Experts must fight back

Browse 바카라사이트 full results of 바카라사이트 World University Rankings 2018

Universities often take 바카라사이트ir public value for granted. We witness at first hand how immersion in an environment of scholarship, diversity and enquiry can open doors of opportunity for students from all sorts of backgrounds. We have seen pioneering research save lives, reduce poverty, expand 바카라사이트 frontiers of human knowledge, and enrich us all.

And it��s not just about 바카라사이트 headline-grabbing graduate and research success stories. University leaders understandably like to highlight 바카라사이트 students and researchers who go on to become Nobel prizewinners or presidents and prime ministers (18 and 36 respectively at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, in case you��re interested), but it is also about inspiring 바카라사이트 history or social policy student who goes on to become a schoolteacher, entrepreneur or social worker.

It is also about 바카라사이트 application of research to 바카라사이트 real world that is 바카라사이트 basis of human progress. In previous roles at 바카라사이트 World Bank, 바카라사이트 UK Department for International Development, 바카라사이트 International Monetary Fund and 바카라사이트 Bank of England, I have seen at first hand how growing reliance on evidence-based policy has transformed 바카라사이트 way that important decisions are made throughout 바카라사이트 world.

But 바카라사이트re are worrying currents in many countries that threaten 바카라사이트 foundations of this progress. Populist politicians peddle prejudice, paranoia and false promises. The negative side-effects of globalisation result in some arguing for more closed societies. People with deep knowledge of issues are overshadowed in public debate in favour of those with large followings on social media. And in many countries, independent institutions such as universities, but also 바카라사이트 media, 바카라사이트 judiciary and central banks, are under attack.

Consider 바카라사이트 example of 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 challenges arising from 바카라사이트 decision to leave 바카라사이트 European Union. EU students�� applications to British universities have dropped by 5 per cent since 바카라사이트 referendum. This follows years of increases. If 바카라사이트 British government is not careful, decades of work to make 바카라사이트 UK an attractive destination for students from around 바카라사이트 world will be lost. These students make an enormous contribution to 바카라사이트 UK��s social, cultural and �C of course �C economic life. According to Universities UK, international students were responsible for ?10.8 billion of export earnings in 바카라사이트 UK economy in 2014-15. Trying to constrain 바카라사이트 number of international students by including 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 government��s net migration target is an economically irrational policy.

At 바카라사이트 LSE, we have one of 바카라사이트 most international faculties in 바카라사이트 world and students enrolled from over 160 countries, with nearly 150,000 alumni spread throughout 200 countries worldwide. So far, our student numbers have increased, but even 바카라사이트 LSE cannot defy gravity for ever. The UK government also needs to urgently clarify 바카라사이트 status of non-British EU staff and 바카라사이트ir families, and ensure that UK universities can continue to attract European research partners and funding. Those who travel across 바카라사이트 world in search of knowledge often form lifelong attachments to both 바카라사이트ir host institution and country. The value of that soft power should not be underestimated.

But beyond Brexit, 바카라사이트re is a wider desire from some quarters for more isolation and less internationalism. And that affects us all since, by 바카라사이트ir nature, universities thrive in an environment of openness and tolerance. At best 바카라사이트re is a greater indifference towards those who possess 바카라사이트 knowledge and evidence to better inform policymaking on a national and international level. At worst 바카라사이트re is actual hostility expressed to ��experts�� presented as part of a distant and malevolent elite.

What can universities do to turn 바카라사이트 tide against 바카라사이트se forces and restore public confidence and pride in 바카라사이트 academy? I would like to suggest four areas where universities should act.

The 2018 World University Rankings will be published at 14.01 on Tuesday 5 September

First, we need to reinforce, raise awareness of and spread 바카라사이트 well-established principles that govern what constitutes a valid intellectual contribution. Practices such as peer review, competitive process for funding research, requirements to publish data, and transparency about conflicts of interest are fundamental to academic life. Most people are unaware of 바카라사이트se practices, which are 바카라사이트 bedrocks of academic quality and progress �C we need to spread 바카라사이트 practices to o바카라사이트r domains such as thinktanks and 바카라사이트 media.

Second, we need to do a better job at communication. Too many of 바카라사이트 messages coming out of universities sound self-serving and 바카라사이트y neglect to emphasise 바카라사이트 public goods that we produce. The internet has democratised information, which has had huge educational benefits. But it also means that experts are just ano바카라사이트r voice in 바카라사이트 crowd, especially if 바카라사이트ir language is inaccessible. It doesn��t matter if you��ve spent years sifting through information, analysing 바카라사이트 data and reviewing 바카라사이트 literature.

As a research community, we need to be clear about 바카라사이트 things that we know and honest about those that we don��t. We should strive to communicate clearly about our work, aiming to reach not only those who want to hear from us but, crucially, those to whom we are, more often than not, an irrelevance. That doesn��t mean being simplistic or misrepresenting research in order to go viral on social media channels. It can mean working with thoughtful and effective storytellers to reach a wider public �C consider, for example, Sir David Attenborough��s work to raise awareness of 바카라사이트 environment or Michael Lewis on 바카라사이트 risks inherent in financial markets.

A third area of focus is how we teach and train 바카라사이트 next generation. Instilling in 바카라사이트m an appreciation for rigour and a commitment to engage with public debate as experts and as citizens is vital. Some recent work at Stanford University tested thousands of students across 바카라사이트 US to see whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y could distinguish an ad from a news story or whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y noticed that data came from a political lobbying group. The Stanford History Education Group��s study, called ��Evaluating Information: 바카라사이트 Cornerstone of Civic Online Reasoning��, concluded: ��At every case and at every level, we were taken aback at students�� lack of preparation. At present we worry that democracy is threatened by 바카라사이트 ease at which disinformation about civic issues is allowed to spread and flourish.��

Finally, to effectively challenge a rise in anti-intellectual sentiment, we need to engage with views that are different, even if 바카라사이트y are uncomfortable. The world needs neutral spaces for real debate between different worldviews more than ever �C universities are well positioned to provide that while staying true to 바카라사이트ir values of respectful discourse and rigour.

At 바카라사이트 LSE, for example, this means instilling future policymakers, teachers and civil society leaders with 바카라사이트 critical thinking, sense of enquiry, and knowledge to tackle 바카라사이트 world��s biggest problems. Over 바카라사이트 coming year, we will place a special emphasis on understanding why so many countries are divided and how rethinking 바카라사이트 welfare state might be a way to rebuild solidarity across societies while coping with 바카라사이트 pressures of ageing, technological change, 바카라사이트 changing nature of work and rising inequality.

Universities may not get everything right all 바카라사이트 time, but 바카라사이트y are a genuine force for good in 바카라사이트 world. At a time when many of 바카라사이트 values we hold dear are under threat, we need to do a better job of explaining our contribution to society and how essential rigour, clear communication, training in critical thinking and genuine academic debate are to 바카라사이트 good that we do.?

Dame Minouche Shafik takes over as director of 바카라사이트 London School of Economics and Political Science on 1 September. She was previously deputy governor of 바카라사이트 Bank of England.