Change in Higher Education and a Core Value: Academic Freedom

Abstract

Background. Institutes of higher education face many profound challenges and problems, which create a strong pressure for change in higher education. In higher education administration, planning, implementing and evaluating change or dealing with unplanned changes in an effective way, has been accepted as a crucial responsibility. Regardless of whether they are planned or unplanned, current changes have some negative side effects on core university values. Academic freedom is one of these values and it can be easily compromised. Purpose. The purpose of this article is to assess current changes in higher education institutions in an effort to determine their effects to academic freedom. Method. A literature review of the problem is presented along with several arguments which examine the changes as they relate to change theories. Findings. Commercialization, which may be seen as the most important trend in higher education, has huge potential to undermine academic freedom. Religious or political intolerance, diversity, multiculturalism and national security issues may also create threats to academic freedom. Integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) into education are some other changes that may lead to problems with academic freedom. Each organizational change theory has some power to enlighten various facets of the academic freedom issue and we can benefit from multiple theories to understand, protect and develop academic freedom. Practical Implications. This article brings this issue to the forefront in an effort to engage university administrators and educators. Social Implications. In addition to the environmental pressure for change, the loosely coupled structure of universities is also a problem when protecting some core values such as academic freedom. These basic values of university culture may be lost, department by department, college by college, or institution by institution without people in these institutions noticing it. Academicians should always be aware and have an understanding of this issue. It is hoped that this paper will contribute to the development and/or the persistence of this awareness and understanding.

Keywords

• academic freedom , higher education , organizational change.

Change in Higher Education and a Core Value: Academic Freedom

Öz

Yüksek öğretim kurumları da diğer örgütler gibi değişim baskısı altındadır ve değişimin planlanması, uygulanması ve yönetimi yöneticiler için önemli görev alanları yaratmaktadır. Öte yandan planlanmamış değişmelere direnebilmek de üniversitelerden beklenen bir tepki biçimidir. Planlanmış olsun ya da olmasın günümüzde yaşanan bazı değişmelerin bazı temel üniversite değerleri üzerinde istenmeyen yan etkileri söz konusu olabilmektedir. Bu açıdan akademik özgürlüğün korunması özel bir önem taşımaktadır. Bu araştırmanın amacı yüksek öğretimde yaşanan güncel değişmeleri ve bunların akademik özgürlüğe etkilerini değerlendirmektir. Araştırmada ele alınan konuyla ilgili literatür, yüksek öğretimde yaşanan değişimleri değişim kuramları açısından değerlendiren tartışmalarla birlikte ele alınarak sunulmuştur. Günümüzün en önemli değişim yönelimi olan ticarileşme akademik özgürlüğü yok etme açısından büyük bir potansiyele taşımaktadır. Dinsel ve siyasi hoşgörüsüzlük nedeniyle, çok kültürlülük, etnik çeşitlilik, ulusal güvenlik gibi konular da akademik özgürlük için tehdit olabilmektedir. Bilgi ve iletişim teknolojilerinin eğitime entegrasyonu gibi gelişmeler de akademik özgürlügün sınırlanmasına yol açabilmektedir. Bütün örgütsel değişim kuramları akademik özgürlük konusunu belli bir açıdan aydınlatma gücüne sahip olmakla birlikte, akademik özgürlüğün anlaşılması, korunması ve geliştirilmesi için çoklu kuramların kullanılmasının en uygun yaklaşım olacağı söylenebilir. Değişim için çevreden gelen baskılara ek olarak üniversitenin gevşek bağlarla bağlanmış yapısı da akademik özgürlük gibi bazı temel değerlerin korunmasında sorun yaratabilir. Üniversite kültürünün bu temel değerleri, farkına bile varmadan adım adım kaybedilebilir. Bu durumda akademisyenlerin sürekli uyanık ve tetikte olması gerekir. Bu çalışmanın söz konusu anlayışın gelişmesi ve sürdürülmesine katkıda bulunması umulmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• akademik özgürlük , yüksek öğretim , örgütsel değişim.

Kaynakça

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