Whackademia : an Insider's Account of the Troubled University System

A scathing insider exposé, this account lifts the lid on a higher education system that's corporatized beyond recognition, steeped in bureaucracy, and dominated by marketing and PR imperatives rather than intellectual pursuit. Fearless, ferocious, and often funny, this exposes a world that stands in stark contrast to the slogans and mottos joyously promoted by Australia's universities. Raising bold questions that go to the heart of Australian higher education, this is an unsentimental call for a reenlightened higher education sector that's not only about revenue, efficiencies, and corporate profile. "Australian universities are not happy places. Despite the shiny rhetoric of excellence, quality, innovation and creativity, universities face a barrage of criticism over claims of declining standards, decreased funding, compromised assessment, increased vocationalism, overburdened academics and never-ending reviews and restructures. In a scathing insider exposé, Dr. Richard Hil lifts the lid on a higher education system that's corporatised beyond recognition, steeped in bureaucracy and dominated by marketing and PR imperatives rather than intellectual pursuit. Fearless, ferocious and often funny, Whackademia exposes a world that stands in stark contrast to the slogans and mottos joyously promoted by our universities. Raising bold questions that go to the heart of Australian higher education, Whackademia is an unsentimental call for a re-enlightened higher education sector that's not only about revenue, efficiencies and corporate profile."--Publisher Australian Universities Are Not Happy Places. Despite The Shiny Rhetoric Of Excellence, Quality, Innovation And Creativity, Universities Face A Barrage Of Criticism Over Claims Of Declining Standards, Decreased Funding, Compromised Assessment, Increased Vocationalism, Overburdened Academics And Never-ending Reviews And Restructures. Introduction: Grounds For Complaint -- 1. A Tertiary Odyssey -- 2. Sexing Up Whackademia -- 3. Taking Care Of Business -- 4. Production-line Teaching -- 5. Research, Metrics And Money -- 6. Governing Whackademia -- 7. Enough Complaint, Now What? -- Conclusion: Seeing Through Whackademia. Richard Hil. Includes Bibliographical References. Also Available Online. A scathing insider expos, this account lifts the lid on a higher education system thats corporatized beyond recognition, steeped in bureaucracy, and dominated by marketing and PR imperatives rather than intellectual pursuit. Fearless, ferocious, and often funny, this exposes a world that stands in stark contrast to the slogans and mottos joyously promoted by Australias universities. Raising bold questions that go to the heart of Australian higher education, this is an unsentimental call for a reenlightened higher education sector thats about more than just revenue, efficiencies, and corporate profile.