This paper examines the impact of national higher education policy on research and knowledge production in Australian universities. The policy trend in recent years has been towards market competition, budget diversification and commodification of knowledge. This has helped re-define the value of university research in commercial terms and devalued research in some traditional areas. The paper argues that while there have been positive aspects to the market coordination of higher education, government policy that is ideologically committed to the near total privatisation of a public higher education sector is not in the long-term interests of the nation.
Research policies; Commercialization; Knowledge economy; Market steering; Research management
