Open Forum Debate On "University Democracy”
At the Duisburg-Essen Aurora Biannual – 2, 3 May 2018
Introduction
Aurora is a network of engaged research universities that aim to match academic excellence with societal relevance: in education, research, and service to the society. At the Aurora Biannual meetings, a plenary session is the stage of an Open Forum Debate on a topic of relevance to the Aurora universities and also outside the network.
After Debates on the role of the university in a post-truth society (Reykjavik, May 2017) and on the Humanities & Social Sciences (Norwich, November 2017), the Duisburg-Essen Aurora Biannual will host an Open Forum Debate on University Democracy on May 3rd, in the Glaspavillon, Essen Campus, University of Duisburg-Essen.
On the topic
University democracy can and does mean very different things in different higher education systems in Europe. The level of autonomy granted to universities differs. Aurora universities are subject to different governance traditions and legal frameworks: some universities work in a corporate framework (e.g. UEA and VUA), while many of the others work in a framework of elected leadership. Within these systems, various internal stakeholders like professors, other academics, students and non/academic staff may have different formal mandates. Independent of the formal mandate, tradition may give some stakeholders a stronger or weaker influence in practice than their official mandate shows.
In addition – and partly reflecting this – Aurora universities operate in political systems that are more strongly leaning towards liberal market economy principles, while others operate more in a Rhineland-like stakeholder consensus model and/or a university-as-public-good paradigm.
Discussion of the various angles identified below will need to be set clearly in these widely different contexts. Because of these different contexts, it would not make sense to aim for comment conclusions or common Aurora positions on what university democracy should look like. Rather, the purpose of the debate should be to identity thoughts and practices that may be useful in other contexts than from which they originate.
Issues & angles
The topic can – and will – be addressed from a variety of angles
I. On forms and shapes of university democracy and participation II. On external influences upon university governance III. On beliefs and values
On the style of the debate
The debate The set-up of this debate will be to look for and discuss positions, which mutually exclude each other (at least at first sight), but which both are seen to have merit by substantial groups in the audience. Thus, we hope that the debate will be interesting and help both the audience and the panellists to critically examine – even criticize and adapt – ones fixed positions. The role of the co-facilitators is to ensure a lively debate – a conversations between opposing views. The co-facilitators will be the sole owners of the microphone and thus decide who speaks and when it is time to turn to another panellist – or to the audience – and when it is time to change the subject.
On the panellists (current state)
Herman van Goethem, rector University of Antwerp In 2017 Herman Van Goethem became Rector of the University of Antwerp, where he has been a full time professor since 1990. He holds Master’s degrees in Law and in History and a PhD in Law. His teaching includes ‘Political and Institutional History of Belgium and the Netherlands’, ‘History and Image’ and ‘History of Law’. In 2008-2012 Herman Van Goethem was the driving force behind the establishment of Kazerne Dossin: Memorial, Museum and Documentation Centre on the Holocaust and Human Rights, which opened its doors in Mechelen (Belgium) in 2012 (www.kazernedossin.eu). From 2012 to 2017 he combined his activities as a full professor at the University of Antwerp with the position of Curator and General Director of the Kazerne Dossin museum. As an author, Herman Van Goethem aims to publish books which can bring his scientific work to a wider audience. His books include works on the history of Belgian government and monarchy, on governments during World War Two as well as on the Holocaust.
Jim Dickinson, Chief of Staff UEA(SU) - students transforming Jim Dickinson FRSA is the Chief of Staff at the Students' Union at UEA in Norwich. As such he acts as the lead staff member on behalf of the elected student officers of the union, providing strategic management for the union's charitable and commercial vehicles and policy support for the officers. Jim is former long standing Director at the National Union of Students, where he led on Students' Union Development, Campaigns and Political Strategy, Student Engagement and Governance. Jim has served as a Governor in both further and higher education and the voluntary sector, and is a regular contributor to the Leadership Foundation's Governor Development Programme. He edits changesu.org, a website for Senior Managers in Students' Unions and is a regular contributor on student issues to wonkHE, the home of higher education wonks. He's also an obsessive fan of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Ingrid Elam, dean at the Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts, University of Gothenburg Ingrid Elam is a Swedish writer and critic and a professor of Literary composition. Since 2012, she is Dean of the Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts at the University of Gothenburg and Chair of the research platform PARSE. She holds a PhD in Comparative literature since 1985. Between 1989 and 2000 she was the cultural editor of the Swedish newspapers iDAG, Göteborgs-Posten and Dagens Nyheter. 2003-2012 she was employed at Malmö University, where, among other positions, she acted as the Dean of
The School of Art and Communication.
Maurits van Rooijen Prof. Dr. Maurits van Rooijen studied and taught at Utrecht University and held senior management positions at various universities such as Leiden University, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Westminster University in London and Victoria University in Melbourne. Previously he was Chief Executive and Rector Magnificus at Nyenrode University. Prof. van Rooijen has held academic positions at various universities across the globe. He is co-chairman of WACE (based in Boston Ma, promoting experiential learning), Chairman of the High Council of GaragErasmus (based in Torino, Italy, promoting talent mobility and transnational entrepreneurship in Europe), Vice-President of EAN (London based, promoting widening participation for underrepresented groups in tertiary education) and immediate past president of the Compostela Group of Universities (based in Santiago de Compostela, Spain). Since September 2012, he has been the CEO and Rector (academic) at Global University Systems (GUS). His role at GUS includes some more direct involvement, such as Acting Rector of GISMA (since its acquisition by GUS in 2013), Acting Chairman of IBAT Dublin after its acquisition in 2016 and recently also acting principal of St Patrick's College in London.