In the knowledge economy, research-based innovation has become a critical concern to policymakers around the world. For various strategists, universities are envisioned as commercial incubators for a global market. Beyond their commercial potential, however, universities have also become cultural incubators for a global age. Many universities have begun to harness emerging technologies in support of experimental models of teaching and learning. It seems clear that digital networks offer a promising medium for enabling new global modes of education. Beyond their potential for commercial innovation, universities have the capacity to become global learning networks in support of a cosmopolitan society. Arguably, the distributed nature of peer-to-peer networks offers a material infrastructure in support of ¿democratic¿ models of education.

Daniel Araya is a PhD candidate in Educational Policy at the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign). His research explores subjects related to globalization and technology. He has worked with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (UIUC) and was recently selected for the 2009 Oxford Internet Institute¿s Summer Doctoral Programme.