美國高等教育有一個特色，便是「改變」，這「改變」是隨時代、潮流、和需求 而形成的調整。美國高等教育一向執世界學術之牛耳，其典範和影響，已成為各國競相學習 模仿之標的。形成美國高等教育的優勢是因其多樣化的內容，這種特色更使其能因社會時代 不同需求而調整，也能因應任何突發事件。其多樣化（學校種類多樣性、學生來源廣泛）具 有其歷史、哲學思想和社會之背景，加上時空的演練而成，並使美國高等教育具有承先啟後 的功能。現今美國高等教育因政府補助縮減、招收學生競爭、各項研究經費短缺等窘境，而 重新思考高等教育的方向，並參考歐美以外國家之高等教育制度，在這篇文章中，有以下幾 個被熱烈討論的主題： １．高等教育目標與市場需求之關係。 ２．高等教育的特色：多樣化（學校種類多樣性、學生來源廣泛）。 ３．高等教育課程安排與評估。 當臺灣高等教育正踏著美國足跡前進時，教育當局與學者是否應審慎評估美國高等教育之優 缺，且仔細思考臺灣教育的歷史、哲學思想和社會背景，建立屬於臺灣的高等教育。

　　　　　Change is happening quickly in American higher education. However, American higher education has realized the success and influence, even on the other countries. The strength of American higher education system lies in its diversity, which allows it to respond to different needs and demands as well as the unanticipated events. This unique characteristic of its system results from deeply built foundations of history, philosophy, and sociology, which are representations of time, place, and perspectives, but which also remains beginnings and base in timelines of research and inquiry now and in the future. This paper presents three heatedly discussed topics in American higher education: the goal in relation to relational and commodity market, diversity, and issues on curriculum and assessment of outcomes. While following American higher education as the model, in Taiwan, the governmental officials, the presidents, the administrators, and the educators need to cross examine the advantages as well as the drawbacks of American higher education. Above all, we need to know what components of American higher education work well with our own. American higher education does provide us an example, even a model. However, to make higher education not only survive the severe market driven competition in the next decade, but also to make it reach its optimum, we need to find a way making higher education fit in our history, philosophy, and society.