Universities, Ethics and Professions

Every business and organization today needs to impress stakeholders with its ethics policy. Universities, Ethics and Professions examines how this emphasis on ethics by the professional world is impacting universities, institutions that have long been key contributors to ethical reflection and debate, and shapers of ethical discourse. Changing objectives, globalization, and public concerns continue to bring professionalism, and commercialization, into the dialogue about what ethics mean on campus. Universities, Ethics and Professions offers an in-depth examination of the changing landscape of academic ethics, with case-study analysis from sociologists, educationalists, management specialists and philosophers. As professionalism becomes an integral part of university teaching, training, and research, this book considers the impact on the ethical practices of academics, and explores the importance of universities remaining sites of open discourse on ethics in the future.

John Strain teaches ethics at Surrey University, UK. He is an Anglican priest and also teaches a Master's level course in religious ideology and international conflict. Ronald Barnett is Professor of Higher Education at the Institute of Education, University of London and Pro-Director for Longer Term Strategy. Peter Jarvis is a former head of the Department of Educational Studies at the University of Surrey and Adjunct Professor, Department of Adult Education, University of Georgia, USA.

Acknowledgements 1. Introduction, John Strain, Ronald Barnett and Peter Jarvis Section 1 The debate: ethics in contemporary universities Introduction to Section 1 2. Ethics, values and higher education: the power of globalization, Peter Jarvis 3. The vitality of ethics in the contemporary university, John Strain 4. The post-modern university: prospects of the ethical, Ronald Barnett Section 2 Ethical concepts in academic practice Introduction to Section 2 5. Formation and virtue, academic and professional, Christopher Megone 6. Community as an academic ethic, Bruce Macfarlane 7. Dialogue, virtue and ethics,Stan van Hooft 8. Excellence and the pursuit of competence in contemporary universities: a view from the U.S.A., Joan Whitman Hoff Section 3 Universities, ethics and professions: some different perspectives Introduction to Section 3 9. The teacher's perspective: teaching ethics and professional ethics in universities, Christopher Belshaw 10. Looking forward: the researcher's perspective, Martin Bulmer and Josephine Ocloo 11. Views from the boundary: business and professional perspectives, Simon Robinson 12. Looking at what is needed: from the chief executive's desk, Roger Steare 13. Departures, John Strain, Ronald Barnett and Peter Jarvis Index