Teaching and Learning > DISCOURSE
The Future of Philosophical and Religious Studies
Author: Clare Saunders
Journal Title: Discourse
ISSN: 2040-3674
ISSN-L: 1741-4164
Volume: 10
Number: 1
Start page: 4
End page: 4
Return to vol. 10 no. 1 index page
The past few months have been eventful ones in UK (and especially English) higher education. Unprecedented cuts in direct public funding for teaching—including the complete withdrawal of funding for the humanities—coupled with the introduction of undergraduate tuition fees of up to £9,000 per year are likely to have substantial and unpredictable effects on the higher education experience of students and staff alike. Many universities and departments are facing stark questions about their future in this changing HE market, with growing attention focused on 'key performance indicators' such as student satisfaction, attainment and graduate employment. In this challenging climate, what is the future of philosophical and religious studies (PRS) in higher education?
Many of the papers in this issue of Discourse address this issue explicitly or tangentially.This edition includes papers from two recent Subject Centre events which explored the nature and role of PRS subjects in 21st century higher education— 'Courting Controversy?', which focused on the policy and practice of teaching Theology and Religious Studies (TRS) in a multi-faith and multi-cultural society (Cohn- Sherbok; Reddie; Cush & Robinson; Moseley; Quartermaine); and 'Beyond Boundaries', which discussed the (increasingly?) widespread practice of teaching PRS subjects outside of 'core' PRS departments and its distinctive challenges and opportunities (Hanscomb).
Several papers arising from Subject Centre-funded projects (Altorf; Gough and Goldstein; Garvey) also offer critical reflections on the place of PRS subjects in higher education and wider society—in particular Garvey's analysis of philosophy's engagement with the 'sustainability' agenda in education, and Altorf's exploration of the interaction between assessment forms and educational aims and 'learning outcomes'. Such fundamental questions about the nature of higher education also shape Kidd's paper, which offers a diagnosis of philosophical education. This theme is, however, but one strand in the diverse contributions to pedagogy in our disciplines to be found in this edition of Discourse.
The Subject Centre is not immune from the changes facing UK higher education— the Higher Education Academy (HEA), of which we are part, is being restructured in light of significantly reduced funding and changing sector needs, and as a result the current Subject Centre network will be closed during 2011/12, with future discipline level support for higher education being led by the HEA's central offices in York.
In the meantime, however, the Subject Centre continues to provide a range of support for PRS learning and teaching, including our latest round of funding—a total of over £40,000 awarded to 15 new projects which will draw on the fruits of the work we have undertaken over the past 10 years and celebrate the diverse strengths of PRS learning and teaching, as well as exploring new perspectives and future challenges. I hope that many of our readers will join us at this conference; and encourage all of you to stay in touch with the Subject Centre so that we can advise you of future developments in the HEA and UK higher education.
Best wishes, Clare.
Return to vol. 10 no. 1 index page
This page was originally on the website of The Subject Centre for Philosophical and Religious Studies. It was transfered here following the closure of the Subject Centre at the end of 2011.
