From Mute, far from being a right, British higher education in the age of top-up fees is a commodity with a hefty price tag attached. For most students, write the Committee for Radical Diplomacy, it offers a basic schooling in debt and recasts learning as a down-payment on a dubious future. On track to cause a stir: A history professor and train enthusiast Chris Harvie is now "ideas generator" for Scotland's first minister. Get Sorbonnized: Newly elected President Sarkozy recently announced plans to reform French education, beginning with the Sorbonne.
From Foreign Policy, an interview with Shaul Bakhash, husband of Haleh Esfandiari, director of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, who was arrested in Iran. Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is returning to his alma mater, Princeton University, to teach courses on government health policy. Why Antioch Matters: The demise of a unique liberal arts college reflects a series of lamentable trends in higher education.
From Inside Higher Ed, the inevitability of intimacy: Moving to the tenure track means rethinking walls between professional and personal identity; liberal arts colleges are poised to sit out “beauty contest” part of rankings — while backing new way to share information, and as more college presidents drop out of U.S. News' popular rankings, hundreds of schools are helping put together a consumer-friendly alternative (and more and more). A look at how small colleges tip admissions in favor of male students.
From The Nation, the radical corporate overhaul of NYC public schools is draining the soul from education and reducing learning to a series of standardized tests and progress reports; and corrupt college administrators have sold out students and buried them in a mountain of debt. A look at how commercial banks and private firms are dictating who goes to college. Jonathan Chait on how conservative con men corrupt campus. Looking Out for Number One: American students are great at advocating for others, but do very little advocacy for themselves.
From The Humanist, Encouraging Science: New research suggests that elimination of the "stereotype threat" can level the mathematical playing field for men and women. But does it all add up outside the experimental lab? A look at how critical theory sucks life from pop culture classes. Education, education, entertainment: Computer games are being developed into specialised and highly sophisticated learning tools. Matters of the Mind: Want something more substantive than YouTube? Here's where to find highbrow videos on the Web.
