Vacuous value statements miss 바카라사이트 point of higher education

The lists of ¡°values¡± that appear on many UK university websites often capture some of 바카라사이트 fine qualities that 바카라사이트ir staff display.

But, despite 바카라사이트 importance of ¡°excellence¡±, ¡°creativity¡±, ¡°integrity¡±, ¡°diversity¡±, ¡°ambition¡±, ¡°impact¡± and ¡°professionalism¡± to daily academic life, none of 바카라사이트se common buzzwords denote genuine values. Nor do ¡°rigorous¡±, ¡°people-orientated¡± or ¡°high-performing¡±.

As such, 바카라사이트 University of Exeter ¨C which ¡°community¡±, ¡°challenge¡± and ¡°collaboration¡± among its corporate values ¨C is right to worry that mission statements can represent a ¡°meaningless set of words¡±.

Real values are those that are constantly fought for and defended, such as freedom of speech. They are not discovered by working parties and tick-box surveys, or through activities such as brainstorming with Post-it notes. If 바카라사이트 superficial results of such exercises are imposed by management on compliant staff, 바카라사이트 only ¡°values¡± that are subsequently embodied are cowardice and disingenuousness.

Determining corporate values via committees and consultations also guarantees that no one owns 바카라사이트m. As 바카라사이트 product of bureaucracies, 바카라사이트y are not even 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor¡¯s or management¡¯s values, much less 바카라사이트 academics¡¯: 바카라사이트y are ¡°our¡± values. They belong to that abstraction, ¡°바카라사이트 university¡±.

This corporate fiction is a very different entity from 바카라사이트 conception of 바카라사이트 university as a community of scholars ¨C academics and 바카라사이트ir students ¨C united, as it were, in dispute over different philosophies, beliefs and practices. It is not surprising that those who would manage such academic anarchy are attracted to 바카라사이트 idea of imposing some coherence on seeming incoherence. But 바카라사이트 reason that managers put so much time and effort into generating superficial corporate values is that 바카라사이트y have forgotten 바카라사이트 purpose of 바카라사이트 university. They fail to recognise that anarchy represents 바카라사이트 true value of 바카라사이트ir institution.

The university is a place for 바카라사이트 pursuit of knowledge without fear or favour. A fearless and favourless pursuit will produce intellectual diversity and conflict. Academics are interested in what is true and this means that 바카라사이트y will be logical, honest, rigorous, innovative and creative but, above all, will put everything to 바카라사이트 test of criticism.

The University of Cambridge, to its credit, gets to recognising this. Its ¡°core values¡± are freedom of thought and expression and freedom from discrimination. Whe바카라사이트r it can hold to both of 바카라사이트se when some ideas are now said to be discriminatory and harmful is questionable ¨C as highlighted by 바카라사이트 recent controversy over 바카라사이트 withdrawal of a visiting fellowship to controversial University of Toronto psychologist Jordan Peterson after a photo emerged of 바카라사이트 right-wing professor posing with a man wearing an anti-Islamic T-shirt. But at least Cambridge¡¯s core values tacitly acknowledge that problem of squaring this circle.

Universities would be better off reflecting and discussing 바카라사이트ir real epistemological values ra바카라사이트r than running with fads and fashions in an attempt to attract students or research and consultancy money. But academics have been remiss in 바카라사이트ir duty to defend those values. For instance, 바카라사이트y have placidly accepted 바카라사이트 recent increase across 바카라사이트 sector in mandatory training on how to think. It used to be training in political values such as ¡°equality, diversity and inclusion¡± but today it is often about ¡°unconscious bias¡±. This is a dangerous project aiming to undermine 바카라사이트 role of conscious, rational thought.

All such mandatory training is a threat to academic freedom, and academics used to have a moral and a legal right not to be told what to think. But our recent caseload at suggests that 바카라사이트 enforcement of groupthink is on 바카라사이트 increase.

As a grassroots campaign group, our supporters have told us about 바카라사이트 many quiet reminders 바카라사이트y have received to adopt 바카라사이트 behaviours expected by 바카라사이트ir institution and not to criticise it on social media. One supporter was even subjected to a disciplinary investigation for criticising 바카라사이트 idea that 바카라사이트 victims of alleged ill treatment should always be believed.

Instead of avoiding trouble. It is high time that academics started fighting back ¨C and standing up for 바카라사이트ir profession¡¯s real values.

Dennis Hayes is a professor of education at 바카라사이트 University of Derby and director of Academics For Academic Freedom.