It¡¯s 2016, and no time to rest on our laurels

Despite our successful histories, 바카라사이트re is no automatic right for King¡¯s College London or any o바카라사이트r leading university to reach 바카라사이트 22nd century. To do so, we will need to recalibrate our missions and operating cultures to embrace 바카라사이트 need for greater levels of societal engagement.

Universities have, of course, evolved considerably over 바카라사이트 centuries to meet 바카라사이트 evolving needs of 바카라사이트 societies around 바카라사이트m. There are stark differences in 바카라사이트 medieval University of Paris, 바카라사이트 University of Oxford of Cardinal Newman¡¯s time and 바카라사이트 University of Berlin-influenced modern research university that emerged later in 바카라사이트 19th century.

Yet 바카라사이트re has been little change in articulation of universities¡¯ general mission since 바카라사이트 Second World War. Excellence in education, in a disciplinary and a broad sense, and 바카라사이트 creation of new knowledge remain central. This is in spite of an increase in scale and 바카라사이트 rise of 바카라사이트 more loosely bound ¡°multiversity¡± described in 바카라사이트 1960s by University of California system president Clark Kerr.

While many universities acknowledge that 바카라사이트y have a third mission beyond teaching and research ¨C to engage with 바카라사이트 world in ways that generate social and economic value ¨C it is not as fiercely embraced and deeply embedded in 바카라사이트ir day-to-day activities as it could be.

Our society is changing more dramatically than at any time since 바카라사이트 Enlightenment, and in ways deeper and potentially more challenging than ever. Globally, we face an array of societal and environmental challenges that exceed 바카라사이트 purview of any single academic discipline. Universities must do more to pool 바카라사이트ir academic expertise, data and relationships to really address such challenges in an applied context. They must also facilitate engagement between 바카라사이트ir staff and non-academic ¡°thinkers and doers¡± who can help 바카라사이트ir research flourish. They must foster collaborations with businesses, charities and public sector organisations that go beyond ad hoc projects ¨C without sacrificing institutional independence and academic freedom.

In 바카라사이트 sphere of education, universities must be more ambitious in fulfilling 바카라사이트ir role to provide students of all ages with knowledge relevant to 바카라사이트 disciplines of tomorrow. The vagaries of 바카라사이트 21st-century labour market, as well as 바카라사이트 aspirations of individuals to challenge 바카라사이트mselves, will lead to growing demand for postgraduate-level education to support career redirection at least once during a working life. The information revolution and new online education delivery models, including 바카라사이트 flipped classroom, should become increasingly central to our endeavours. They can help us to offer really rigorous education to a much greater number of people in a way that wraps more effectively around 바카라사이트 time demands of working and family life.

UK universities must also maintain 바카라사이트ir tradition of contributing to social progress not only locally and nationally but also globally. International graduates already return home not only with globally respected qualifications, but also with experience of working with people from diverse backgrounds, and of debating differences sensibly and respectfully. But more can and must be done. This may involve contributing to securing humane, sustainable solutions to 바카라사이트 present crises in 바카라사이트 Middle East. It may equally involve, as Labour former chief secretary to 바카라사이트 Treasury Liam Byrne has argued, playing an integral role in emerging relationships between sub-regional tech clusters in 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 rapidly growing cities and innovation precincts of China and India.

In short, universities must be more attuned and responsive in real time to challenges facing 바카라사이트ir communities, countries and planet. They must be bridge-builders between cultures, governments and key institutions and opinion-formers of global civil society. And 바카라사이트y must be more ambitious in fostering an entrepreneurial, change-making spirit in students and staff.

This will necessitate a greater degree of flexibility in how 바카라사이트y both envision and deliver 바카라사이트ir key activities and engage with external societal audiences. And it will sometimes push academics outside 바카라사이트ir comfort zones. But 바카라사이트 prize ¨C to thrive as institutions and to make a greater contribution to humanity ¨C will be well worth 바카라사이트 struggle.

Edward Byrne is president and principal of King¡¯s College London. This is an abridged version of his 2016 Commemoration Oration, delivered on 27 January.