Reflections: Change, quality and standards in British higher education

Since the end of the Second World War higher education in the United Kingdom has experienced profound modification, as it has moved from an elite to a mass system. Whilst many of the ensuing changes have been for the better, some have resulted in a poorer system, that serves less well both faculty and students. In particular, and as a result of political motives emanating from successive governments, the emphasis of the UK academy has been forced away from teaching towards research. At the same time, a league table culture has swept the sector, with extremely negative results in terms of both quality and standards. The imposition of these changes has, however, been aided and abetted from within the sector itself, as self-regulation by the academy has been replaced by a frankly managerialist agenda embraced by university senior executives.