What are universities (for)?
Petra Wend
14th Century=21st Century?
Parent to his son at the
University of Orléans, 14th
century:
“I have recently discovered that
you live dissolutely and
slothfully, preferring licence to
restraint and play to work and
strumming a guitar while the
others are at their studies,
whence it happens that you
have read but one volume of
law while more industrious
companions have read several.”
Son at the University of Orléans to
his parent, 14th century:
“We have good companions in the
house with us, well advanced in their
studies, and of excellent habits. […]
Wherefore, lest production should
cease for lack of material, we beg
your paternity to send us by the
bearer money for the purchase of
parchment, ink, a desk, and the
other things which we need, in
sufficient amount that we may suffer
no want on your account (God
forbid!) but finish our studies and
return home with honor.”
(Lawrence S Cunningham, John J Reich, Culture and Values, a Survey of the
Humanities, volume 1, 7th edition, 2010, p.226)
university
c.1300, "institution of higher learning," also
"body of persons constituting a university,"
from Anglo-Fr. université, O.Fr. universitei
(13c.), from M.L. universitatem (nom.
universitas), in L.L. "corporation, society,"
from L., "the whole, aggregate," from
universus "whole, entire" (see universe). In
the academic sense, a shortening of
universitas magistrorum et scholarium
"community of masters and scholars;"
superseded studium as the word for this.
Overview
• Where do universities come
from?
• Short history
• The changing shape and purpose
of universities
• What are they really for?
• How do we run them?
Where do universities come from?
The School of Athens, Raphael, 1510, Vatican
Plato vv Aristotle
Hand gestures
Theoretical views
empirist views
Practical ethics
Oldest Universities
•
•
•
•
List varies depending on definition
Certification/degree granting institutions
Still in existence or not
Exact date of foundation difficult to
establish
 institutions providing a higher standard
of learning and knowledge
advancement
10
University of Cambridge, England, 1209
6
University of Bologna, Italy, 1088
1
The University of Nalanda, India 5th century BC
Europe
• Renaissance
• 17th century: years of upheaval and
decline
• Scientific revolution
• Enlightenment
• Humboldt
• Fast forward to last and this century
Modern Times
Move to Mass Higher Education?
Mass education
Supernumerary
(Super) tired
Superfluous
Changing contexts and
Governance
•
•
•
•
•
•
Robbins 1963
Dearing 1997
Cubie 1999
SNP Green/White Paper 2011
‘New Governance’
‘Autonomous University’
Leading/Managing
Universities
• Collegial decision-making?
• Review of governance models
• Role of Senate?
European Study on
Governance
• European universities should be granted more
institutional autonomy
• The balance between autonomy and accountability
needs to be revisited
• Investment into higher education and research needs
to be increased
• Greater realism about governance reforms is needed
• A European monitoring system should be established
Changing Shape and Purpose of
Universities
• Many perspectives
• Many debates
• Many calls for ‘real’ debates
Functions of Universities
• Education
• Research/Innovation
research for
advancement of
knowledge/
innovation
research for
policy, social and
economic impact
research and scholarship
• Public engagement
for teaching
• Economic development
• Agent of social inclusion and mobility
Additional Role
• Maintain and/or re-balance the diversity
of functions within a university to define
its unique mission and vision
How do we run universities?
•
•
•
•
•
Responsibilities towards our stakeholders
Academic debate
Difficult decisions: consultation
University Courts
Importance of people
Plato and Aristotle
End
9
University of Montpellier, France, 1311
8
University of Oxford, England, 1096
7
University of Paris, France, 1090
5
Al-Nizamiyya, Iran, 1065
4
Al-Azhar University, Egypt, 972
3
University of Al Karaouine, Morocco, 859 AD
2
University of Nanjing, China, 258 AD