Historical and Contemporary Perspective

The concept of the neoliberalism refers to the globalization of society in terms of economical growth. The neoliberalim has impacted all aspects of the society including the higher education. The higher education has gained much importance from the historical age and after execution of the concept of neoliberalism in the society, the perspectives of the higher education have changed. There has been vast and in depth study by the scholars of the higher education and the impact of the neoliberalism on the same. The purpose of this literature review is to present the concept and the opinions of the different scholars regarding the impact of neoliberalism on higher education. On the other hand, the literature review of this discourse presents level of the competition within the university in terms of the influence of the neoliberalism on the higher education. In regard to this, it must be noted that the effect of the neoliberalism is different in the different country. However, the trends in the universities of all the country are similar on the providence of the education to the students in order to get all the privileges from the implementation of the neoliberalism. The quality and the standard of the education have also been changed with the conceptualization of the neoliberalism in the context of the higher education.

As opined by Joens and Hoyle, (2013), neoliberal corporatization of the of the higher education regard to the latest manifestation of the rankings of the university “in which the market forces increasingly govern research and teaching and thus leads to the marketization of the education and the co-modification of the knowledge, and simple but relentless pressure to produce”. From the historical perspective the competition in the context of the higher education does not refer to the competition among the universities, rather it refers to the competition among the students for the achievement of the graduate level studies.   On the other hand, Seller, (2013) stated that the impact of the neo-liberalism has increased the competition among the universities regardless of their countries. The contemporary perspectives of the competition refer to the close and strong competition among the universities in terms of the deliverance of the education to the students (Hazelkorn, 2015). In regard to the impact of the neo-liberalism, the socio economic background of the universities as well as the students, the level of competition is determined. For serving the purpose of the competition and to gain the competitive advantages in the global market which is driven by the neoliberalism, the universities are approaching the cross border relationship (Mitchell & Nielsen, 2012). This transformation is the result of the globalization in terms of the neoliberalism. Along with this, Michell and Nielson, (2012) also stated that the neoliberalism is enabling the universities to stand as the individual entity I the global context of the higher education. It must be understood from the historical perspective that the prevalence of the competition in the higher education was less compared to the contemporary perspective.

Competition as the Part of the Higher Education Industry

As opined by Bagley and Portnoi, (2016) the emergence of the several new universities in the competitive global market of the higher education can be compared to the trends in the higher education sectors and the reason behind the same is the conceptualization of the neoliberalism. The scholars in the article have emphasized upon the contemporary trends of the higher education in terms of the global competition. It is considered that the knowledge producers are the center in the market of the competition, as “knowledge and people with knowledge are the key factors of development, the main drivers of growth, and the major determinants of competitiveness in the global economy” (Bagley & Portnoi, 2016). In this regard, it must be remembered that the neoliberalism is one of the aspects of the globalization. Therefore, the neoliberalism along with the globalization has transformed the public universities to the private. The privatization of the universities has increased the level of competition among the universities and this is the chief argumentative topic of the neoliberal economic agenda (Mitchell & Nielsen, 2012).

The contemporary perspective of the competition in the market for the higher secondary education is indicated by the economical growth and development in regards to the neo-liberalism. However, the competition among the universities for the providence of the higher education to the mass is based on the needs and the contemporary trends in regard to the higher education.  The more the country is developed, the more competitive is the market of education is. In addition, the privatization of the universities is also based on the economical dependency of the universities (Lipman, 2011). It is found that the rate and the level of the competition are more in the private universities more rather than the public universities (Stimac & Simic, 2012). The neo liberalism is the key to the competition in the sector of the higher education in terms of the global context. The neoliberal concept has worked as the evolving factor for the transformation of the competition level within the setting of the higher education organizations.

As the economic growth is the basis of the neo liberal concept, the universities which are not privatized are economically helped by the government in order to gain the competitive advantages from the market. As stated by Gale and Parker, (2013), the role of the Australian government in the higher education is vital as after the World War II, the education system was disrupted and desperately needed the help from the government. In regards to this, it needs to be mentioned that the economical aspect of the nation, as well as the state, is the key important factor for the advancement of the competition in the context of the higher education. With the evolving transformation of the universities in terms of the deliverance of the higher education to fulfill the needs of the students, the neoliberalism with its economical forces has been able to increase the completion within the universities as compared to the historical times.  

The higher education systems, institutions as well as policies are properly transformed with the help of globalization that is deepening, widening as well as speeding up the entire worldwide interconnectedness. Higher education is mixed up in these kinds of changes wherein research as well as education are the key elements in the formation of the global environment that is foundational to a different kind of knowledge along with taking up challenges as well.

There are different core ideas that have been developed in the particular chapter relates to the impact of globalization as well as internationalism in the higher education. According to Altbach, (2015), the study helps in understanding that the globalization is possible by the proper development of the technologies that are transforming in nature that is regarding transportation as well as communication. As distinguished from the globalization, the entire emphasis is based on the worldwide conditions that help in influencing the perception of the mobility of actions as well as space and nature of the communication to social interaction. The internationalism focuses on the actions of the individuals that are intentional in nature and this is the engine of globalization as well.

With the study of Duong and Chua, (2016), the international faculty along with the students is moving around the entire world freely that is contributing towards the process of globalization. The proper internationalism of the higher education is allowing the students as well as professors to properly cross borders as well as institutions that are challenging the national loyalties of the students as well as faculty members. There are institutions that rely on the loyalty shift as to bring top talent around the world at prestigious universities. The field of the endeavor as well as well as loyalty towards the institutions helps in providing stronger than allegiance to the nationwide culture (Mitchell & Nielsen, 2012).

The institutions strive for flexibility in order to respond to the rapid changes in the conditions of the market as in performing such activities the community colleges that are operating in the global culture requires to quickly respond to the different technological advancements along with the changes in the opportunities of the job. These are brought with the help of the globalization of structure of the market (De Wit, 2015). The different institutions strive for opportunities in the rapidly changing market that depends on internationalism as well as globalization that acts as the contributing factor for the entire process of the globalization. Globalization and internationalism factors can operate together in order to create global interdependence in culture as well as politics.

Therefore, according to Altbach, (2015), it can be inferred that globalization is the process that allows new order in the entire world of higher education. Starting from the economical to political purposes, nationalism is the process that helps in providing the way to the culture that depends on the legitimacy along with global name expansion and recognition. The higher education that survive as well as fit the best are the ones that participate in the global changes and they are the ones which survive the best as well.

The globalization and the economical development indiscrimination in the name of the neo liberalism refer to the argumentative study which is concerned about the unethical behavior of the universities.  The unethical behavior is developed and based on the morally unethical practices of the governing bodies and the management of the universities for sustaining in the market. The contemporary global market is extremely competitive and is a constant threat to the universities. Therefore, the sustainability of the universities is one of the major concerns for the governing bodies of the same. The constant threat of the sustainability of the universities in the global market leads the same to practice unethical behavior.

According to Denisova-Schmidt, (2017), the unethical practices of the universities are due to the pressure of the constant competition in the global market for the providence of the better quality of higher education to the students. In addition, it must also be noted that the rapid increase of the needs of the international students for the higher education, is leading the universities to practice the unethical behavior. The unethical practices further lead the universities to the corruption which ultimately creates the negative impression over the sustainability of the universities. The different form of the corruptions is the different form of the unethical practices such as the bribery, collusion, conflict of interest, favoritism, fraud, lobbying and many others (Osipian, 2013). The market of the higher education is wide and expanded in the global context and the pressure of the competition within the industry is one of the major factors that influence not only the sustainability of the universities but also unethical behavior within the universities.

The unethical and illegal practices are seen in mostly in the private universities. Kezar, Chambers and Burkhardt, (2015) identified the reason for this is to the urge and need for sustaining in the global competitive market of higher education. After the conceptualization and the implementation of the neo liberalism within the society, the number of the universities has increased and still has been increasing in order to fulfill the need of the growing students. To fulfill the needs and the demand of the international students, universities are unknowingly falling the victims of the corruption due to the unethical practices. The private universities are the perfect examples for the same. In accordance to the Busemeyerb and Trampusch, (2012), the privatization of the universities after the idealization of the neo liberalism, the rate of the illegal and unethical practices have increased in terms of the public goods, human capital, quality of the education and the recruitments of the students. However, there are laws and regulation for the prevention of the unethical practices within the universities.

The public goods in the context of the higher education are referred to the impact of the education towards the betterment of the society. The constant competition within the industry of the higher education is forcing the institutions to practice the unethical behaviors (Kezar, Chambers & Burkhardt, 2015). The privatization of the higher education universities is resulting into the privatization of the public goods.  It must be remembered that one of the purposes of providing the higher education to the students is to create the public goods for the wellbeing of the students as well as the societies. The constant and continuous force of the competition within the industry of the higher education is destroying the public goods provided by the education institutions (Altbach, 2015). The providence of the vocational training, communicative training and others are considered as the public goods in terms of providing higher education by the universities (Peters, 2013). The unethical practices regarding the same is the reference to the unethical preservation of the opportunities which affects the career of the students. As opined by Pulfrey and Butera, (2013), the political aspect of the society also is a predominant factor over the universities for practicing unethical behaviors within the universities in order to maintain the sustainability of the institutions in the competitive global market.

The human capital is another important factor in the higher education system that is affected by the unethical practice of the institutions. Another major purpose of the higher educational organizations is to make the rich and competent human capital. The corruption within the educational organization affects the service of the same projects negative impact on the human capitals. Holborow, (2012) stated that the role of the universities is important and crucial in creating the rich and professional human capital. However, it is found in most of the cases that to meet the line of target determined by the competition in the higher education industry, the institutions the victims of the unethical and illegal practices. The competitive nature of the market encourages the universities to practice unethical behaviors. Again, the political factor plays an important role in the illegal practice within the universities (Tanzharikova, 2012). However, the allegation is not always true as because sometimes it is the influence of the political factor that helps to prevent the unethical practices in the educational organizations (Busemeyer & Trampusch, 2012).

The quality of the education is next aspect that is affected by the improper practices of the universities. For the maintenance of the sustainability and capture more students towards the specific educational organizations, the same is practicing illegal and improper behaviors which are intimately deteriorating the quality of the education. As per the opinion of Lunsford, (2013), the quality of the education is declining due to the competition within the market of the higher education. The educational institution is more into the activities of attracting the students from the international context than to provide quality education to the existing students. According to Marginson (2013), the quality of the education must be the highest and primary priority of the educational institutions as the basic purpose of the universities is to make enriched and qualified students. Hence, the importance of quality education is important in terms of producing the better human resource. The unethical and the illegal practice of the universities for matching the steps with the competitive nature of the education industry are making the quality of the education decline.  

Recruitment of the students within the universities of higher education requires eligibility of the students as the recruitment is one of the vital processes. The recruitments of the students in the universities of the higher education are done through some process that examines the eligibility of the students. The corruption within the universities refers to unfiltered recruitments. Hazelkorn, (2015) has stated that unethical practice in the context of the recruitment of the students is capable of depriving the eligible students of getting the proper opportunity. On the other hand, the organizational behavior is also hampered by the unethical recruitment process and can lead the institution towards the fall. For maintaining the position of the educational organization within the global market of higher education, the universities practice the unethical behavior in terms of the recruitment of the students. As mentioned by Tang and Tang, (2012), the unethical practices of the educational organization in the context of the recruitment process of the students is due to the urge of the organizations to prove itself best in the industry in order to maintain the sustainability. On the other hand, the illegal practice of the organization in the initial stage of the providence of the higher education, strengthen the level of the corruption within the universities. In accordance to Macfarlane, (2013), the recruitment is the most vital process of the educational organization as it reflects the transparency of the same. In addition, the legal and ethical consideration is also capable of attracting more students from the international context. However, the conceptualization of the neo liberalism has shifted the ideologies of the educational institutions and made the same practice the improper and unethical activities for sustaining in the competitive international market (Lunsford et al., 2013).   

Therefore, it is evident from the above discourse on the literature review of the neo liberalism and the competition in the higher education system that the same is the result of the impact of the neo liberalism on the universities for higher education. The neo liberalism has not only shifted the concept of the competition, but also transformed the structure and the practice of the educational institutions. The impact of the neo liberalism on the higher educational sector has increased the level and rate of competition within the universities. The competition has become the part of the higher education industry in terms of the impact of the globalization and internationalization. On the other hand, the increase of the pressure to compete with the universities within the global context, the educational institutes are into the unethical and illegal practice. The scholars defined the unethical practices of the educational organizations as the pressure of maintaining the sustainability of the global market of competition.    

Reference

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Altbach, P. (2015). Perspectives on internationalizing higher education. International Higher Education, (27).

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Denisova-Schmidt, E. (2017). The Challenges of Academic Integrity in Higher Education: Current Trends and Prospects.

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