I have been invited to join a live chat on What is the purpose of higher education?. This is being organized by the Guardian Higher Education Network. I’ve never done a live chat like this, so it will be interesting to see how it works. The question we will be addressing is one posed by Aidan Byrne in his live blogging of “The Politics of the Univesity”:
Since the 2000s, academic managers and leaders have adopted the discourse of neoliberalism, presented as neutral truth, ‘common sense’ or realism. ‘Choice’ trumps all other ideas. Universities form businesses, conduct marketing, undertake ‘esteem indications’ and surveys. Private income is lionised. Students are encouraged to pursue self-interest: public service is derided. What of the future?