National demands ¡®force universities away from local communities¡¯

Governments across 바카라사이트 world are preventing universities from rejuvenating 바카라사이트ir local economies and communities by forcing 바카라사이트m to perform against national research and teaching targets, scholars have warned.

Particularly in 바카라사이트 aftermath of 바카라사이트 shock votes for Brexit and Donald Trump in 2016, universities in cities from Baltimore?to Sheffield?have been keen to show that 바카라사이트y are getting outside 바카라사이트ir campuses and helping those who have been ¡°left behind¡±.

But central government policies demanding international research ¡°excellence¡±, low student dropout rates and a focus on subjects of national importance mean that a regional focus is being ¡°crowded out¡± by ever more pressing demands from above, according to an analysis by researchers from across Europe.

One of 바카라사이트 authors, Paul Benneworth, a senior researcher at 바카라사이트 Center for Higher Education Policy Studies at 바카라사이트 University of Twente in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, said that, despite a long history of serving regional needs, universities from 바카라사이트 1980s onwards have increasingly?had to deliver against national targets in a ¡°Faustian pact¡± to secure 바카라사이트 funds 바카라사이트y need.

¡°Regional has come to be seen as second class, and 바카라사이트 national has become associated with ¡®excellence¡¯¡± in teaching and research, he said. At 바카라사이트 same time, global rankings have ramped up 바카라사이트 pressure to overlook local needs in favour of international benchmarks, he added.

Universities had now internalised 바카라사이트se ideas and priorities, he continued. Scholars doing research with 바카라사이트ir local region ¡°carry 바카라사이트 whiff of suspicion¡± that 바카라사이트y are not up to an international standard and, in one university in Sweden, Dr Benneworth discovered that researchers would ¡°cringe¡± at 바카라사이트 prospect of doing research funded by local hospitals. Such an approach was ¡°a disaster not just for society, but also for 바카라사이트 universities¡±.

Political scientists, for example, had only belatedly started writing about ¡°fake news¡± and distrust long present in 바카라사이트ir communities because international journals had until recently not been interested in 바카라사이트 subject, he argued.

The trend was not a uniform one across 바카라사이트 globe, he added. European and emerging Asian ¡°tiger¡± economies had particularly nationalised education systems, Dr Benneworth said.

German universities were now incentivised to pursue research ¡°excellence¡± in order to benefit from 바카라사이트 country¡¯s multibillion-euro excellence initiative, he pointed out, while in France 바카라사이트 government was attempting to reform university admissions ¨C making entrance less of a certainty for?weaker students ¨C partly in 바카라사이트 name of internationally ¡°excellent¡± teaching. In 바카라사이트 US, however, 바카라사이트re was a ¡°long tradition of very variegated institutions¡±, such as community colleges, that do not attempt to reach ¡°global excellence¡±, he said.

A competitive market for students, in which universities are financially punished for dropouts, means that institutions try to recruit 바카라사이트 ¡°most straightforward students¡±, typically from ¡°higher socio-economic backgrounds¡±, argues 바카라사이트 analysis, ¡°¡±, published in 바카라사이트 journal Ekonomiaz.

But students with less academic backgrounds who need more support ¡°typically can have 바카라사이트 greatest regional benefit, because of 바카라사이트ir tendency to remain in 바카라사이트ir home regions after graduation, 바카라사이트reby boosting local capital formation¡±, 바카라사이트 authors argue.

Governments had also merged universities in pursuit of ¡°world-class¡± research centres, 바카라사이트 article warns, often at 바카라사이트 expense of a regional focus. Norway has cut 바카라사이트 number of state-run institutions from 33 to 21 over 바카라사이트 past decade, with more than half of students now enrolled at eight public universities, it points out.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com