Abstract
This paper reflects on a fundamental question: 'why do universities exist?' Given the many private education service providers who boast excellent facilities, and the declining availability of public resources, what is the role of the contemporary university? Combined with ongoing scepticism about the value of research, the university is engulfed by a sense of anxiety that has resulted in many institutions withdrawing from controversial debates. Such removals from engagement resulted in accusations that these institutions are 'ivory towers' disconnected from reality. In this paper I argue that despite such pressures, the role of the university has never been more important. Focussing on both the concept that education is best understood as a 'commons' as well as the need to 'engage' with the various communities we interact with, the modern university should be promoting a sense of agency and leadership with both our students and well beyond. This should be the foundation on which university programs should be built. It is what separates us from other service providers and makes universities such valuable institutions.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 250 |
Pages (from-to) | 110-121 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Defaire/refaire l'universite Essai de Tout Dire |
Publication status | Published - 2015 |
Keywords
- universities
- education, higher
- research