Education and Science in University: Clash of Institutional Logics

Abstract

This article deals with the tension between educational and scientific activities in the contemporary universities. We argue that confrontation between education and science is connected with two basic institutional logics of the university: to be perfect educational institution (effectiveness) and at the same time to be ground for the production of scientific knowledge (truth). Educational activities are associated with effectiveness, whereas scientific ones related to the search of truth. Quantitative measurement, and focus on performance indicators are main characteristics for education. Science relies on ethical imperatives regulating scientist's behavior during research activities. When the two logics come across the question how exactly science and education could be complementary arises. The author suggests to examine this conflict and to identify its consequences on the example of the Russian universities. In the first part an overview of the main principles of the Humboldt University model provided as well as, the analysis of the historical background of it's weakening in the contemporary higher system: National Socialism in Germany; confrontation between the USSR and the USA during the Cold War; expansion of the doctrine of sustainable development. In the second part we make a distinction between logic of effectiveness and logic of truth, which includes focus on their conceptual grounds. In the final part we demonstrate how principles, that initially were the basis for the effectiveness logic of educational process in the University are extended to scientific activities and how its leads to the breakdown of the truth logic principles. It has several consequences. On the first hand, there is dissatisfaction among university stuff connected with requirements to be simultaneously effective in both educational and research fields. On the other hand, reducing of the logic of truth of effectiveness makes universities indistinguishable as «the factories of scientific knowledge» in the academic world.