It has taken me longer to get to this than anticipated, but
here is my first attempt to synthesize the professional higher education model and
the badge model now in development. Please forgive me for its length (3000
words). It assumes the reader is
familiar with the professional model for higher education. If this is not the case then please consult, The
New Tender. This is cross-posted at
HASTAC.
The Professional
Model and Recognition of Badges
Institutions do not educate but provide support to individuals
that do educate. The professional model
fully embraces this fact and maintains that institutions (universities and
colleges) are not required as support for higher education. The observation that other vital personal
services such as legal, medical, engineering, and accounting can be provided
through professional society and licensure is reason to believe the same can be
done for all forms of higher education, from 2-year colleges to 4-year research
universities, covering all subjects in faculties from the Humanities to the
Sciences.
Whether it is the replacement or recombination of universities
and colleges with professional society and licensed practice, this alternative
model champions the necessity and primacy of individuals over institutions in higher
education.
