'Discipline makes the nation great': visioning development and the Nepali nation-state through schools

This scene, describing the daily ritual of morning assembly as conducted in an English medium private school in eastern Nepal in autumn 2000, graphically depicts the disciplinary dimensions of schooling and the very visible and at times violent way in which students’ behaviour is transformed to comply with the norms of the institution. Such a transformation, in Nepal as in many other contexts, is widely associated with a move away from the traditional lifestyle of the locality or village towards that considered modern, developed and more connected with the nation and, indeed, the world beyond

Outward looking eyes: visions of schooling, development and the state in Nepal

This study explores the relationship between global discourses of education and development, how those ideas are taken up and utilised in the context of national programme development and implementation, and their further reinterpretation by groups at the district and school level. I engage in an examination of development as a socio-political process in order to explore critically the tensions and paradoxes evident in the promotion of schooling in contemporary Nepal. In doing so, I challenge the depoliticised vision of schooling which underpins dominant donor discourses of education reform and highlight the political and contested nature of education administration and the everyday activities in school. I take as my starting point Nepal's Basic and Primary Education Project (BPEP), a multidonor initiative aiming to improve access to schooling, the quality of education provision and the efficiency of education administration. Developed in line with the goals of the World Conference on Education for All, the initiative starts from the assumption that the various parties involved - donors, central government officials, District Education Office staff, teachers and parents - share a common interest in and commitment to the promotion of schooling. As such, schooling is considered a clear development 'good' and the state viewed as a single entity, acting as a benign provider of this service. Through an exploration of the context into which this programme is inserted, the limitations of this dominant consensus-based model are considered. Particular focus is given to the multiple interests played out in the arena of education reform challenging the assumption of shared interests in expanding schooling opportunities. The study traverses from debates between the various donor and central government officials in Kathmandu, through the implementation of the process of District Education Planning, to an examination of the everyday practices of school life and the direct, and often violent, challenges made to the state through schools. At each level, the conflicts of interest and multiple views of the relationship between schooling, development and the state in Nepal are highlighted, challenging the idea that a consensus exists around the content and purpose of schooling. Such an analysis creates an opportunity for a more critical examination of perceptions of schooling and the link between education and development and, as such, has implications for how development practitioners view their role in processes of education reform in Nepal

Seeking Compassion in the Measured University: Generosity, Collegiality and Competition in Academic Practice

In the context of league tables, national student surveys and increasing competition for students and resources, measurement and comparison is an ever-present – and ever more significant – aspect of contemporary academic life. Institutional definitions of prestige and success intertwine with individuals' sense of value, career-progression and everyday work activity in varying ways, from active championing of particular dominant visions of 'excellence' through to varying forms of resistance, both passive and active. Faced with such challenges, increasing attention is being given to where academics find support, value and motivation in their working lives. This paper explores academics' narratives of the relationship and practices that shape their career decisions and frame their academic practice, highlighting the everyday pressures that squeeze space for compassionate collegiality. The paper draws on narrative interviews that explored how academics experienced kindness and collegiality as they transition through their careers, examining detailed personal narratives of 23 academics based at Scottish universities. Participants shared their CVs and three artefacts (pictures, objects, or events) that were significant to their career journey. The resulting narratives offer detailed insight into how participants negotiate institutional pressures and frame relations with colleagues in order to create meaning, value and (degrees of) 'happiness' in their work. The paper argues that while there is recognition of the impact of universities' strive for 'excellence' on staff interactions and work priorities, this is largely de-politicised in institutional contexts, with attention given to personal resilience, finding work-life balance, and individuals developing soft-skills to manage everyday interactions. The more socially-oriented concept of 'compassion' offers a fresh perspective from which to explore the everyday interactions within the university and consider the practical and political steps required to create supportive work environments

Seeking Compassion in the Measured University: Generosity, Collegiality and Competition in Academic Practice

In the context of league tables, national student surveys and increasing competition for students and resources, measurement and comparison is an ever-present – and ever more significant – aspect of contemporary academic life. Institutional definitions of prestige and success intertwine with individuals' sense of value, career-progression and everyday work activity in varying ways, from active championing of particular dominant visions of 'excellence' through to varying forms of resistance, both passive and active. Faced with such challenges, increasing attention is being given to where academics find support, value and motivation in their working lives. This paper explores academics' narratives of the relationship and practices that shape their career decisions and frame their academic practice, highlighting the everyday pressures that squeeze space for compassionate collegiality. The paper draws on narrative interviews that explored how academics experienced kindness and collegiality as they transition through their careers, examining detailed personal narratives of 23 academics based at Scottish universities. Participants shared their CVs and three artefacts (pictures, objects, or events) that were significant to their career journey. The resulting narratives offer detailed insight into how participants negotiate institutional pressures and frame relations with colleagues in order to create meaning, value and (degrees of) 'happiness' in their work. The paper argues that while there is recognition of the impact of universities' strive for 'excellence' on staff interactions and work priorities, this is largely de-politicised in institutional contexts, with attention given to personal resilience, finding work-life balance, and individuals developing soft-skills to manage everyday interactions. The more socially-oriented concept of 'compassion' offers a fresh perspective from which to explore the everyday interactions within the university and consider the practical and political steps required to create supportive work environments

Third sector internships Scotland: final report

Third Sector Internships Scotland helped students gain paid work experience in the Third Sector. This five-year programme, part of the Scottish Funding Council’s Learning to Work 2 initiative, was open to students from all Scottish universities

Third sector internships Scotland: final report

Third Sector Internships Scotland helped students gain paid work experience in the Third Sector. This five-year programme, part of the Scottish Funding Council’s Learning to Work 2 initiative, was open to students from all Scottish universities

Degree apprenticeships - a win-win model? A comparison of policy aims with the expectations and experiences of apprentices

This article compares policy aims with experiences following the introduction of a new model for STEM apprenticeships in the UK. Degree apprentices work while studying for a degree, undertaking work-based learning and attending on-campus classes. Specifically, this study explores an implementation in Scotland, where computing degrees are designed and delivered through partnerships between employers, universities, and the Scottish Government’s skills agency, Skills Development Scotland. This collaboration is designed to bridge employer-reported skills gaps and to bring about an increase in highly-skilled workers. To examine the policy implementation behind the new degrees, a review was conducted of the policy documents that framed their introduction, including texts from university and employer websites promoting apprenticeships. The apprentices’ perspectives, barely addressed in the policy documents, were examined through surveys and narrative interviews. The policy documents positioned the new degrees as a ‘win-win’ opportunity for employer-led higher education, and the apprentices recognised and valued the opportunity to undertake a work-based degree. However, underneath the superficial win-win narrative a complex implementation landscape was observed for employers, apprentices, and universities. Understanding these stakeholder contexts is essential for the longer term sustainability of degree apprenticeships

Assessing the Synthesis Report: The Response of the WorkingGroup

This is Paper 7 in the Debates in Skills Development Series. It contains a range of contributions from practitioners and academics in the field. The collection was edited by M.Caddell and K.Holmes for the Working Group for International Cooperation in Skills Development