1. Magna Charta Observatory
20th anniversary
University of Bologna
September 19th 2008
Presentation of an essay Inventing tomorrow’s university Who is to take the lead?
Jón Torfi Jónasson Professor of Education
University of Iceland

2. The presentation: overview
Preamble
Introduction: the stage
The idea of a university
The stakeholders
The future
A challenge
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

3. Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008
Preamble
The background
The audience, the readers for whom the text is written
A challenge to take positive action
The information society
So what?
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

4. Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008
Setting the stage
The importance of universities
The self-image of universities
The growth of universities
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

5. Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

6. Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

7. Higher education: enrolment in the US 1900-2004
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

8. Higher education: enrolment in the US 1900-2004
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

9. Higher education: enrolment in the US 1900-2004
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

10. Higher education: enrolment in the US 1900-2004
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

11. Higher education: enrolment in Japan 1900-2004
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

12. Higher education: enrolment in Japan 1900-2004
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

13. Higher education: enrolment in Japan 1900-2004
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

14. Higher education: enrolment in Japan 1900-2004
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

15. Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

16. Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008
Setting the stage
The importance of universities
The self-image of universities
The growth of universities
The moulding forces (must be understood)
The students, governments, the (global) market, the institutions
The issues (must also be appreciated)
Finances, governance, differentiation, teaching – research,
how professional education is conducted, egalitarian role, …
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

17. Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008
The idea
The development of the university from the middle ages extending into the 21st century
The development of the idea of service
to truth, knowledge, science
to society
The operational idea
community of scholars
the combination of research and teaching
community of teachers and students
creating a dynamic environment
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

18. Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008
Are there invariants?
With reference to its mission?
Well, but perhaps not, …
With reference to its function?
Yes, professional education, …
With reference to its operation?
Yes, communities of practice, …
The principles of the Magna Charta in this context
Autonomy, teaching and research, academic freedom, humanistic tradition
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

19. The stakeholders and the university
Whom does the university serve?
Whom should the university serve?
A long-term or a short-term perspective
LT Serves society, global, national, local
ST Different stakeholders,
a variety of interests within society
perhaps a number of conflicts of interests
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

20. The stakeholders and the university: The short-term perspective
Stakeholders such as
The students
Knowledge, science, truth
Democracy, open society, egalitarian society
The national economy, the new economy
The local economy, the local society
Industry
The professions
The labour unions
The institutions of higher education
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

21. Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008
The stakeholders and the university: The short-term perspective – potential conflicts
A multitude of potential conflicts of interests between a variety of actors
Governments may want
More knowledge, science, truth, but …
Democracy, open, egalitarian society, but …
A strong economy, but …
Strong local economies and communities, but …
Science may want more money, more independence, but
must respect the immediate interests of those who pay
must understand that science is not applied, used
by some magic process
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

22. Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008
The future
Growth in numbers, already alluded to
Scenarios
The probable, possible or preferable
The CHEPS scenarios
Centralia, Octavia, Vitis Vinifera
Who decides, which type of scenario transpires?
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

23. The future, the preferable
Service to
truth, knowledge and science
society, in many diverse ways
Retain or gain
status, respect,
financial strength, a dynamic operation
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

24. The challenge, for the future
Taking note of the strong forces operating on the university
and ensure that they do not abdicate control to
the market, the financial inducements
the metrics industry
the notion of excellence
the dynamics within the HE sector, academic drift (of many sorts), …
Consider the students and the reality of credentialism
The importance of self-confidence:
Strategy characterised by independence rather than conformity
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

25. The challenge: who is to take the leaad?
The answer is perhaps quite simple, it is the universities themselves, they have a unique position within their societies,
they have the competence,
perspective, respect and distance, and the
sense of purpose to do this
And perhaps it is most sensible that each and every institution adopts to a fair extent its own agenda, based on a clear understanding of the societal dynamics that control the development of society.
But to the extent the university remains one of the most powerful tools for change within society, its overall controlling framework will probably, and rightly, remain in the hands of the political powers.
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

26. The challenge, to the universities
A major problem?!
The future strength of the university: it will be strong
Remember who are there
Therefore it should retain its self-confidence and substantive judgement in order to nurture its resolve to execute its critical functions for an open, egalitarian and a dynamic global society,
by cultivating knowledge, truth and critical discourse
adopting a critical attitude and humility towards its own discourse
ensuring a combination of liberal and specialised education
and by securing the operational structure which fosters collegiality and the spirit of dynamic communities of practice.
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

27. Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008
Thank you
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Jón Torfi Jónasson - Magna Charta Observatory - Bologna 2008

28. Inventing tomorrow’s university Who is to take the lead?
Magna Charta Observatory
20th anniversary
University of Bologna
September 19th 2008
Inventing tomorrow’s university Who is to take the lead?
The universities themselves?! They can and they should.
Jón Torfi Jónasson Professor of Education
University of Iceland