From professorial power to the power of worksheet

Abstract

The point of departure of this article is auto ethnographic experience concerning transformation of Danish universities from independent and autonomous institutions to organizations more attuned to business concerns. Seen in a perspective of philosophy of science, this change is interpreted as a devel- opment away from the notion of scientific research as a privileged form of cognition, institutionally shielded against interfer- ence from social power groups, to a form of knowledge provision carried out by universities on terms rather similar to those of other organizations providing research and education governed primarily by external stakeholders. Seen in an institutional governance perspective, the change is explained as a tra- jectory starting with postwar liberating expansion and ending at tight and utilitarian management in the ‘competition state’. In the 1950s and 60s students attacked the exclusive governance of the professors and their self-sufficient research and teaching. The professors fought to preserve the collegial self-government and thus professional autonomy. However, influential power groups had a desire for mass-education of effective academic labor to serve the provision of wealth in the welfare state. Simultaneously, the same groups had a wish for a fundamental showdown stressing inde- pendent and critical scientific research. In 1970 students thus obtained democratic influence on university governance; however, governmental control gradually increased and in 2003 external stakeholders got the decisive influence in university boards and hence the mission accomplished. In conclusion, the article suggests that scientific staff at Danish universities tended to be transformed from autonomous persons with a mission in the service of truth, to become employees in search for business opportunities in the service of management and external stakeholders.