The hollowed-out university? A critical analysis of changing institutional and academic norms in UK higher education

TY - JOUR

T1 - The hollowed-out university? A critical analysis of changing institutional and academic norms in UK higher education

AU - Cribb, Alan

AU - Gewirtz, Sharon

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - This article argues that UK universities are at risk from a process of ‘hollowing out’ – that is, of becoming institutions with no distinctive social role and no ethical raison d'etre – and that this is a process which undermines the possibilities for meaningful institutional and academic identities. It begins with a condensed, and necessarily partial, review of recent UK higher education policy trends to indicate the historical context and direction of change and to highlight the growing separation of management and academic agendas and the linked rise in gloss and spin compared to academic substance. In the remainder of this article we focus on the normative dimension of these changes and unpack their implications for the nature of the university and of academic work. In so doing, we illustrate the breadth and depth of the threat posed by ‘hollowed-out’ universities, indicate alternative, more positive currents and call for a ‘re-valuation’ of the UK university.

AB - This article argues that UK universities are at risk from a process of ‘hollowing out’ – that is, of becoming institutions with no distinctive social role and no ethical raison d'etre – and that this is a process which undermines the possibilities for meaningful institutional and academic identities. It begins with a condensed, and necessarily partial, review of recent UK higher education policy trends to indicate the historical context and direction of change and to highlight the growing separation of management and academic agendas and the linked rise in gloss and spin compared to academic substance. In the remainder of this article we focus on the normative dimension of these changes and unpack their implications for the nature of the university and of academic work. In so doing, we illustrate the breadth and depth of the threat posed by ‘hollowed-out’ universities, indicate alternative, more positive currents and call for a ‘re-valuation’ of the UK university.

KW - higher education, academic identities, academic work, marketisation, commodification, values and ethics

U2 - 10.1080/01596306.2012.717188

DO - 10.1080/01596306.2012.717188

M3 - Article

SN - 0159-6306

VL - 34

SP - 338

EP - 350

JO - Discourse (Abingdon): studies in the cultural politics of education

JF - Discourse (Abingdon): studies in the cultural politics of education

IS - 3

M1 - n/a

ER -