ABSTRACT
The neoliberal discourse in Higher Education (HE) is gaining momentum across Europe, under the combined pressures from various international “players” (European Union, OECD, World Bank, World Trade Organization, etc.). This paper attempts to pinpoint the major advancements of neoliberal ideology, notably the “market” rhetoric in HE institutions across the European Union (EU), with special reference to Greece, as a simultaneously exemplary and exceptional case. Two important “policy levers” will be examined: (1) The intergovernmental agreements at EU-wide level; and (2) The publication of benchmarking indices and comparative rankings, and the corresponding promotion of a “global competitiveness” ethos among academic institutions.
