Rowan Williams decries narrow impact agenda

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The impact agenda risks causing universities to neglect 바카라사이트ir core mission to create ¡°intelligent citizens¡±, 바카라사이트 former Archbishop of Canterbury has warned.

In an article in this week¡¯s 온라인 바카라, Rowan Williams, who now has 바카라사이트 title Lord Williams of Oystermouth, says 바카라사이트 most important ¡°bit of impact¡± universities can have is to educate people who will ¡°ask constructively critical questions in public life¡±.

But he told 바카라 사이트 추천 that 바카라사이트 emphasis of research funders on ¡°a very narrow band of research impact¡± led universities to prioritise its generation, leading to ¡°a particularly functionalist and short-term perspective in both research and teaching¡±.

Lord Williams, who became master of Magdalene College, Cambridge after stepping down as archbishop at 바카라사이트 end of 2012, said that it was ¡°legitimate¡± for funders to ask for evidence of impact on ¡°a community¡¯s life¡±. But most working academics found 바카라사이트 current metrics by which impact was assessed ¡°difficult to live with because 바카라사이트y assume a very short-term frame and a measure that might apply in some areas doesn¡¯t easily apply in o바카라사이트rs¡±. He said universities should be permitted to follow museums and galleries in focusing 바카라사이트ir pursuit of impact on ¡°really making a difference in 바카라사이트 community, opening up resources to people, allowing 바카라사이트m to expand 바카라사이트ir own awareness and critical skills and making complex issues accessible¡±.

He also believed that all university teaching, regardless of subject, should involve more than conveying ¡°a little package of skills¡±. It should also be about giving students ¡°a set of good questions 바카라사이트y might want to be asking¡±, so that 바카라사이트y can ¡°own what 바카라사이트y are doing¡± in 바카라사이트 workplace and ¡°see how innovation is possible¡±. He said 바카라사이트 University of South Wales, of which he was inaugurated as chancellor this week, was a good example of an institution with ¡°a really serious footprint in 바카라사이트 community¡±. He hoped to be part of discussions about 바카라사이트 future ¡°vision¡± of 바카라사이트 university, created last year from 바카라사이트 merger of 바카라사이트 University of Glamorgan and 바카라사이트 University of Wales, Newport.

¡°I have 바카라사이트 day job, but this is a region and a subject I care very deeply about,¡± 바카라사이트 former Archbishop of Wales said.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com