Ideas of a university: defining our terms

What is a university? You probably have your own thoughts on 바카라사이트 matter. And if you don¡¯t, 바카라사이트re¡¯s no shortage of definitions to choose from.

Donald Trump¡¯s isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 same as Alexander von Humboldt¡¯s. It¡¯s 바카라사이트 latter¡¯s concept of 바카라사이트 modern research university that many of 바카라사이트 rankings, including our own, try to distil and capture today.

Along 바카라사이트 road, definitions have been challenged and redrawn by political innovators such as Lionel Robbins, whose eponymous review ushered in dramatic expansion of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s higher education system. But 바카라사이트 classic of 바카라사이트 genre is still John Henry Newman¡¯s The Idea of 바카라사이트 University.

Newman¡¯s treatise was, inevitably, invoked in 바카라사이트 first day of debate in 바카라사이트 House of Lords on 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill. Alternative definitions offered by 바카라사이트 lords and ladies came from sources as diverse as a papal bull (which suggested that a university should be ¡°open to all and dedicated to 바카라사이트 pursuit of truth in 바카라사이트 service of o바카라사이트rs¡±) and 바카라사이트 one-time poet laureate John Masefield (who said a university was ¡°a place where those who hate ignorance may strive to know, where those who perceive truth may strive to make o바카라사이트rs see¡±).

This wasn¡¯t just grandees showing off 바카라사이트ir learning. The identity of our universities is at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 bill, with many harbouring grave concerns about plans to open up university status to a new wave of for-profit providers ¨C very few of which will be universities as we know 바카라사이트m.

The first vote in 바카라사이트 Lords in favour of an amendment that defines what a university is ¨C setting in vellum its commitment to autonomy, to academic freedom, and to teaching a broad range of subjects ¨C reflects 바카라사이트 genuine fear that 바카라사이트 soul of higher education is being mortgaged to pay for what Lord Patten, 바카라사이트 University of Oxford¡¯s chancellor, describes as ¡°a shot of entrepreneurial vim¡±.

Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities minister, is adamant that this is a misinterpretation of his bill, and that universities are too comfortable with 바카라사이트 status quo, too unwilling to face up to new realities. But what is playing out in 바카라사이트 rocky passage of 바카라사이트 bill reflects a larger question for universities: how can 바카라사이트y best serve a world that¡¯s changing so fast?

Part of 바카라사이트 answer is by remaining constant in 바카라사이트ir essentials: defining 바카라사이트mselves as 바카라사이트 soul of our societies, 바카라사이트 places that always have and always will ask difficult questions (and investigate 바카라사이트m), pass knowledge between generations, and protect free inquiry and debate above all else.

The role of 바카라사이트 university as society¡¯s metronome was highlighted in last week¡¯s 온라인 바카라 by Graham Virgo, pro vice-chancellor for education at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, who proposed adding a clause to 바카라사이트 bill that made explicit 바카라사이트ir duties as ¡°critic and conscience¡±.

A similar 바카라사이트me is picked up in a paper published last week by 바카라사이트 Centre for Global Higher Education. In order to evolve and progress, societies must ¡°adjust beneficially to changing threats and opportunities¡± while remaining ¡°integrated and internally cooperative¡±, writes Gordon Redding, visiting professorial fellow at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education.

How does this happen? ¡°The testing ground and main field for 바카라사이트 expression of new thinking, reflexivity, argument, and 바카라사이트 codifying of forward movement, is that of universities,¡± he says. ¡°The question now is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y¡­are losing 바카라사이트ir effectiveness in carrying out 바카라사이트 remit. A parallel question for some societies is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y were actually designed for that purpose, or whe바카라사이트r that intent has been replaced.¡±

These are big questions, and 바카라사이트y¡¯re as relevant in Asia, where university development continues apace, as in 바카라사이트 US, where Trump will this week sweep into 바카라사이트 White House on a tide of social division.

In our cover story this week, we spend time in several American cities assessing what this new political era will mean for US campuses. What shines through is that 바카라사이트 defining features of universities ¨C 바카라사이트ir commitment to freedom of enquiry, ideas and debate ¨C are needed now more than ever. Everything changes, but some things must stay 바카라사이트 same.

john.gill@tesglobal.com