We expect universities to be at the forefront of innovation and social change, yet to embody traditions dating back centuries. We want universities to challenge and extend our youth – supporting them to take their place as adults in a sometimes ugly world – yet to protect those youth from that same ugliness. We ask that the credentials doled out by universities identify and elevate the best amongst us, but also that they are within reach of us all, whatever our backgrounds, underlying abilities, dedication and application. Read more at Asymmetric Information https://lnkd.in/gNRsKuyQ
Good article Dave Heatley and Polytechnics are in an even worse position.
Superb article. I'd quibble about universities always being "the experts" - that's an innovation that happened in my (late middle age) lifetime - but now they have the role there is no doubt they are in the trouble you describe. The VUW free speech in universities session yesterday brought out the issues from a different angle. When universities were small, gateway institutions for a section of the middle class it was okay they struggled with implementing meaningful free speech. Now they have crowded out much of the intellectual bandwidth, their limitations are a wider social problem.
Enthusiastic educator and learner
7mo“We ask that the credentials doled out by universities identify and elevate the best amongst us, but also that they are within reach of us all, whatever our backgrounds, underlying abilities, dedication and application” I’m curious who this “we” is because that opinion doesn’t represent me. Universities should be a place where those who are interested and able are helped to learn and flourishin fields they are interested. Entry criteria should identify those who are able to succeed and educators and support staff help students flourish to the best of their ability. That “we” statement just sounds like a strawman to me.