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The philosopher Socrates once argued that "an unexamined life is not worth living."

Posted by: Benjamin Onuorah

Academics everywhere around the world are becoming critical of the very profession to which they have dedicated their lives.
Particularly, early-career researchers and scholars are questioning different aspects of the academic setup, including, but not limited to:

The culture of peer review.
The publish-or-perish syndrome.
The approach to graduate training.
The structure and limitations of research funding.

Even, who should qualify to teach knowledge? E.g is my grandma in the village with so much traditional knowledge not qualified to teach?
These deeper and hard piercing conversations are difficult and sometimes uncomfortable to have.
Because these are uncharted waters.

They may even be misunderstood as intended to dismiss the system that generations of academics have built.
But No.
To me, these conversations seek to evaluate the academic system setup and to advocate for reforms that reflect contemporary realities.
The truth is.

The world in which today’s academic or scientists operate is fundamentally different from the time Einstein developed the theory of gravity.
Technologies such as artificial intelligence did not exist. But now, we have it.
At the same time, the freedom of science has come under pressure in several countries.

Imagine what the Trump administration did to universities in the US. Cutting traditional funding to them, which had been there for many years.
This has sparked concerns about academic independence and the long-term sustainability of academic and research institutions.
I have met many US scientists who have relocated to Europe because of such shifts.

I have seen PhD students who chicken out of their programs just to pursue their real passions without viewing themselves as failures.
Even young academics and scientists are leaving for industry where the can make more immediate societal impact.
Yes, the boundaries of impact in the academia is not limited to creating HIV or COVID medicine.
But also generating fundamental scientific knowledge for training and knowledge iterations.

So, when I see people saying PhD people should rather focus on what impact they are making, I just laugh.
The reality is that academia is changing, and we must acknowledge that change.
The challenge is not whether the academic system should evolve. No
It is not whether what is acceptable in one place may be unacceptable elsewhere as I see others try to argue. No.
But, it is about how academia can adapt, yet in many ways preserve its core and basic values and principles.

Picture: First day starting my PhD (8 years ago)

By: Kwojori Ayilu

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