Recent events show a government in constant changes of mind about how to control implementation of frequently changing policies, and the inefficiencies and inequalities that result from capitalistic approaches to public service functions. These same factors feature within higher education (HE), demonstrating that the values, culture, decision…

This article notes that while there is a large literature lamenting increasing assaults on academic freedom, there is little literature to address ways in which it might be preserved. Sampling that writing, it finds some concern with protecting academic freedom in extreme scenarios, via discrete programmes, and generalised dissidence, but no…

Even though critical thinking is carried out in schools across the country, there is no attempt to take high-level published philosophical research into schools. This paper reports on a pilot where this was attempted. The findings suggest that this can be done successfully and moreover that the results can be contextualised so as to count towards…

Over the last decade, many universities attempted to improve their public image by changing their corporate visual identity (CVI) and/or name. Despite the prevalence of such practices, little research has been conducted into their effectiveness. The research reported here focused upon one facet of the higher education branding debate, that of the…

Now that universities have shifted their priorities to those of the "cash nexus", they increasingly articulate their accomplishments and validate their existence in business terms for a globally competitive academic market. But corporatizing trends and the use of bibliometric tools that rank publication and quantify scholarity impact a…

This paper discusses issues relating to the use of the Association of Business Schools' (ABS) "Academic Journal Quality Guide" within UK business schools. It also looks at several specific issues raised by the Chair of the British Accounting Association/British Accounting and Finance Association regarding the ratings for top…

The challenges that the UK faces today are global and they require world-class solutions. With continued support and investment from the Government, higher education will play a central role in meeting those challenges. Tomorrow's knowledge-based economy will demand a flexible, diverse and well educated workforce. Climate change and rapid…

Governments in many countries exert pressures on universities to be more accountable for the results they manage to achieve with the resources available to them. A recently added twist, ironically within the context of falling government investment and rising student demand, is that governments are intruding into areas which have long been…

The paper starts with a description of higher education in the United Kingdom and of reforms over the last 50 years. By reference to specified output measures, the performance of UK universities is judged to be good. The factors affecting this performance are postulated by comparing policies and approaches in the United Kingdom with those…

This article introduces the issue of articles on research assessments and rankings. It focuses on the British Research Assessment Exercises (RAEs) and New Zealand's Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF). It contrasts these with systems that are not tied to funding formulas and emphasise quality enhancement rather than quality assurance. It…

A discussion of the current economics of the United Kingdom's higher education system outlines conceptual models used by economists for evaluating a system's efficiency and applies them to assess the effect of recent funding changes. It is concluded that increased emphasis on research is adversely affecting university teaching quality. (MSE)

Research and teaching quality ratings have become established in the United Kingdom, influencing the level of government funding provided to higher education institutions. The correlation between the two indicators, and possible consequences of policies that reshape the higher education sector by concentrating research resources in a limited…

This book gives an updated account of the present use and status of performance indicators (PIs)in British higher education, a decade after their controversial introduction into higher education policy. The first chapter explores some key issues in the development of PIs, noting that since their introduction as a largely, externally imposed…

The paper compares and contrasts higher education funding sources and systems in the U.S. and the UK. The issues raised in the paper pertain to the major challenge of academia: finding financial support in times of limited resources and enhanced competition. The issues discussed throughout the paper are: funding and quality assessment of…

This book gives an account of the present use and status of performance indicators in British higher education, set against the developing literature and experience of performance indicators in the United States and other countries. The book provides a critical survey of the range of devices being proposed but also points to possible patterns or…