Abstract
A key question of this chapter is the role and function of higher education, especially the universities, in contemporary society. Is it primarily a vehicle for the improvement of knowledge and intellectual qualifications? Or is it about other issues? A second key question is what the signifier ‘university’ means (in the context of education), questioning extent to which the entire sector in itself can be viewed as an illusion. A third key question concerns the benefits of higher education for individuals. This chapter starts by critically examining to what extent higher education leads to qualifications and whether an academic degree offers a clear message about a graduate’s ability. These questions trigger further consideration of inflation tendencies in the entire educational sector, but especially in universities. One problematic outcome is over-education whereby the number of graduates exceeds the number of jobs for which their formal education indicates they are qualified.
Published Version
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