[Commentary] The NPM University: A Satirical Examination of New Public Management in Higher Education, Drawing Lessons from a Fictional Norwegian Institution

Qeios Pub Date : 2024-05-14 DOI:10.32388/r7ulg2
Kjetil Haugen, Kai A. Olsen
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Abstract

This brief commentary presents a satirical critique of New Public Management (NPM) practices in higher education, using a fictional university in Norway as a case study. Drawing parallels with Soviet-era production methods, we explore the implications of applying industrial management tactics to academic settings. Through a humorous lens, we discuss how such approaches can lead to a dilution of academic standards and integrity, evidenced by tactics such as lowering student assessment criteria to artificially boost pass rates and employing superficial methods to enhance institutional reputations. This analysis aims to provoke thoughtful reflection on current educational policies and their long-term impacts on academic quality, university governance, and policy formulation. We critically examine the metrics-driven approach to educational success and its consequences on teaching quality and academic freedom. By engaging with themes such as accountability in education, marketization of higher education, and the commodification of learning, this concise contribution invites a broader discussion on the sustainability of NPM strategies in nurturing genuine educational excellence.
[评论]新公共管理大学:对高等教育新公共管理的讽刺性审视,从虚构的挪威院校中汲取教训
这篇简短的评论以挪威一所虚构的大学为案例,对高等教育中的新公共管理(NPM)实践进行了讽刺性批判。我们借鉴苏联时期的生产方式,探讨了将工业管理策略应用于学术环境的影响。通过幽默的视角,我们讨论了这种方法如何导致学术标准和诚信的淡化,例如降低学生评估标准以人为提高通过率,以及采用肤浅的方法提高机构声誉。本分析旨在引发人们对当前教育政策及其对学术质量、大学管理和政策制定的长期影响进行深思。我们批判性地审视了以指标为导向的教育成功方法及其对教学质量和学术自由的影响。通过探讨教育问责制、高等教育市场化和学习商品化等主题,这篇简明扼要的文章引发了人们对国家预防机制战略在培养真正卓越教育方面的可持续性进行更广泛的讨论。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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