( CNN ) -- Globalization washes like a flood over the world 's cultures and economies . Floods can be destructive ; however , they can also bring blessings , as the annual floods of the Nile did for ancient Egypt . The world 's great universities can be crucial instruments in shaping , in a positive way , humankind 's reaction to globalization and the development of humankind itself . Traditionally , universities have been defined and limited by location , creating an academic community and drawing students and scholars to that place . Eventually , some universities began to encourage students to study elsewhere for a semester ; today most do . Recently , some -- even those known for their cautiousness about innovation -- have developed `` branch campuses , '' or outposts at which graduate or undergraduate degrees are granted . The benefits of globalization are not evenly spread , but it is unalterably part of the landscape , and it is causing the world to miniaturize . The great question is how our institutions will respond to this global miniaturization . Will it be out of fear , feverishly attempting to cabin off themselves , or with an eye on the opportunities , and the possibility of creating a new age of cultural and intellectual ecumenism . For universities , the latter should be a far more comfortable fit . This natural instinct of universities connects well with the emerging contours of economies in the `` knowledge century '' : that they will be driven by ideas and creativity , and that this world network of thought and innovation will be concentrated in a small set of global `` idea capitals '' among which the talented and creative will circulate . These idea capitals will be characterized not merely as centers of finance , insurance and real estate ( the FIRE sector ) , but also as centers of intellectual , cultural , and educational activity ( `` ICE , '' as I have called it elsewhere ) . The world 's most enlightened leaders have accepted a crucial proposition : universities , especially research universities , will be principal incubators and drivers of the ICE sector . Great universities attract and retain the creators , innovators , and entrepreneurs who propel thought , both producing and consuming intellectual , cultural and educational activities . How will universities shape themselves to meet this ? There will be many models -- some incremental , some bold . One new university model is already proving itself at NYU : the `` global network university . '' In opening NYU Abu Dhabi last week , NYU has created not only a new liberal arts university campus but a new university architecture . NYU Abu Dhabi is a second `` portal campus , '' along with our long-standing campus in New York ; these are the anchors and basic hydraulics of a network that also knits together 12 other academic sites . The global network university allows faculty and students to move seamlessly through the network and around the world without separating themselves from the university 's intellectual community and resources . It is a veritable Mobius strip of talent and thought . Research labs continents apart can be connected , increasing their potency . Faculty in one location can be made available to students in another . Consider : A professor in New York can offer a course featuring participation by students at several sites . The professor assigns team exercises , with students from many different sites working together . That interaction will be powerful in itself , but that need be only the start : We 'll likely see some or all of the students deciding to come together the following semester at one of the network sites . By uniting portal campuses and other academic sites , the global network creates an organic circulatory system that mirrors the flow of talent and creativity that increasingly defines the world . The result is more than an internationalized university with loose connections between a central location and branches around the globe ; instead , the talent and assets become fully available to enhance research and learning in every other part . In higher education , nothing is more powerful than a good idea . And this idea has resonated strongly . In the first class of undergraduates admitted to NYU Abu Dhabi , just 2.1 percent of applicants were admitted -- fewer than 200 of over 9,000 applicants . They hail from 39 countries , speak 43 different languages , with nearly 90 percent of them bilingual ; and have SAT scores at 75th percentile -- 770 for verbal and 780 for math . These scores match the most highly selective universities in the world . Universities tend to be hidebound , but they will need to change . I do n't claim that the global network university will be the universal form for higher education 's future ; there are other ways to respond to academic globalization that will endure and make sense . But to thrive , universities will need to look very different from the way they do now , and they will have to find a form well-suited to the new reality of an ever- increasing flow of human capital and talent in the knowledge century . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Sexton .
John Sexton : Traditionally , universities have been defined and limited by geography . Global universities are a network of thought , innovation , he writes . Faculty can teach , he says , and can team up in many cities at once . Sexton : Research , teaching can be shared and cultural ties made in ` ` century of knowledge ''