Transnational private authority in the sphere of education

Abstract

© Indiana University Maurer School of Law. It seems that an ever-shorter temporal rhythm is gaining ground with the end of the "short twentieth century,"1 challenging the modern temporal horizon. The emerging economy relies on a continuous stream of scientific and technical knowledge closely related to information technology and networks. The increasing compression of both time and space has major consequences for the governance of the economy and the setting of authoritative standards in this sphere. This paper explores the consequences for education and training and its governance, where continuing education has become crucial. It studies the setting of authoritative standards in the field of information and communication technology (ICT) training, which has become vital for the knowledge-based economy. I will show how the standardization of these trainings by way of third-party certifiers establishes a mode of private coordination between companies, sectors, and across national borders. A closer examination of competing claims to authority in this field provides interesting insights into the enabling conditions of this mode of coordination and also brings a geopolitical dimension to the fore.