role of universities

 Happy wet Monday ka.

I've read and sort of skimmed through several issues of International Higher Education from 104-106 and wish to share the following ka:

From an article on, 'Internationalization, Digitalization, and COVID: A German Perspective' by Dorothea Rüland:

- For Post-COVID time, half of all students in Germany at least will never go abroad

for several reasons like funding or family, for example, funding or family. This will heighten the role of digitalization to support internationalization at home in many ways, serving as one of the main catalysts in reaching new target groups, offering equal opportunities, diversifying the student body, and allowing more outreach. 

In 'Globally Engaged and Locally Relevant: Revisiting Higher Education'  by Janet Ilieva, it touches on the role of universities as “global social enterprises”, which has increased its importance, prioritizing social and environmental benefits and impact on a global scale over their own economic profit. . As part of their broader mandate to develop and educate responsible citizens, universities have to promote inclusion, access to quality education, and sustainability. 

The term, 'global citizenship education agenda' is on the radar, urging universities to educate global citizens who can comprehend, pursue, and propagate key priorities for society in the twenty-first century.

......an internationalized learning experience is possible in locally delivered higher education.... A reconceptualization of international higher education is needed and aims to be locally embedded, globally relevant, and centered around the needs and ambitions of a diverse student population.

The effort must be a holistic strategic approach to offer new quality to internationalization. The university of the future will be an international university in all aspects, physically as well as virtually.

I like what's mentioned in 'Universities without Academic Freedom Have No Place in Rankings by Carsten A. Holz about New Zealand law ka...it assigns to universities, among others, 'the role of critic and conscience of society.'

Another is a speech titled “What Is a University?” given in 1935 by Robert M. Hutchins, President of the University of Chicago. He stated that “a university cannot exist

without freedom of enquiry, freedom of discussion, and freedom of teaching,” and that “the purpose of education is not to fill the minds of students with facts; it is not to reform them, or amuse them, or make them expert technicians in any field. It is to teach them to think, if that is possible, and to think always for themselves.”

From 'Should University Presidents Have a Voice in Public Affairs? by Robert A. Scott; the author discusses 'ethics' and the role of the university which is not only to create new knowledge and curate the history of society. Its mission also includes that of “critic.” Institutional leaders can ask “Why”and “Why not?” following analysis and testing of data in an attempt to develop knowledge and foster wisdom.

Universities have to seriously spend time on answering one basic question about its existence to determine the roles they must be ready to play for this changing world when many other sectors have started to have a share (active and profitable with value for money) in education and training before it's too late ka.

Happy Songkran ka.