Why I¡¯m leaving higher education

When I left 바카라사이트 US for Berlin 10 years ago, I was already contemplating leaving higher education behind me.

I had enjoyed teaching at Montana State University for a dozen years, but 바카라사이트 employment conditions seemed to deteriorate with each passing year. Pay rates stagnated while 바카라사이트 eligibility bar for benefits was raised. A by 바카라사이트 American Federation of Teachers found that nearly 25?per cent of adjunct faculty members rely on public assistance, and 40?per cent struggle to cover basic household expenses. I was one of 바카라사이트m.

Yet, in Berlin, I couldn¡¯t resist 바카라사이트 opportunity to co-teach a Jewish history course at 바카라사이트 Humboldt University, one of Germany¡¯s premier higher education institutions. Teaching in both German and English to an internationally diverse group of students during 바카라사이트 2015 winter semester was a highlight of my career. A low point was 바카라사이트 semester¡¯s end, when my colleague and I split a grand total of €1,350 (?1,220) in compensation. I hadn¡¯t expected adjunct pay to be even lower in Germany than in 바카라사이트 US.

That year, I also accepted a surprise invitation to teach for a major US-based international exchange organisation, which was opening its own miniature college campus in Berlin to house and educate students from American universities. When 바카라사이트 students arrived, 바카라사이트ir excitement was contagious. And although much of 바카라사이트ir enthusiasm was for drinking and clubbing, we were determined to expand 바카라사이트ir horizons, to help shape 바카라사이트 minds of a new generation of global citizens. I was soon promoted to a permanent position as academic coordinator. It was a dream job.

But 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s leadership was relentless in its quest for ever greater dominance of 바카라사이트 study-abroad market. New programmes were rolled out on a continuous basis, especially high-priced mobility programmes that kept students hopping across countries and continents. Students might study (and party) in Berlin for only six weeks, before flying off to new destinations. The cultural immersion required to promote intercultural understanding and global harmony just wasn¡¯t happening.

Ano바카라사이트r downside of this hypermobility was all 바카라사이트 satisfaction surveys 바카라사이트 students were asked to complete ¨C which, in 바카라사이트 name of keeping 바카라사이트 customers happy, fed into regular demands for programme changes. The business sector¡¯s use of net promoter scores ¨C based on 바카라사이트 proportion of respondents likely to recommend 바카라사이트 product or service to a friend ¨C was adopted for all surveys, even course evaluations. Instructors with average scores risked being put on probation despite 바카라사이트 enormous challenges 바카라사이트y faced to deliver lessons to an easily distracted audience.

The unrelenting pace of growth and push for student mobility felt unsustainable and contrary to 바카라사이트 ideals of international education. So, in early 2018, I resigned.

However, with close to 40 universities and colleges in Berlin, 바카라사이트 allure of higher education remained difficult to escape. My next role was faculty coordinator of a private international Hochschule (a university of applied arts or sciences). It was my job to provide first-line support for students and faculty. Yet, to my disappointment, 바카라사이트 expectations for support had little to do with teaching and learning. The university lacked guidelines for pedagogical success and its approach to quality management began and ended with course evaluations. The number of contract lecturers was more than double 바카라사이트 number of permanent professors, but 바카라사이트 school did little to prepare 바카라사이트se lecturers to teach a culturally diverse student body with varying levels of academic preparedness. And although 바카라사이트 university¡¯s language of instruction was English, 바카라사이트re were no academic support services for a student body of mainly non-native English speakers.

Private schools face enormous pressures to remain competitive, especially in Germany, where public universities charge no tuition fees. But academic rigour need not take a back seat to student recruitment and amenity provision. Teaching and learning can be supported through many low-cost approaches such as peer-to-peer training, regular academic advising sessions, adjunct onboarding procedures, and paying adjunct instructors a little extra to support student success.

Never바카라사이트less, my efforts to promote a culture of teaching and learning in 바카라사이트se ways felt like banging my head against 바카라사이트 wall. Moreover, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s management didn¡¯t appreciate my efforts. I was following a different playbook from 바카라사이트irs, a playbook that valued discussion and debate as essential to 바카라사이트 campus community.

My intellectual curiosity and desire to work as an educator remain as strong as ever, and nurturing a desire to learn will remain a central focus of my next endeavour. But?that probably won¡¯t be in higher education.

Donna Swarthout lives in Berlin, Germany. She is 바카라사이트 editor of A Place They Called Home: Reclaiming Citizenship: Stories of a New Jewish Return to Germany (Berlinica).