Douglass, John A. and Todd Greenspan, eds. "The History of the California Master Plan for Higher Education."
• El-Khawas, E. (1996). Campus trends. Washington, DC.: American Council on Education.
• Ewell, P.T. (1999). Assessment of higher education and quality: Promise and politics. In S.J. Messick (Ed.), Assessment in higher education: Issues of access, quality, student development, and public policy. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
• Finn, C. E. (1988, Jul.-Aug.). Judgment time for higher education: In the court of public opinion. Change, 20(4), 34-39.
• Forest, James and Kevin Kinser (2002). Higher Education in the United States: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO.
• Green, Madeleine, F., ed. 1988. Leaders for a New Era: Strategies for Higher Education. New York: Macmillan.
• Snyder, Benson R. (1970). The Hidden Curriculum. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
• Spellings, Margaret, "A Test of Leadership: Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education", A Report of the Commission Appointed by Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, September 2006. (highlights of report)
• Veblen, Thorstein (1918). The Higher Learning in America: A Memorandum on the Conduct of Universities by Businessmen. New York: Huebsch

External links[link]

	Book: Education
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

Look up higher education in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Association for the Study of Higher Education
• Center for Higher Education Policy Studies
• World Bank Tertiary Education
• college.gov - U.S. Department of Education
• Accrediting Counsel for Independent Colleges and Schools
• "College, Inc.", PBS FRONTLINE documentary, May 4, 2010

Eric David Fingerhut is an American politician of the Ohio Democratic party. Fingerhut was appointed Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents on March 14, 2007 by Governor Ted Strickland.^[1] This position makes him a member of the Ohio Governor's Cabinet.^[2] On February 22, 2011, he submitted his resignation to the Governor of Ohio John Kasich, effective March 14, 2011, at the end of four years since he started as Chancellor and a year before the end of his five-year term.^{[citation needed]}

Fingerhut earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University in 1981 and a law degree from Stanford University in 1984. He practiced law at Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP in Cleveland until becoming associate director of Cleveland Works, where he served in from 1987 to 1989. Fingerhut served as the campaign manager for then candidate for Cleveland Mayor Michael R. White and then became the director of his transition team.

Fingerhut served as an Ohio state senator from 1991 to 1993. In 1992, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 19th congressional district and began serving in 1993 (103rd Congress). In his re-election bid in 1994, however, Fingerhut was defeated by Lake County Prosecutor Steve LaTourette. After his defeat in Congress, Fingerhut easily won a seat again in the Ohio Senate, representing district 25. He served two full terms from 1999 through 2007, retiring due to term limits.

In 2004, as the Democratic nominee selected to try to unseat incumbent U.S. Senator George Voinovich, although his candidacy was overshadowed by speculation that TV show host and one time mayor of Cincinnati Jerry Springer might enter the race. Fingerhut went on to lose to Voinovich on November 2, 2004, garnering less than 40 percent of the vote. Fingerhut was particularly hampered by the fact that Voinovich is himself from Cleveland, where he had once been Mayor, significantly cutting into Fingerhut's base in normally Democratic northeastern Ohio.

In January 2006, Fingerhut announced his candidacy for governor of Ohio, joining U.S. Representative Ted Strickland who was also seeking the post. On February 14, 2006 Fingerhut dropped out of the race, citing his inability to raise the funds and support from the same sources that Congressman Ted Strickland's running mate Lee Fisher derived.

Fingerhut, who also worked as a consultant for the Cleveland Federation of Community Planning while in the Ohio Senate, served as the head of the Entrepreneurship program on the Business Administration faculty of Baldwin-Wallace College before his appointment as State Chancellor of Higher Education in the Cabinet of Ohio Governor Ted Strickland.

In April 2011, Strickland reportedly leaked Fingerhut's name as a candidate for the presidency of the University of Kentucky.^[3] Eli Capilouto was ultimately chosen for the vacancy.

See also[link]

• Election Results, U.S. Representative from Ohio, 19th District
• Election Results, U.S. Senator from Ohio
• List of United States Representatives from Ohio

External links[link]

• Fingerhut biography from Ohio Board of Regents website
• Works by or about Eric Fingerhut in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
• Eric Fingerhut at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

References[link]