The Death of Learning: From Intellectual Depth to Performance Metrics in Universities

By Dr. Aisha Jalil.

Academicians in higher education would not deny the fact that university education has shifted from a genuine quest for knowledge toward superficial showmanship and performative education. There has been a drastic erosion of intellectual seriousness among students in universities. This may be attributed to the rise of performative education, accompanied by a diminishing emphasis on deep learning and engagement with books.

It is more about optics and less about knowledge and conceptual understanding. Someone who entered academia for depth, inquiry, and pleasures of reading, teaching and learning would now feel alienated in this system.

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This education system can be characterized by an emphasis on delivery and presentation over intellectual depth, prioritizing speaking skills over scholarship. It trains individuals to speak fluently and engage audiences rather than to think deeply and develop mastery within their disciplines.

In recent years, this troubling shift has quietly eroded the very essence of higher education. What was once a space for intellectual curiosity and scholarly writing and debate has gradually transformed into a stage for constant events, flashy seminars, and an endless parade of “activities” that contribute far more to optics than to knowledge.

These activities are not inherently harmful, have increasingly become the center of academic life. The pressure to “run the show” has overtaken the curiosity of learning minds. Classes are missed for rehearsals, co-curricular meetings, photo sessions and other non-academic activities. The students, instead of reading in silence, discussing ideas, or engaging with their disciplines, are busy managing events and worry more about the social media appearance. Those students who are interested only in studies and not in co- and extra-curricular activities find it difficult to survive.

The ones who develop good communication skills, a presentable personality, and the ability to sell their services are now surviving in the system with little to no knowledge about the subject. One realizes this when attending such seminars and events and reflecting on what was actually gained in terms of knowledge from investing time in them. The speakers are often only trained to run the show and do not communicate anything truly useful. The attendance gets you a certificate, and nothing more.

The emphasis on classroom lecturing has now been replaced with co-curricular sessions, workshops, seminars, and interactive events. Those who know how to run the show survive in this higher education system. There was a time when people pursued higher education to learn more about a discipline and gain command over knowledge. Now, degrees are obtained not for knowledge, but for a title and better career prospects.

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When we prepare masses of youth for such degrees and jobs, the expectation becomes merely to get a job. Degrees are no longer pursued for genuine understanding in the field. It is time to spread awareness among the youth that getting a job in their respective field of study, such as medicine or information technology, is not mandatory. It should become a new “cool” idea to get a degree in law or medicine and then pursue agriculture, family business, or other ventures.

Assuming that making money comes automatically with a university degree is problematic. Degrees should be obtained for acquiring knowledge, while means of earning a living should be considered separately.

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Learning, in this environment, becomes secondary; like a background noise drowned by microphones, backdrops, and hashtags.

The decline of scholarly quiet is very upsetting. Scholarly quiet iwas long considered as insignia of wisdom and now quiet ones are considered less confident and dumb to communicate their thoughts.  

The culture of contemplative learning and studying in silence has faded. Instead, learning spaces have become administrative hubs for event planning and coordination. Thanks to the AI and social media for changing the attention span and interest of younger generation. Education is losing its soul because the environment no longer protects or prioritizes the peace required for genuine intellectual work, which requires attention of policy makers in academia.

Another critical dimension is the erosion of academic freedom. True scholarship requires the liberty for professors to research what genuinely interests them, write books at their own pace, and participate in conferences that align with their expertise, not to be pushed into a constant cycle of events and seminars. Besides teaching courses, there is no freedom left with the professors to decide what type of research they want to conduct, whether they want to write a book or opinion-based articles. This would allow freedom to those who like writing tasks more and excel in that as well as those who like public speaking more.

The forceful engagement’s result is a series of superficial sessions where speakers are compelled to present hastily prepared material, and students are compelled to sit and listen. These events add little to academic growth because neither the speaker nor the audience is genuinely engaged in a thoughtful exploration of ideas.

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When intellectual work is replaced by obligatory performances, universities lose the very essence of what makes them absolute epitome of knowledge.

Another quiet casualty in this changing academic culture is the integrity of student evaluation. Midterm and final examinations once served as a standardized, fair measure of student learning; an equal moment for everyone in the classroom to demonstrate their understanding. While compassion and flexibility are essential in any educational system, the growing trend of re-take, excessive relaxations, exemptions, and personalized accommodations has unintentionally weakened the principle of equitable assessment. When some students are evaluated under different conditions than others, the shared academic benchmark begins to dissolve. A humane system should support students in difficulty, but it must also maintain fairness so that every learner’s effort, discipline, and understanding are recognized on a level playing field. True empathy lies not in lowering standards, but in helping all students rise to meet them.

Another emerging challenge is the shifting dynamic between students and teachers. Increasingly, students show less interest in listening to their professors in the classroom, often preferring shortcuts, summaries, or passive consumption over active engagement. This decline in attentiveness is compounded by the growing reliance on student evaluations of teachers as a primary measure of teaching quality. While student feedback can be valuable, it also has clear limitations. A fundamental tension arises: how can a student fully trust the academic authority, exam marking, or subject expertise of a professor whom they themselves are evaluating?

When problematic or disengaged students know they can “rate” a teacher at the end of the semester, it distorts the learning relationship. Professors may feel pressured to dilute academic rigor, avoid strict marking, or reduce expectations simply to secure good evaluations. Meanwhile, students who struggle or resist discipline may use negative feedback as a tool of retaliation rather than reflection. This dynamic undermines the integrity of both teaching and assessment, weakening the culture of respect that is essential for meaningful learning.

Another alarming symptom is the diminishing role of professors as “professor”. Professors must be allowed to focus on knowledge creation, scholarship, and lecturing. A university cannot sideline the true essence of being a professor in higher education environment.

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Another consequence is a superficial research culture. Students rush to complete projects not because they discovered a question worth investigating, but because it is a requirement for a degree or an event. To produce research, ample time is spent on the project with specific focus. Learning dies when inquiry becomes a formality.

Looking at the current scenario, we need to think and rethink how to restore the “Lost Purpose” of universities. If Pakistani universities are to reclaim their academic integrity, professors must be empowered to rebalance priorities. We must revive classroom culture with special emphasis on lectures and scholarly readings. Reforms are needed in the education system to protect quiet learning spaces such as libraries, lecture halls. Student misbehaviour should not be considered as the mistake of instructor in the class and blaming for inability to handle the class as strictness is also not allowed. Maintain fair, standardized assessments while providing genuine support for struggling students, preserving both equity and academic integrity within the rules and regulations.

Conclusion

The death of learning in Pakistani universities is not sudden; it is gradual and largely unnoticed because the noise of activities makes it appear that something productive is happening. But beneath the surface, critical thinking is fading, academic discipline is weakening, and true scholarship is fading away.

It is time to recognize this crisis and reclaim universities as places where knowledge is the heart of education. Education policies across the world must be restructured to realign academic systems with their core purpose: the cultivation of knowledge, critical inquiry, and intellectual seriousness. Only then we can hope to restore the intellectual vitality that higher education institutions once promised.

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By Dr. Aisha Jalil.

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