Page 159 - Šolsko polje, XXXI, 2020, 3-4: Convention on the Rights of the Child: Educational Opportunities and Social Justice, eds. Zdenko Kodelja and Urška Štremfel
P. 159
teršek ■ public universities in post-socialist states could become ‘un-academic’ ...
A ‘clear and present danger’ of slipping into complete non-academicism
The responsibility and accountability of the universities for enhancing
formal democracy with truly democratic content is great and important.24
Without the necessary and constitutionally provided autonomy, the uni-
versities will be unable to exercise this responsibility. Nor will they be able
to exercise it without the firm commitment of all academics and admin-
istrators working in universities to operate in an ethically credible and le-
gally sound manner (Freitag, 2010).25
Instead of resisting the purely bureaucratic and brutal administra-
tive conditions and criteria for selecting and appointing teachers, profes-
sors and researchers, the universities have completely uncritically adopt-
ed this type of dictates imposed by state authorities and committees.
Academics are not motivated enough to focus on the content and ethics of
the work processes in public universities, but are forced to be increasing-
ly passive and apathetic assistants (servants or slaves?) to the technocratic
dehumanisation of the academic world and the unbearable bureaucracy.
Universities have considerably failed to take care of the education of criti-
cally thinking citizens, of moral personalities, civilly encouraged intellec-
tuals equipped with authentic and quality knowledge. In view of what has
been happening in public universities over the last 15 years, it is almost im-
possible to speak of the obligation of universities to safeguard and increase
knowledge as a value.26 It would appear that the universities have become
almost ‘un-academic’ in such a post-socialist field (Marušič, 1997).27
24 “Accreditation systems, properly designed and mandated, can be powerful forces for
quality and change in any complex system. This is particularly true of the institutions of
medical education. Accreditation can support countries in their regulatory obligation
to institutionalise quality assurance approaches and guide individual institutions in their
development. Therefore, it is very important to pay close attention to developments in
this area. There is an urgent need to foster the adaptation of accreditation standards
and norms that reflect social accountability. Only then can educational institutions be
measured and rewarded for their real capacity to meet the pressing health care needs of
society” (Boelen and Woolard, 2009).
25 See Freitag (2010). Oh yes, how it shipwrecked.
26 See Polanec (2011): “One of the most important development issues is how to organize
higher education in such a way that academic goals such as placing Shanghai University
at the top 100 in the world can be achieved, but also economic goals such as improving
innovation and creativity in society, increasing the number of patents and accelerating
economic growth. We have been waiting for well thought-out measures for more than
twenty years, which means that the transition in higher education has not even begun.
The reason for this situation is, as usual, a lack of understanding of economic incentives in
education, a dogmatic view of the organization of higher education and a lack of will to
deal with interest groups such as students and lecturers who, in the current situation, have
high rents” (Translated by A.T.).
27 One again, particular mention should be made here of the judgment of the ECtHR in the
case Magyar Helsinki Bizottsag vs. Hungary (2016), which recognises the status of “public
157
A ‘clear and present danger’ of slipping into complete non-academicism
The responsibility and accountability of the universities for enhancing
formal democracy with truly democratic content is great and important.24
Without the necessary and constitutionally provided autonomy, the uni-
versities will be unable to exercise this responsibility. Nor will they be able
to exercise it without the firm commitment of all academics and admin-
istrators working in universities to operate in an ethically credible and le-
gally sound manner (Freitag, 2010).25
Instead of resisting the purely bureaucratic and brutal administra-
tive conditions and criteria for selecting and appointing teachers, profes-
sors and researchers, the universities have completely uncritically adopt-
ed this type of dictates imposed by state authorities and committees.
Academics are not motivated enough to focus on the content and ethics of
the work processes in public universities, but are forced to be increasing-
ly passive and apathetic assistants (servants or slaves?) to the technocratic
dehumanisation of the academic world and the unbearable bureaucracy.
Universities have considerably failed to take care of the education of criti-
cally thinking citizens, of moral personalities, civilly encouraged intellec-
tuals equipped with authentic and quality knowledge. In view of what has
been happening in public universities over the last 15 years, it is almost im-
possible to speak of the obligation of universities to safeguard and increase
knowledge as a value.26 It would appear that the universities have become
almost ‘un-academic’ in such a post-socialist field (Marušič, 1997).27
24 “Accreditation systems, properly designed and mandated, can be powerful forces for
quality and change in any complex system. This is particularly true of the institutions of
medical education. Accreditation can support countries in their regulatory obligation
to institutionalise quality assurance approaches and guide individual institutions in their
development. Therefore, it is very important to pay close attention to developments in
this area. There is an urgent need to foster the adaptation of accreditation standards
and norms that reflect social accountability. Only then can educational institutions be
measured and rewarded for their real capacity to meet the pressing health care needs of
society” (Boelen and Woolard, 2009).
25 See Freitag (2010). Oh yes, how it shipwrecked.
26 See Polanec (2011): “One of the most important development issues is how to organize
higher education in such a way that academic goals such as placing Shanghai University
at the top 100 in the world can be achieved, but also economic goals such as improving
innovation and creativity in society, increasing the number of patents and accelerating
economic growth. We have been waiting for well thought-out measures for more than
twenty years, which means that the transition in higher education has not even begun.
The reason for this situation is, as usual, a lack of understanding of economic incentives in
education, a dogmatic view of the organization of higher education and a lack of will to
deal with interest groups such as students and lecturers who, in the current situation, have
high rents” (Translated by A.T.).
27 One again, particular mention should be made here of the judgment of the ECtHR in the
case Magyar Helsinki Bizottsag vs. Hungary (2016), which recognises the status of “public
157
