A chara, - We in the Irish Federation of University Teachers are concerned about recent media reports which have focused on how senior figures in the universities have been articulating their "visions" for the future of their institutions. These are largely pro-business research driven, where the universities will provide the research that business wants but more cheaply than business could undertake it.
The reports further suggest that those who question this vision or do not "buy-in - to it", to use the jargon phrase, will be cast aside and only those who are in this mould will be recruited.
It is certainly true that there is now an atmosphere of fear in universities and that people are afraid to question the paths that are being set out for them. Questions or arguments are now portrayed as disloyalty and there is a clear view that there is only uno duce, una voce.
This is surely the antithesis of what universities are about. They are supposed to be places where orthodoxies are questioned and where people are encouraged to argue and debate. Indeed it is one of the duties of an academic as set out in the Universities Act of 1997. Yet we are now receiving complaints from our members of bullying and harassment as a result of expressing contrary views and styles of management - styles that were inappropriate 50 years ago, never mind in the first years of the 21st century.
What makes matters worse is that the new "visions" are so limited. There is nothing wrong with a business-orientated research focus as long as it is not the only focus of a university.
The teaching and learning role of the university is being downgraded in an all-out rush to establish research reputations. This is clear to all within the sector, notwithstanding the fine words of various university strategic plans and the fact that the teaching and learning role is a key reason for our State funding.
In addition, too much emphasis is now being placed on training and not enough on education. It is important that we educate people to play a part in society as well as training them for specific tasks. An educated person can always acquire new skills; training is much more limiting.
Society needs critical thinkers who understand that most arguments are multi-faceted, who are open to other views, who realise that the world is complex and wonderful. These are the people who will build the better and inclusive society that we all want. This is what European universities have been good at for almost a thousand years and yet we are quite prepared to squander this heritage for "visions" that will be shown to be chimeras within a decade.
The Irish Federation of University Teachers is committed to maintaining all that is good in our university system. We are not against change; indeed our members have played and continue to play leadership roles in the third level sector. We participate fully at international level in the development of policy for the university sector. However, we will oppose to the maximum degree anything we believe will destroy a fine system of education that has served the nation well. - Is mise,
Prof BREANDÁN
Ó COCHLÁIN,
President,
Irish Federation of
University Teachers,
Merrion Square,
Dublin 2.