The Trouble with Higher Education

Viac o knihe

This critique of the UK Higher Education system, relevant to similar countries, draws on over 30 years of the author's fieldwork. It addresses the core responsibilities of universities: teaching, learning, and research. The first half identifies issues stemming from the expansion of mass education, examining their causes and detrimental effects. The second half presents a broad vision and practical recommendations for improvement, including effective university management, proper inspection, enhanced student learning organization, improved teaching methods, better assessment approaches, and the appropriate use of learning outcomes. Key topics include chronic under-funding, the shift from student grants to loans, and the introduction of tuition fees. It discusses the rise of managerialism, the focus on accountability leading to diminished trust, and the emergence of a competitive market ethos. The text also critiques modular degrees, the commodification of knowledge, and the perception of students as customers, alongside the drift towards a two-tiered system with teaching colleges and research universities. The casualization of the academic profession is also addressed. Targeted primarily at academics, educationalists, managers, administrators, and policymakers, the work is also relevant for anyone concerned about higher education and is suitable for professional development courses and advanced studies.