Introduction: the future of university education
Résumé
Gazing at Raphael’s masterpiece The School of Athens, one is confronted with a range of characters epitomizing distinct branches of knowledge; you notice a spirit of theoretical exchange and intellectual pursuit imbuing the canvass. This has been a heritage universities across ages have been cherishing and considering to be a defining trait of their identity. Nowadays, such interactions are disappearing under the influence of the short-term demands of the societies and markets. The surrendering of universities to these demands turns them incapable of remaining critical or independent. Universities used to be sites of dissent, civil courage and societal conscience but have now instead become pseudo-businesses. And yet, there is a strong resistance to the notion that the university as a collegial and critical institution is dead, among academics as well as broader public. This book is a result of such conversations taking place in different places and among different people, going well beyond stating the facts or providing ready-made recipes. We hope it will generate momentum for further discussion on the future of university education, and, potentially, will become a small contribution towards change.