Education International
pedagogic methods and practices (Verger, Fontdevila and Zancajo 2016). Privatisation and commercialisation can erode core aims of state and public education, such as the personal development, intellectual independence and social, political and cultural orientation of students as informed, responsible and active citizens (Biesta 2015). Likewise, it impacts on academic freedom, as academic work is increasingly performed through digitalized infrastructures and datafied institutions that are deeply shaped by platform business practices such as data monetisation, intellectual property ownership, and surveillance (Tanczer et al 2020). It is clear that digital technologies enabled colleges and universities to continue offering teaching, learning and assessment opportunities during widespread campus closures across many countries in 2020, with international assessments of ‘best practices’ already documented including those that address key issues of access and equity.5 However, the rapid pivot to digital teaching, learning and management technologies during the COVID-19 emergency in 2020 makes it essential to revisit longstanding questions about private and commercial involvement in education, and to consider the long-term consequences for the future of the ‘post-pandemic university’ worldwide.6
2. States of emergency, exception and experimentation The response to the pandemic by governments and institutions has revealed both the existing extent of the penetration of private and commercial organisations in education systems and their efforts to extend their influence across all levels of schooling and postcompulsory education during the emergency.7 At the same time, the prolonged crisis has generated further problems. HE systems in many countries have begun facing unprecedented challenges emerging from the crisis, including: budget cuts, austerity and possible bankruptcy;8 unsustainable business models;9 battles over academic freedom and curriculum content;10 demands to demonstrate value for money and 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Naffi, N., Davidson, A.-L., Patino, A., Beatty, B., Gbetoglo, E. and Duponsel, N. 2020, 30 September. Online learning during COVID-19: 8 ways universities can improve equity and access. The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/online-learningduring-covid-19-8-ways-universities-can-improve-equity-and-access-145286 The Post-Pandemic University. 2020, 21 October. Digital technology and the post-pandemic university. The Post-Pandemic University: https://postpandemicuniversity.net/digital-technology-and-the-post-pandemic-university Williamson, B. and Hogan, A. 2020. Commercialisation and privatisation in/of education in the context of COVID-19. Education International: https://go.ei-ie.org/GRCOVID19 Carey, K. 2020, September/October. How to save Higher Education. Washington Monthly: https://washingtonmonthly.com/ magazine/september-october-2020/how-to-save-higher-education/ Karabell, Z. 2020, 27 August. The Economic Model of Higher Education Was Already Broken. Here’s Why the Pandemic May Destroy It for Good. Time: https://time.com/5883098/higher-education-broken-pandemic Adekoya, R., Kaufman, E. and Simpson, T. 2020, 3 August. Academic freedom in the UK. Policy Exchange: https:// policyexchange.org.uk/publication/academic-freedom-in-the-uk-2/
