University of Life plc: the 'industrialization' of higher education?

The argument addressed in this chapter is that contemporary universities are bound up with the political and economic forces of capitalism, which threaten the integrity of educational and academic values by giving priority to market-orientated production. Universities retain elements of their traditional value system. The market logic changes the relationship between teacher, student and curriculum into a relationship between producer, consumer and commodity. The process is that the curriculum then becomes redefined according to the demands of the market, which is shaped by student (or consumer) choice. Areas of knowledge for which there is a weak demand are withdrawn. The market itself is open to political manipulation and thus the idea of academic freedom is put at risk.

The volume of collected papers is indexed at TD/INT 61.315.

The argument addressed in this chapter is that contemporary universities are bound up with the political and economic forces of capitalism, which threaten the integrity of educational and academic values by giving priority to market-orientated production. Universities retain elements of their traditional value system. The market logic changes the relationship between teacher, student and curriculum into a relationship between producer, consumer and commodity. The process is that the curriculum then becomes redefined according to the demands of the market, which is shaped by student (or ...  [+] Show more