Academic identities in the managed university: Neoliberalism and resistance at Newcastle University, UK (AUR 59 02)

In an era of neoliberal reforms, academics in UK universities have become increasingly enmeshed in audit, particularly of research 'outputs'. Using the data of performance management and training documents, this paper firstly offers an analysis of the role of discourse in redefining the meaning of research, and in colonising a new kind of entrepreneurial, corporate academic. In the second part of the paper, we narrate a case study of resistance to management by metrics. In 2015, Newcastle University managers introduced a new set of research 'expectations' known as 'Raising the Bar', which the academic body were able to act collectively to resist. More...