Stephen Downes

In many parts of the world universities are mostly autonomous, even though they are largely funded by government. It can feel like a black box: put money in, and get what you hope are educated people and research output out the other end. This article looks at the concept of university autonomy in the UK, from its origins in universities as religious institutions, to its present-day role as a bargaining position and advocacy of the idea that the best people to determine how to teach and research are teachers and researchers. There's a point to that; my dental insurance thinks it knows more about dentistry than my dentist, which is how I got an $8 payment this week. The money quote is near the end, where author David Kernohan suggests that freedom of speech legislation "has, arguably, removed the ability of the academy to discard old, discredited, and harmful ideas with impunity."