Academia, evaluación y poder

Abstract

The university is being reduced to a commercialized instrument, inside and outside of its walls, which is tightly controlled by assessment practices focused on productivity. These practices get that Academy members live with concern the results of the evaluation, rather than thinking on the matters of academic activity (education, science and social transformation). This document describes the current situation of the academy, in terms of evaluation frames, and offers an open proposal: the constitution of the university as a fifth power. To do this, this paper articulates an overview about what is that power, and adds some guiding principles for a different evaluating perspective. Instead of “assessment”, it is preferred to use “review”, based on self-inspection of teams or university working groups, consistent with an organizational culture focused on building a wise citizenship.