Identity Crisis : Working in Higher Education in the 21st Century

Workers in higher education live in a world seemingly directed by league tables, targets, widening participation, competition at regional, national and international levels, student loans, variable fees, technology renewal and an ever increasing staff-student ratio. The demands on managers, administrators and academics are diverse and complex. This book offers a counter to these external pressures, providing readers with an understanding of the context in which academic work is undertaken and practical guidance for those trying to make sense of their place in the HE world. The first half of the book examines the changing landscape of higher education in the UK, where successive policy developments in education over the last 20 years have radically transformed the context in which university education is designed and organized. The second half identifies what is expected of an academic in this rapidly changing environment and offers practical suggestions for teaching, assessing and evaluating in an era of widening participation. Although Identity Crisisfocuses on the responsibilities of the 21st century academic, it will be of much interest to service providers and administrators in HE, and also to teachers. It aims to reinvigorate the practice of established employees as well as to enthuse staff who are new to HE.

Liz Marr is Director of the Centre for Inclusion and Curriculum at the Open University. Rachel Forsyth is Principal Lecturer in Curriculum Development and Innovation in the Centre for Learning and Teaching at Manchester Metropolitan University.