11/23/2009
When higher education becomes a "business"
There has been a lot of talk lately about the role of Ontario's universities in the provincial economy. This isn't surprising in the midst of a recession, when economic issues are front-of-mind. And the economic impact of universities is undenaibly huge: from research and development to the creation of a highly skilled workforce, our institutions equip Ontario for success in the global knowledge economy.
But there is a danger in letting economic logic rule our universities. If we look at higher education only as a form of job training or a means to develop commercialized research, then we miss the vital personal and society-development functions of a university degree. Higher education provides individuals with the knowledge and critical thinking skills upon which a healthy society and an effective democracy depend.
An over-emphasis on research that can be quickly commercialized ignores the importance of basic, or curiosity-drive, research. This type of research is the foundation of a successful research and development strategy. If we fail to recognize this fact and pour money only into commercialization, we stunt innovation and hurt our long-term competitiveness as a province.
In
a new research paper out today, OCUFA explores the growing exclusive emphasis on higher education as an economic enterprise. This focus - driven by Government of Ontario policies - encourages students to approach higher education as consumers rather than learners. It also hurts the humanities and social sciences, areas of inquiry essential to how we understand ourselves as individuals and as a society. This economic focus also has the perverse effect of hurting our economy by eroding our basic research infrastructure.
So what do we do? We need to re-balance the economic role of universities with their other, less newsy functions. The Government of Ontario has an important leadership role to play here, by recognizing the important of the humanity, social sciences, and basic research in their research strategy. And all of us need to re-commit to the idea of higher education as an end in itself, not just a pathway to a job.