Neoliberal Globalisation, Managerialism And Higher Education In England - Challenging The Imposed ‘Order Of Things’

Oct 15, 2026

This article critically examines how neoliberal ideology, framed as neoliberal globalisation, has been imposed on higher education at a transnational scale, with a primary focus on England. It argues that the dominance of “new managerialism” shapes educators’ and students’ lifeworlds and undermines educational outcomes. Evidence presented links “quality assurance” practices to detrimental impacts on students, academia, and society, displacing critical understanding with managerial “information.”

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Neoliberal globalisation and the rise of new managerialism

Quality assurance and institutional surveillance

Document-driven “quality” and displaced critical understanding

Internationalization of the labour market and employable subjects

Neoliberal Globalisation, Managerialism And Higher Education In England: Challenging The Imposed ‘Order Of Things’ Andrea Beckmann* University of Lincoln Charlie Cooper** University of Hull Abstract This article critically explores the consequences of the imposition of neoliberal ideology on a transnational scale on the higher education system. Its particular focus is England where the context of the „new managerialism‟ continues to dominate the „lifeworlds‟ of educators and the educated, despite strong concerns about its efficacy. It will argue that practices introduced in the name of „quality assurance‟ are having profoundly detrimental impacts for students, academia and, ultimately, society. In particular, the last 30 years in the educational realm of the UK have been characterised by the continuing displacement of critical understanding by managerial „information‟. This has consequences in terms of leading to a „normalisation‟ of abroad adaptation of people‟s subjectivities to so-called „market requirements‟. The article concludes with the need to reclaim the purpose of education as a process for facilitating critical thinking, respect and empathy - bare essentials for a democratic, socially-just and socially-inclusive society – and that this challenge requires the development of strategies of resistance to neoliberalism‟s „forced normality‟ at both the local and global level. * Dr Andrea Beckmann is a senior lecturer in Criminology at the University of Lincoln, UK. She has researched, taught and published on a range of criminological themes, including a'groundbreaking' study of the social construction of sexuality. [Mail: Department of Policy Studies, University of Lincoln, LN6 7TS, UK; Tel: +441522 886378; email: [abeckmann@lincoln.ac.uk](abeckmann@lincoln.ac.uk)] ** Charlie Cooper is a lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Hull, UK. He has researched, taught and published on a range of themes including housing, planning and urban policy, social policy and education, community development, and community and youth work. [Mail: Department of Social Sciences, University of Hull, HU6 7RX, UK; Tel:+441482 466331; email: [c.e.cooper@hull.ac.uk](c.e.cooper@hull.ac.uk)] Introduction In identifying important sources of determination of the core disciplinary network shaping higher education (HE) into the 21st century, this article critically explores the consequences of the imposition of neoliberal ideology on a transnational scale (frequently referred to as „neoliberal globalisation‟) on Britain, although the focus will be on England in the context of the destructive reign of the „new managerialism‟1. Practices associated with managerialism in HE continue to dominate the „lifeworlds‟ of educators and the educated, despite a profound lack of demonstrable evidence of its own success (Taylor 2002) . Constant shape-shifting processes under the guise of „restructuring‟ ensure managerialism‟s continued dominance. As Fisher describes: ... the school has been restructured on several occasions, pervaded by the language of „enterprise‟, „customer focus‟ and the „needs of industry‟ and, in common with other British HE institutions, characterised by new forms of surveillance and control, exemplified by the teaching quality assessment (QAA) and the research assessment exercise (RAE) [now the even cruder Research Excellence Framework (REF)] . This regime of new managerialism with its emphasis upon costs, budgets and targets, its links to ideas of „hard‟ Human Resource Management and its unitarist perspective on the employment relationship has been embraced by the most senior managers of the Business School and the university. (Fisher 2007: 505) Practices introduced in the name of „quality assurance‟ are having profoundly detrimental impacts for students, academia and, ultimately, society. While having the air of „objectivity‟ the origins of discourses of „quality assurance‟ can, according to Shore and Wright

FAQs

What central impact does the article attribute to neoliberal ideology in higher education?

It links neoliberal ideology, enacted through “new managerialism,” to profoundly detrimental effects on students, academia, and ultimately society, including the displacement of critical understanding by managerial “information.”

How does the article describe “quality assurance” practices in universities?

It argues they do not assess genuine educational quality; instead, they generate enforced, time-consuming, manipulated documentation that is treated as indicators of “academic excellence.”

What does the article say higher education is becoming under this regime?

It contends that higher education is directed toward producing employable subjects who adapt to “market requirements,” rather than supporting critical thinking, respect, and empathy for a democratic and socially just society.

Oct 15, 2026

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