The death of academic citizenship: Why our universities are failing us

Daniel Connell

Australian National University | November 16, 2016

PROFESSOR ASIT K BISWAS argues that universities everywhere are neglecting their duty to engage in public debate on crucial policy issues. So absorbed are they in the chase for global rankings that academic excellence is being judged on the basis of publications in high impact journals, rather than on contribution to society.

Meanwhile students are left unasked how well they are prepared for their future, and vital research is left unread by policymakers. And while administrators may repeat platitudes about ‘business as usual’ approaches no longer working to solve the challenges facing academia, the truth is they do not believe in ‘business unusual’ solutions.