University Assessment in the Age of Excessive Normativity: Examining Academic Professionalism and the Roles of Teachers and Students

Universities in Spain, as well as globally, are currently witnessing a surge in regulations covering all aspects of operation, including teaching, learning and assessment. The present paper endeavours to explore the repercussions of excessive regulations on the roles of educators and students. It examines how these prescriptions pose a threat to academic freedom, faculty agency and teaching professionalism. The analysis is based on an examination of institutional assessment-related institutional policy documents from eight Catalan universities. The documents reveal a disconnect between the expectations surrounding the professionalism and agency of academics and the prescribed directives, which often leave room for interpretation by those tasked with their implementation. The documents also shed light on the perception of an escalating centralisation of control over strategies that can enhance student learning. This raises questions about the autonomy and professional judgment of educators when selecting the instructional methods that are best suited to and most advantageous for their students.