I am in higher level education in the public university system. I used to view academia as a source of hope in society, and perhaps a progressive institution in someways, or some kind of source of hope with their supposed focus on science and research. After some years here, this "image" I had of academia has been shattered.
What are your perceptions of academia and research institutions, as Marxists?
The role of academia under any regime of political economy is complex because there will always be incentives to defend the system in place while the standard of seriousness can't just make it easy propaganda for the ruling class.
The easiest position for an academic to have is to criticise without opposing: being critical is a way to reinforce something (hence why communists encourage self-crit), only by actively opposing something you can destroy it.