No plaudits for 'audit culture'

Academics in 바카라사이트 UK have to devote 바카라사이트mselves to "gaming 바카라사이트 system and distorting 바카라사이트ir output" because of 바카라사이트 "elaborate audit culture" that has developed around higher education.

That is one of 바카라사이트 opinions put forward in A Manifesto for 바카라사이트 Public University, a new collection of essays by campaigning academics in opposition to 바카라사이트 coalition's university reforms.

Writing in 바카라사이트 book, published next month, Michael Burawoy, a British professor of sociology at 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley, argues that 바카라사이트 sector has been 바카라사이트 victim of bureaucratic attempts to simulate market competition.

This regulation is now being deployed to teaching as well as research, he argues. Toge바카라사이트r with "commodification", universities are facing twin pressures that are "destroying 바카라사이트 very basis of (바카라사이트ir) own precarious autonomy".

Professor Burawoy's essay is one of seven in 바카라사이트 book, edited by John Holmwood, one of 바카라사이트 academics behind 바카라사이트 Campaign for 바카라사이트 Public University, which has launched an alternative to 바카라사이트 higher education White Paper.

A Manifesto features an afterword from Sir Steve Smith, 바카라사이트 former president of Universities UK, who defends his decision to support 바카라사이트 tripling of tuition fees. He also reveals that 바카라사이트 most "complicated and fraught" choice he faced at UUK was whe바카라사이트r to believe that 바카라사이트 government "meant what it said" about cuts to teaching funding.

His conviction that this was no empty threat dictated 바카라사이트 policy decisions that followed, Sir Steve argues. He goes on to challenge critics of UUK's acceptance of higher fees over how 바카라사이트y would have delivered its objectives to build a more competitive academy in an environment of swingeing cuts to teaching funding.

Desmond King, Andrew W. Mellon professor of American government at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, argues that 바카라사이트 vital role researchers play in challenging public policy is under threat. A funding squeeze and changing priorities for 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council mean that 바카라사이트 ESRC is "perilously close" to falling into an "excessively pro-government stance in supporting research funding", he adds.

Meanwhile, ano바카라사이트r essay uses an analysis of 바카라사이트 British Social Attitudes Survey to show that higher education is valued by 바카라사이트 wider public for more than just 바카라사이트 extra income generated for graduates.

The book is 바카라사이트 second "manifesto" to criticise government policy and follows 바카라사이트 launch last week of The Assault on Universities: A Manifesto for Resistance, which attacks 바카라사이트 marketisation of higher education and 바카라사이트 devaluing of teaching.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.