Associations of universities

This article discusses various types of university associations: national associations of universities; national and regional subgroups of universities, university consortia, or associations of universities to fulfill a closely defined purpose; and international associations of universities. The article describes some of the first university associations formed in the early twentieth century and the great explosion of university associations from the 1970s. Some of the literature analyzing university associations is discussed, and the article closes by reflecting on the prospects of university associations.