I've been coming across a lot of articles recently that seem to take it for granted that universities, and the academics within them, should be "promoting sustainable development". Sometimes this is hedged around with caveats and thoughts of a more nuanced sort; at other times, universities are made to seem as if they're selling soap power, so unsubtle is the message.
Most of these seem to come from those whose goal in life seems to be to tell academics what to do – sadly, universities in the UK are stuffed with such people these days – but some come from academics themselves who, you might think, might know better.
So, what should academics promote, if anything? Here's my starter for 10, in no particular order:
- honesty
- personal integrity
- a respect for evidence
- intellectual curiosity
- skepticism
- an open reflexiveness towards their own ideas (and prejudices)
- ...
Respond