In her new book, Dr. Joanna Williams of the Centre for the Study of Higher Education explores the status of students within the university and society, and the funding and purpose of higher education, drawing on empirical data, UK and USA government policy documents, speeches by policy makers and media representations of students. The book moves beyond the debates surrounding fees to consider the impact of the consumption model on universities, learning, knowledge, and student identity. These themes and arguments are drawn together to consider what it means to be a student and to explore alternative conceptions of higher education.
Joanna’s book Consuming Higher Education: Why Learning Can’t be Bought will be published by Continuum on 22nd November 2012, and has already received some coverage in the Times Higher. Joanna has spoken about some of the key themes in her book to sixth form students at Kent College in Canterbury and at a national conference: the Battle of Ideas. In addition Joanna has been invited to lead a seminar at Manchester University in November and will be speaking at the national conference of the Society for Research into Higher Education in December 2012. A book launch is planned at the Centre for the Study of Higher Education in the Spring term.
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