What is a University?

A recent post on University Diary about Newman’s Idea of a University led me to reflect on what a university is – a question that relates to previous ponderings on how we project a more positive image of English higher education,  which pre-supposes that we have a clear idea of what we are here to do….

As University Diary argues The Idea of the University may not provide a ‘blueprint’ for a 21st century university, but I think that there are some interesting parallels in terms of the questions we can ask ourselves today:

•  Newman’s espousal of a liberal education was partially a contribution to contemporary debate about calls for university degrees to be more applied and provide a better preparation for professional life (in modern terms, think about the balance we are called upon to strike between general education of students to enquire and to think, and the more specialised demands of the employability agenda – what are we striving to provide in terms of a ’student experience’?);
• the mid-nineteenth century was also a time of debate about the emergence of new academic diciplines and specialisms, such as history and the sciences (today we have diversified beyond those academic disciplines into foundation degrees, work-based learning, applied degrees relating to particular professions and branches of work. What is appropriate subject matter for a degree? How does this higher academic education differ from vocational preparation?);
  -  Newman wrote in the middle of a period of reform and self-conscious professionalisation in English academic life, and amid debate on the roles of the university in research and in teaching (what is the balance between research and teaching? what are the primary roles of academics?);
  - finally, Newman wrote about the role of religion in an academic community (At first glance, this may seem to be less relevant to the 21st century, but in the year of the Darwin bicentenary and seeing that the debate with creationists is far from over in some quarters, there are still relevant questions to be asked about the nature of free academic enquiry and the values that underpin an academic community).

There is no one answer to each of these questions – the debate was robust enough in Newman’s day – just think of the variety of answers that can emerge from a considerably larger and more diverse sector today – but it would be a fitting tribute to the spirit of Newman and Darwin to at least attempt to ask ourselves the questions.

Postscript: for a different take on this type of question , see also David Watson’s recent QAA briefing paper on ‘Who owns the university?’

---

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• Found article
• University? Waste of time
• An Early End to the ’08 (Education) Campaign