Thinking about higher education

With higher education around the world in a period of extreme flux, this volume explores its underlying philosophy, a core element of the ongoing debate. Offering a diverse range of perspectives from an international selection of renowned scholars of higher education, the book is full of imaginative insights that add up to a substantive contribution to the discussion. As universities attempt to adapt to a new environment characterized by stiff international competition, networked remote learning, burgeoning student numbers, and comparative performance assessment, how we conceptualize the purpose and ethos of our higher learning institutions is more important than ever. This publication features a multitude of distinctive approaches that illuminate potential solutions to the complex issues universities must grapple with in these uncertain times. Rather than espousing a singular philosophical approach, the editors have assembled views from across the spectrum and from differing national contexts, representing a multidisciplinary response to the situation. This collection of papers aims thus to inspire fresh developments in the way we think about the complexities of, and options available to, higher education Front Matter....Pages i-ix Introduction....Pages 1-5 Front Matter....Pages 7-7 Thinking about Higher Education....Pages 9-22 Higher Education and Ethical Imagination....Pages 23-36 Happiness not Salaries: The Decline of Universities and the Emergence of Higher Education....Pages 37-50 Front Matter....Pages 51-51 Higher Education and Public Good....Pages 53-69 Forces in Tension: The State, Civil Society and Market in the Future of the University....Pages 71-89 Beyond Neo-Liberalism: Higher Education in Europe and the Global Public Good....Pages 91-108 Futures for Community Engagement: A Sociomaterial Perspective....Pages 109-122 Front Matter....Pages 123-123 Babies and Bathwater: Revaluing the Role of the Academy in Knowledge....Pages 125-137 Curriculum in Higher Education: Beyond False Choices....Pages 139-155 Finding a Voice as a Student....Pages 157-173 Into the Heart of Things: Defrosting Educational Theory....Pages 175-191 Coda: Reaching for Higher Education....Pages 193-195 Back Matter....Pages 197-199