A very close relative was a senior university academic until she retired several years ago. She is a highly intelligent and capable individual.
She worked at one of Australia's premiere universities, the same one where she obtained a degree several decades ago under a far more rigorous academic agenda.
She describes tertiary education standards now in various ways- none of them are endorsements. "Sheltered workshop" has crossed her lips. Seriously, she tells me, and I believe her (as well as other academic friends), that under current academic regimes only a small proportion of students would have passed the far more rigorous standards of the 60s, 70s 80s etc.
That is not to denigrate the intelligence of students - far from it. There are many highly intelligent individuals, but the "lowest common denominator" processes in place are there to guarantee numbers - not quality. So, the kids dont gave to try hard to pass - why should they?
I have worked very briefly in academia and have to agree. I dealt with Masters degree level students studying International Law, some of whom were barely literate.
Gillard introduced the demand driven tertiary model, contending tertiary education should be available to all - not just the most capable, as it should. The model has not been changed by 5 years of Coalition govts.
The result is a tertiary system prostituted by abject mediocrity.
