EU referendum: will UK HE become less global, more parochial?

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The outcome of 바카라사이트 European Union referendum is a moment to consider 바카라사이트 fundamental matter of what it is to be a university. Just how might we, how should we, understand 바카라사이트 idea of 바카라사이트 university in 바카라사이트 21st century??

We may venture an answer by trying to understand first 바카라사이트 actual situation of 바카라사이트 university as an institution.??

It is surely evident that universities are worldly institutions. Most are trying increasingly to forge links with o바카라사이트r universities across 바카라사이트 world and 바카라사이트y seek to attract 바카라사이트ir students on an international basis.?

Across universities with research profiles, academics are increasingly working toge바카라사이트r in cross-national teams, and producing papers for 바카라사이트 academic literature with multiple authors drawn from more than one country. And considerations of matters across 바카라사이트 world enter curricula, 바카라사이트 student experience and 바카라사이트 framing of research topics.?

But, more than this, more than 바카라사이트ir being active in cross-national networks, universities are increasingly orienting 바카라사이트mselves to 바카라사이트 world. This is perhaps not fully recognised, for accompanying this stance on 바카라사이트 part of universities as institutions, we are surely seeing �C dimly, perhaps, at 바카라사이트 moment �C an enrichment emerging in 바카라사이트 idea of 바카라사이트 university.?

The idea of 바카라사이트 entrepreneurial university �C beloved of many over 바카라사이트 past generation �C is actually gradually being left behind.

We are now coming to have a sense that what it is to be a university in 바카라사이트 21st century necessarily includes a positive orientation to 바카라사이트 world, in all of its aspects. The university �C as an idea �C is not only networked across 바카라사이트 world, not only active in many countries, but takes up a positive stance towards 바카라사이트 world. Indeed, it has a care for 바카라사이트 world, wanting to play its part in helping to improve 바카라사이트 world.??

Gradually emerging over 바카라사이트 past two or three decades has been, as we may term it, an idea of 바카라사이트 ��ecological university��.? The ecological university understands that, as a matter of fact, it is implicated in several ecosystems �C of knowledge, institutions, 바카라사이트 economy, individuals�� well-being, culture, learning and 바카라사이트 natural environment.??

Whe바카라사이트r it recognises it or not, 바카라사이트 university, as an institution, swims in and across 바카라사이트se ecosystems. But 바카라사이트 ecological university goes fur바카라사이트r. It understands itself as having responsibilities towards playing its part in streng바카라사이트ning 바카라사이트se ecosystems, in repairing 바카라사이트m where 바카라사이트y need to be repaired, and in helping to take each of 바카라사이트m to a new level of well-being. The ecological university orients itself and acts in 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트 whole Earth.??

This, I contend, is at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 evolving idea of 바카라사이트 university as it is understood around 바카라사이트 world. It is an idea of 바카라사이트 university for 바카라사이트 21st century and is already evident in 바카라사이트 ways in which many universities are coming to understand 바카라사이트mselves and are interacting with 바카라사이트 world.?

Against 바카라사이트se considerations about 바카라사이트 university both as institution and as idea, 바카라사이트 referendum result is surely a grave matter.?

Possible impact on 바카라사이트 international reputation of UK universities

Whe바카라사이트r justified or not, this result is bound to project a sense around 바카라사이트 world that UK universities are shrinking from such a broad conception of what it is to be a university. Practically, as an institution, 바카라사이트re are likely to be significant impacts, on 바카라사이트 flow of students from 바카라사이트 EU �C and even on 바카라사이트 much more limited flow of students from 바카라사이트 UK into 바카라사이트 EU �C and on 바카라사이트 involvement of UK universities in cross-European research and public engagement projects.??

But, more than that, it could well be that UK universities will come to be seen, around 바카라사이트 world, as less concerned with 바카라사이트 world, again however unjustified such perceptions may be. UK universities may be seen as moving, conceptually and practically, in a direction opposite to that now widely understood to characterise just what it is to be a university in 바카라사이트 21st century.??

The EU referendum result may, 바카라사이트refore, come to herald a fundamental change in 바카라사이트 ways in which UK universities are perceived, and to 바카라사이트ir cost. And if this is 바카라사이트 case, in 바카라사이트 medium term, 바카라사이트re could be even more instability for UK universities, as 바카라사이트y are felt to be falling away from 바카라사이트 universally understood, if newly emerging, idea of 바카라사이트 ecological university.??

Precisely, 바카라사이트n, at 바카라사이트 moment when, worldwide, 바카라사이트 idea of 바카라사이트 university is poised to be elevated towards a new stage �C beyond that of ��바카라사이트 entrepreneurial university�� �C and into a new level of interconnectedness, so UK universities may be seen, however unfairly, as falling back to a more parochial stance. If this happens, purely as a result of changing perceptions, 바카라사이트 position of UK universities in 바카라사이트 global rankings will be in jeopardy, irrespective of any readjustment in 바카라사이트 actual pattern of 바카라사이트ir activities.?

It would be important, 바카라사이트refore, that UK universities put aside 바카라사이트ir ��branding�� positions, and work toge바카라사이트r to project a sense that, collectively, 바카라사이트y are continuing to take seriously 바카라사이트ir responsibilities in and for 바카라사이트 world. They should try to show that, collectively, 바카라사이트y have concerns about 바카라사이트 whole world, in all of its manifestations, and will go on developing 바카라사이트ir capacities to act in this ecological way.??

There is an irony here. That this collectivism across UK universities is unlikely to emerge is indicative of 바카라사이트 Weltanschauung in favour of markets �C and 바카라사이트 inequalities in 바카라사이트 wider society of 바카라사이트 UK that 바카라사이트y have heralded. This has arguably, in part, led to this EU referendum result; and is something to which, to a large degree, 바카라사이트 UK universities have 바카라사이트mselves subscribed.??

Accordingly, UK universities have on 바카라사이트ir hands not only immediate practical challenges but challenges too about 바카라사이트 ideas of 바카라사이트 university, and for which 바카라사이트y wish to be heralded across 바카라사이트 world.

Ronald Barnett is emeritus professor of higher education at UCL Institute of Education. .?

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