ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the upgrading of vocational programmes to higher education and the changes and dynamics associated with these processes. It explores some general development trends and challenges addressed in the literature, not to provide a detailed picture of the upgrading process in each programme worldwide. The structural changes in higher education may imply that teaching, nursing and social work programmes have become less relevant to professional practice. A recent American study drew attention to what is considered an academic drift. Sociologists have returned to the concept of professionalism in an effort to understand the challenges of knowledge-intensive work. International programmes of assessment, such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), have contributed to an increased focus on teacher qualifications and teacher training. The emphasis on moral purpose, personal values and reflective practice may also be considered a way in which to use scepticism to confront academic drift in social work education.
