Manifesto of Free Universities

What is the Free University of Bellingen (FUB)?

➢ It is an independent forum for learning that is open and free to everyone. In contrast to the instrumental and outcome driven concerns in today’s university system, the FUB celebrates the high intrinsic value of learning for its own sake and especially as a means of promoting vibrant, democratic citizenship.

➢ Inspired by the Slow/Free University of Warsaw and the Free University of Melbourne, the FUB opposes the rigid and mechanized approaches to teaching and learning, and instead promotes dialogue, discussion and reflection on issues relevant to improving the quality of everyday life in Australia and beyond. Through regular forums, spontaneous encounters and occasional dialogistic marketplaces (rather than conferences), the FUB seeks to draw on the knowledge, passion, energy and creative instincts of all those participating in such events.

➢ In the FUB there are no expected inputs and outcomes, no formal aims, objectives, assessment items, graduate attributes; and no sign of line-managers, quality assurance officials or teaching and learning experts. What we are about is promoting citizenship through dialogue, informed debate, peace, rights, justice and sustainability, and above all, the sheer joy of nomadic freedom and public intellectualism.

"For apart from inquiry, apart from the praxis, individuals cannot be truly human. Knowledge emerges only through invention and re-invention, through the restless, impatient, continuing, hopeful inquiry human beings pursue in the world, with the world, and with each other."
— Paulo Freire (Pedagogy of the Oppressed)

Monday, 18 June 2012

WHACKADEMIA launch July 11 2012





A few months ago I participated in an FUB discussion about the changing nature of Australian higher education and the slide into what I believe is an over-commercialized system that peddles certain instrumental values that run counter to what many might regard as a socially relevant and democratised approach to tertiary education. See Poster


The launch of Whackademia is meant to compliment the FUB discussion and to enable participants to air their own views and experiences of Australian higher education.

The launch is also aimed at supporting and promoting  the Alternative Bookshop which is one of the very few remaining outlets in Australia to sell a wide range of books from a politically progress perspective. My thanks go to the proprietor, John Ross, for his support. Please support your local bookshop - and John is always ready to chat about issues of the day.


Richard Hil

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  1. Unknown6 June 2012 at 16:14

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  2. Unknown6 June 2012 at 16:17

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  3. Unknown6 June 2012 at 16:20

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  4. Unknown6 June 2012 at 16:21

    Just listened to your interview on NZ National Radio
    on my day off. So good to hear someone spell out what is wrong with the "New Way" which is so obviously flawed, it seems to me it's obvious to anyone who is still thinking. My children went to university to put bums on seats (more funding) and to be churned through as quick as possible. Uni had no other functions other than downloading information into their brains. As for substituting frontal teaching with online learning: after the local earthquake here in Christchuch the appetite was wet for e-learning which, whilst being great as a temporary measure should never be used as a substitute for direct teaching/interaction. I had the good luck to still go through the "old fashioned" education system. I learnt as much from questions, silly or intelligent, of my co students than from the lessons or lectures themselves. E learning will lead to less self-questioning ones train of thought therefore less lateral thinking, followed by less thinking as a whole. Lack of innovation and discovery will surely follow but the accountants will be happy

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