When it comes down to it, what are universities really for? | Andrew Campbell | Opinion | The Guardi
A familar story, this time from Australia. This malaise is apparently common throughout the English-speaking world, and likely speaks to a common ideological ailment:
There is a prevailing expectation in today’s student body that their university education should make them “work-ready”. That they should graduate with a set of practical skills that enable them to adapt to a work environment.
University teaching is increasingly growing intertwined with the notion of “what employers look for”. This can only mean that universities have conceded that work is in fact the end game, and that the old aphorism that education is a valued end in itself is, however nice, ultimately worthless in our higher education marketplace.
Earlier this year, the Future Leaders Index - a study of the attitudes of Australia’s 18-29 year olds towards careers and employment - reported that eighty-four percent of students surveyed felt that “there needs to be much more workplace training for students”.
When it comes down to it, what are universities really for? | Andrew Campbell | Opinion | The Guardian
There is a prevailing expectation in today’s student body that their university education should make them “work-ready”. That they should graduate with a set of practical skills that enable them to adapt to a work environment.
University teaching is increasingly growing intertwined with the notion of “what employers look for”. This can only mean that universities have conceded that work is in fact the end game, and that the old aphorism that education is a valued end in itself is, however nice, ultimately worthless in our higher education marketplace.
Earlier this year, the Future Leaders Index - a study of the attitudes of Australia’s 18-29 year olds towards careers and employment - reported that eighty-four percent of students surveyed felt that “there needs to be much more workplace training for students”.
When it comes down to it, what are universities really for? | Andrew Campbell | Opinion | The Guardian