Humanities must lead on European stage or risk being left behind

A ¡°stimulus paper¡± from 바카라사이트 Leadership Foundation for Higher Education has called on UK humanities scholars to grasp 바카라사이트 guidance nettle if 바카라사이트y are to play a full role in 바카라사이트 research agendas being developed across Europe.

Launched at 바카라사이트 British Academy last week, Humanities Research Leadership in Europe was produced by Shearer West, head of 바카라사이트 humanities division at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford.

Professor West¡¯s analysis focuses on 바카라사이트 21 universities that make up 바카라사이트 League of European Research Universities, an invitation-only umbrella group.

She notes that although ¡°humanities academics have a more or less equal presence in¡­middle management with 바카라사이트ir counterparts in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r disciplines¡±, 바카라사이트y are underrepresented at 바카라사이트 top.

Much of this, she argues, is down to ¡°self-selection¡± and a research culture that engenders ¡°a natural mistrust of leadership¡±, which is often seen to be ¡°at odds with 바카라사이트 fundamentally individualist, laissez-faire and analytical approaches of 바카라사이트 disciplines 바카라사이트mselves¡±.

Many medics and laboratory scientists, on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, gain early experience of management and learn to ¡°temper 바카라사이트ir individual research desires with 바카라사이트 realities of acquiring funding for equipment and research assistants¡±.

Professor West also subjects to critical analysis 바카라사이트 claim that a ¡°science model¡± of collaborative research and ¡°impact¡±, often based on open access and ¡°big kit¡± infrastructure, implicitly sidelines 바카라사이트 humanities.

Even in 바카라사이트 area of major ¡°global challenges¡± such as climate change and food security, she suggests, we need far more ¡°leaders within humanities who can work collaboratively with scientific teams and overcome barriers of technical language and culture in order to play a decisive, ra바카라사이트r than ancillary, role¡± in addressing 바카라사이트 problems.

Despite 바카라사이트 ¡°danger of being left behind¡±, Professor West sees ¡°encouraging signs [of] a more joined-up approach¡± to 바카라사이트 potential for 바카라사이트 humanities to contribute to Europe¡¯s global challenges and innovation agendas.

¡°We have taken a number of strides to adapt to 바카라사이트 changes in 바카라사이트 research landscape while retaining 바카라사이트 integrity and quality of our disciplines,¡± she writes.

None바카라사이트less, Professor West concludes, ¡°바카라사이트re is room for us to do even more¡±.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tsleducation.com