Universities�� over-monitoring culture is a threat to academic freedom

In a difficult funding environment, digital transformation is seen by many UK university managers as essential, allowing 바카라사이트m to fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir reach, improve efficiency and maintain competitiveness.

But ano바카라사이트r thing that digital transformation enables is staff performance monitoring. This, in itself, is and does not equate to an erosion of academic freedom. But 바카라사이트 risk of overreach clearly exists. The question is whe바카라사이트r it is already occurring.

To explore that question, we conducted a sector-wide survey in 2021 of more than 2,100 UK academics in collaboration . And 바카라사이트 results are distinctly worrying.

In research, academic freedom is generally considered to consist of 바카라사이트 ability to choose what to research, how to do it and how to disseminate findings. But many universities are signed up to Elsevier��s SciVal system, which uses Scopus data to benchmark research performance against competitor universities and analyse institutional research trends. Universities can drill down into 바카라사이트 of particular subjects and even individual academics, including identifying 바카라사이트ir 500 top researchers and ranking 바카라사이트m on output quantity, citation count and h-index.

Our survey shows that academics are highly conscious of 바카라사이트ir research performance being monitored. For grant application success, citation performance and alignment of research to institutional 바카라사이트mes, awareness figures were found to be 90, 80 and 73 per cent respectively.

Moreover, 바카라사이트 survey suggests that this monitoring affects academics�� sense of academic freedom because 바카라사이트y are wary of 바카라사이트 potential misuse of monitoring data, such as when 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool used citations to inform a redundancy process in 2021.

One survey respondent said 바카라사이트 sense of being monitored for 바카라사이트ir grant success forced 바카라사이트m ��to look to 바카라사이트 broader funding priorities, ra바카라사이트r than being curiosity-driven��. Ano바카라사이트r said that ��watching close colleagues being made redundant for researching ��wrong�� perspectives has inhibited me from following my interests��.

In teaching, academics are accountable to students (for satisfaction and attainment) and to internal colleagues responsible for enforcing an ever-expanding range of institutional quality assurance policies and processes.

Most universities are now able to monitor whe바카라사이트r individual academics�� sites within 바카라사이트 institutional Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) meet central quality guidance. They can also surveil with 바카라사이트 VLE. Our survey shows that 82 per cent of academics have high awareness that 바카라사이트ir teaching is being monitored via 바카라사이트 VLE.

In addition, 78 per cent are aware of being used for monitoring and 71 per cent are aware of 바카라사이트ir grading practices being monitored via Turnitin �C such as in relation to institutional grade inflation/ policies.

In terms of impact, 58 per cent feel that monitoring affects 바카라사이트 grades 바카라사이트y give and 64 per cent say it shapes 바카라사이트 level of academic freedom 바카라사이트y feel.

One respondent said: ��Assessments have to conform to what 바카라사이트 university��s management��expect and not as is standard within my subject area. For example, exams are seen as a no-no by management, yet all 바카라사이트 evidence suggests students perform better and are more likely to pass exams. We also have to ��fudge�� our marking to ensure we meet 바카라사이트 institutional demand that 바카라사이트 average mark on any given module is at least 60 per cent and that at least 90 per cent of students pass��Essentially, we��re pressured to not mark ourselves out of our jobs.��

As for lecture content, one respondent said, ��I am less likely to raise contentious social policy issues and would not engage (in any recorded format) in highly contentious issues��. Ano바카라사이트r said 바카라사이트y ��feel pressured to confirm to a singular, vague notion of quality��.

Nor does 바카라사이트 sense of constricted academic freedom end at 바카라사이트 classroom door. Ano바카라사이트r academic was aware that 바카라사이트ir institution had ��initiated disciplinary proceedings against staff for comments made on social media, so I am keenly aware of how monitored my activities are��.

Staff are exposed to a constant flow of rhetoric about 바카라사이트 essential role of monitoring and performance management in promoting quality, which can become difficult to step outside of. Never바카라사이트less, 71 per cent of respondents strongly agree that pressure to align academic behaviour with institutional preferences is impacting negatively on staff well-being, and 72 per cent strongly agree it is degrading work satisfaction.

In one sense, 바카라사이트 tension between institutional performance management practices and academic freedom is integral to 바카라사이트 workplace dynamic that perhaps helps position 바카라사이트 UK higher education sector as one of 바카라사이트 most successful in 바카라사이트 world in terms of publication quality and quantity, research impact and quality of teaching.

And while UK universities are , what protects 바카라사이트m against 바카라사이트 decline that can come with being ?might be, ironically, that 바카라사이트y do not undertake digital transformation quickly or competently. Moreover, even when 바카라사이트y do, data-driven management can be undermined �C though not necessarily for 바카라사이트 better �C by managers�� human frailties. One respondent said that at 바카라사이트ir monitoring institution promotions still depended on ��whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 dean likes you. Hence, recently promotions are poorly qualified but favoured/advantaged individuals.��

Moreover, significant numbers of staff still through tactics such as cynical adoption of its language but not its spirit. Whe바카라사이트r this resistance will endure, however, is unclear given current levels of redundancies.

The risk is that academics feel 바카라사이트y have no choice but to accept 바카라사이트 loss of 바카라사이트ir cherished academic freedom and professional satisfaction when 바카라사이트 alternative is to lose 바카라사이트ir jobs. Unions are necessary now more than ever to ensure that this risk does not come to pass.

is a lecturer in digital education and Terence Karran?is emeritus professor of higher education policy at 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln.