Missions of Universities

This book provides an analysis of university missions over time and space. It starts out by presenting a governance framework focusing on the demands on universities set by regulators, market actors and scrutinizers. It examines organizational structures, population development, the fundamental tasks of universities, and internal governance structures. Next, the book offers a discussion of the idea and role of universities in society, exploring concepts such as autonomy and universality, and the university as a transformative institute. The next four chapters deal with the development of universities from medieval times, through the Renaissance, towards the research universities in the nineteenth century in Europe and the United States. The following five chapters analyse recent developments of increasing external demands manifested through evaluations, accreditations and rankings, which in turn have had effects on the organization of universities. Topics discussed include markets,managers, globalization, consumer models and competition. The book concludes by a discussion and analysis of the future challenges of universities.

• medieval universities and empirical research
• universities during the renaissance
• Humboldtian university
• modern US universities
• global markets for universities
• accountability
• rationalization
• multiversity
• 'Mode 2' society
• The Idea and Role of Universities in Society
• German Humboldt’s University: History and Topicality

“The analyses, questions and suggestions offered in this sophisticated collection of essays is one way to express the real truth about universities: a careful search for simplicity will inevitably beget complexity.” (Professor Emeritus of History Sheldon Rothblatt, Former Director of the Center for Studies in Higher Education at the University of California, Berkeley)

“The contributions in this thought-provoking collection repeatedly demonstrate that it is the inherent adaptability of Universities and constant ability to transform that underlies their inter-millennial resilience. Looking forward the volume speculates that Universities face a new set of pressures arising from competition for status that is determining the nature of what it is to be a “world class” University.” (Professor Timothy Clark, Provost Singapore Management University, former Pro-Vice-Chancellot of Durham University, UK)

“This important book gathers leading scholars, from a variety of disciplines, to consider what are the guiding principles for universities, how have these missions evolved over the almost millennium-long history of the university, and how do such missions get interpreted in countries worldwide. The scope of commentary declares the book’s importance for policymakers and researchers of higher education alike.” (Professor Gili S. Drori, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, President, Israeli Sociological Society)

• Department of Business Studies, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

  Lars Engwall

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