In the US it's ok for the private sector to fund universities, very different story in Europe...
Why the United States has the best research universities
31–40 of 262 posts
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've noticed EU CS grads are on average much stronger scientifically than US ones. With notable exceptions, the typical US undergraduate curriculum is more of a trade school. That’s fine of course, but definitely not the skillset needed for novel research or even properly applying recent research. Edit: Apparently I’ve struck a nerve. But this has been my experience working and hiring at two of the FAANGs. The teams…
Could this be due to EU universities studying specifically one subject while US universities require credits in other topics like Languages?
Do US engineering programs actually require foreign languages and other liberal arts coursework? That wasn't the case at UVA or VT in the 90s.
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#33And on what criteria are comparisons based? Oh yeah, just the ones that fit american cultural expectations of what being a good university is. How convenient!
University grading systems are the truest expression of american cultural imperialism, shaping education systems all around the world.
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#34Research focus in US and EU seems a bit different. Europe produces a lot of high quality science. Research in US is on the other hand increasingly application-focused (something that EU is not very good at). This is my observation as a former researcher who has experience in both regions; I don’t have references. It’s partly driven by culture, and economic system. The strong public system in Europe supports longer te…
I agree. Also, some universities in Europe, like ENS in Paris, produced more field medal recipients than all top US universities combined. But way more people heard about Harvard than ENS. English helps too.
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#35Earlier quoted context omitted.
Could this be due to EU universities studying specifically one subject while US universities require credits in other topics like Languages?
Do US engineering programs actually require foreign languages and other liberal arts coursework? That wasn't the case at UVA or VT in the 90s.
Yeah, many of them do.
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#36Because they have the most money.
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Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
Look at university research labs, and see where they get their funding from. Companies tend to fund applied research. Funding in Europe, whether academic or industry motivated, is simply lacking across all scientific, engineering, and social science disciplines.
You seriously think that university research in the US is largely funded or driven by companies? This is utterly wrong. *Edit*. The question is why the united states has the "best research universities". That is a very general-level question and the Parent made a very general, and very wrong, claim in response. Regardless of whether some specific fields might have more industrial funding than others, it's easy to goo…
This seems on topic:
https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/newsroom/newsn/10721/the-color...
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#38Research focus in US and EU seems a bit different. Europe produces a lot of high quality science. Research in US is on the other hand increasingly application-focused (something that EU is not very good at). This is my observation as a former researcher who has experience in both regions; I don’t have references. It’s partly driven by culture, and economic system. The strong public system in Europe supports longer te…
I agree. Also, some universities in Europe, like ENS in Paris, produced more field medal recipients than all top US universities combined. But way more people heard about Harvard than ENS. English helps too.
Not only English, but also the marketing through Hollywood.
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#39[deleted]
Re: Why the United States has the best research universities
#40Research focus in US and EU seems a bit different. Europe produces a lot of high quality science. Research in US is on the other hand increasingly application-focused (something that EU is not very good at). This is my observation as a former researcher who has experience in both regions; I don’t have references. It’s partly driven by culture, and economic system. The strong public system in Europe supports longer te…
I don’t know why anyone should believe you. Can you source some concrete facts if any? This is a provocative comment ready to start flame wars. Please tell specifics and not paint broad brushstrokes to flame the fires. I’m sorry to flag your comment. Edit: One source we can look at the awards given to fundamental research. They’re overwhelmingly US-based. Fields, Nobel, Turing, etc. This contradicts the popular gener…
Someone having positive opinion of non American is not starting flamewar. Overreaction to it is. Threatening to flag it just because you disagree, or because someone having positive opinion of something in eu hurts you feeling is absurd.