1. Questions for debate: 1.- The education of men (universal aim) should precede any other political or economic consideration (particular aim) (Humboldt, XIXth c.).  What is the validity of Humboldt´s statement in the university of the XXIst c.?  Should this statement have more validity?  Risks of following nowadays supposedly reductionistic political and economic agenda?

2. Questions for debate: 2.- Relevant changes in the university institution:   Which is/are from your point of view the most dramatic and relevant changes of these for the university institution?   Do those changes justify a revolutionary change (in objectives, mission and social functions) of the university institution? Or just a continuation of the traditional functions?   From your point of view, does a percentage of 32% of the age cohort justify the statement of authors like Scott that higher education is massificated? (Scott, 1997: 43)

3. Questions for debate: 3.- The person that has learned to think (...) has (…) resources applicable to any job or occupation he accomplishes (Newman, 1996: 177-178, quoted in Fernández, 1999: 211)  What is the validity of this statement for the university of the XXIst century?  If world of work demands the manipulation of symbols (data, words, oral and visual representations) and the management of information (symbolic analysts), can liberal knowledge be equated with the competence in research so needed nowadays?  What is best for society and for work: a person that knows to think and reason, or a person that knows to learn new skills?

4. Questions for debate: 4.- What do you think of the mission assigned to the university as an institution necessarily oriented to give a diversified, quick and adjusted response to the preparation for the world of work? (Postmodern thinking)

5. Questions for debate: 5.- To what extent the university must be dependent/autonomous from the society where it develops?

6. Questions for debate: 6.- What do you think about the functions that the university of the XXIst century must develop?  Which of those functions must the university exercise?  Are these functions antagonic or complementary?

7. Questions for debate: 7.- From your point of view, which are the best elements of the modern academic tradition?  From your point of view, which are the best elements of the postmodern view?  Can both views be integrated?

8. Questions for debate: 8.- From your academic experience as a graduate student: - do you think that the skill of research has been sufficiently promoted? - Do you have personal experience about the development of Mode 2 K? - And what about the social skills? And about the skills of adjustment, activity, and the positive attitudes towards change?

9. Questions for debate: 9.- (The instrumentalization of) education is a sine quanon condition to successfully lead and develop any European political, economic, social and cultural project  What seems to be the EU conception of education?  To which kind of European society would such a conception lead us to?  Paradoxes: competition – cooperation?

10. Questions for debate: 10.- The mission of the university of the XXIst century consists in _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________