Professor Ronald Barnett is Emeritus Professor at the Institute of Education, University College London. For five decades he has studied higher education, developing a social philosophy of the university and advancing practical principles, and he continues today, teaching, writing, examining, and advising. He has been honoured by St Mary’s with an Honorary Fellowship, and has also been an external member of senior committees in St Mary’s over the past decade, witnessing its progression from a college to university.
How did your experience at St Mary’s University influence your academic pursuits and interests?
I took the PGCE, focusing on what was then the very new subject of social studies. Although it was just a year, it helped me to become particularly interested in education as a focus of advanced study and it cemented in me a sense that it was in that profession where I would devote my life.
In those days, St Mary’s was part of the London teacher training system organised by the Institute of Education and, within my PGCE, I was privileged to go to lectures in Senate House and see some of the luminaries of educational studies – including Richard Peters, Basil Bernstein and Paul Hirst – and that experience gave me a thirst for more advanced study.
How has the idea of the university evolved overtime, and what do you think the future holds?
The role of universities has evolved, adapting to society’s changing requirements of them. Today, a global conversation has been unfolding, debating higher education and looking to new ideas and practices.
I have been contributing to this debate by advancing an idea of the “ecological university”. Beyond concerns with Nature, I pick out eight mega-ecosystems, including knowledge, learning, culture, politics and, the economy. However, the ecosystem of the economy has dominated the other ecosystems. Moreover, all ecosystems are distorted. A huge task, therefore, is opening for universities to rebalance the ecosystems of the world and to mitigate their distortions. In this way, universities can play their part in bringing about a better world.
Looking back at your career, what are some of your proudest achievements or most memorable moments?
A standout memory is when, just a few years ago, in a London café with a few colleagues, we conceived the Philosophy and Theory of Higher Education Society. This society now has around 100 international members, and organises webinars and conferences and stimulates publications, and serves as a platform for conversation and work on the large and philosophical issues in higher education. My greatest satisfaction comes from seeing the next generation take over, ensuring the continuation of the field.
I’ve been privileged to have the life I’ve had. I’m fundamentally a shy person and yet my writing (35+ books and hundreds of papers) has taken me around the world as I’ve given about 150 keynote talks in 40+ countries, and has enormously has helped my own personal development.
Reflecting on my career, I especially value the support and encouragement I’ve had from many mentors and I have tried, in turn, to do what I can in nurturing and encouraging others around the world.
As an alumnus of St Mary’s, what message would you send to the university community about the future of education?
I deeply value the university as an institution and believe that universities hold unique and irreplaceable responsibilities and possibilities in society. While I was fortunate to study without financial burdens, I recognise that isn’t the case for many today. As a token of my gratitude and belief in the system, I’ve named St Mary’s in my will to leave a legacy that supports students.
My sense is that St Mary’s is on a remarkable trajectory and I look with enormous interest at its progression as a fully-fledged university. My hope is that the whole St Mary’s community will go on expanding its vision for itself and so forging a distinctive place in the worldwide family of universities.