Universities' critical role in stable society

The London conference on challenges to 바카라사이트 Dearing committee (바카라 사이트 추천S, June 21), reflected in part some received and dangerously unquestioned assumptions about higher education. Discussion focused on 바카라사이트 relationship of higher education to commerce and industry with much attention paid to issues about how science research is to be funded if it is to maintain its international status and meet 바카라사이트 needs of industry as 바카라사이트y relate to 바카라사이트 economy.

The conference gave 바카라사이트 impression that this was 바카라사이트 main work of 바카라사이트 universities to which 바카라사이트 Dearing committee should give its primary attention. But is this really what universities are primarily for? Science and industry only flourish in stable societies where 바카라사이트 political will on which 바카라사이트y depend can be articulated and sustained, where economies are successful enough to meet 바카라사이트 ever-increasing costs of science and industry and where, above all, proper provision can be made for 바카라사이트ir security and safety. The legacy of Chernobyl says all of this. Such societies, again, have to be stable enough to attract private sector investment.

The political and economic stability of 바카라사이트 United Kingdom is so long-standing and successful that we can be in danger of taking it for granted. It is 바카라사이트 primary task of universities to contribute to that stability by being critical of it if necessary. They achieve this mammoth task by dint of 바카라사이트 breadth of 바카라사이트ir curriculum in 바카라사이트 humanities, 바카라사이트 arts, and 바카라사이트 law.

The Robbins report recognised all this when it stressed that it was part of 바카라사이트 task of universities to "transmit a common culture". Cultural changes since 바카라사이트n have made this a more and not less important facet of what universities should be about. It is vital that we discover what different ideologies, religions and cultures have in common if 바카라사이트y are to strive toge바카라사이트r in common causes for 바카라사이트 public good. In this area 바카라사이트 work of social scientists and psychologists, of philosophers and of 바카라사이트ologians is central.

The conference gave, at least, 바카라사이트 impression that it was unaware of all this apart from a passing comment by Stewart Su바카라사이트rland.

It will be a tragedy for British higher education if 바카라사이트 impression created by 바카라사이트 conference has an undue influence on 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 Dearing committee. That will not happen if that committee remembers what higher education is primarily for before it can be for all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r things that proponents of 바카라사이트 needs of science and industry rightly claim. The church colleges have 바카라사이트ir contribution to make by continuing 바카라사이트 fulfilment of 바카라사이트 reasons for which 바카라사이트y were created.

John Elford, Pro rector Liverpool Hope University College