Consumerism threatens quality in higher education

Citation

(2003), "Consumerism threatens quality in higher education", Education + Training, Vol. 45 No. 7. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2003.00445gab.011

Consumerism threatens quality in higher education

Consumerism threatens quality in higher education

The increasing sense of competition in European higher education heightens the sense of consumerism and threatens institutions' ability to provide a quality learning environment because of dilution of resources. So says a report by 21 experts, brought together to examine how European co-operation in higher education can be strengthened to benefit both teaching and research. The report states that, with scarcer resources for higher-education institutions, students are regarded as a critical source of income, both directly and indirectly. This inevitably leads to an increased sense of competition.

Having to respond to market demands has affected higher-education curricula, teaching methods, access and links with external partners. More emphasis has been placed on competency-based education and making students more employable. But being more responsive also means taking difficult choices, such as whether to focus less on academic or discipline-driven research and more on problem-based and interdisciplinary research. The report argues that the rise of globalization and market forces has led educational systems gradually to shed their function as central agents of national integration and caused greater international convergence of higher-education and research systems. Philippe Busquin, European Commissioner Responsible for Research, said: "The twenty-first century starts with the feeling, shared by a growing number of citizens, that there is a need for more operational training, nearer the labour market, but at the same time more responsible and citizen oriented. European universities must respond to the challenge."

The report claims that the participation in higher education of a wider range of people and organizations is affecting accountability. Should this be managed and promoted at individual, departmental, faculty, institutional, regional or national level? This situation, says the report, leads to confusion about the governance structures and practices of higher-education institutions.