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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 092 026 HE 005 586 AUTHOR Janne, Henri TITLE The University and the Needs of Contemporary Society. Papers-10. INSTITUTION International Association of Universities, Paris (France) . PUB DATE 70 NOTE 95p. EDRS PRICE MF-$0.75 HC-$4.20 PLUS POSTAGE DESCRIPTORS College Role; Colleges; *Educational Needs; *Foreign Countries; *Higher Education; *School Community Relationship; *Social Responsibility; Universities ABSTRACT The university and the needs of contemporary society are discussed in relationship to the complexity and diversity of the interactions between universities and societies resulting from the diversity of traditions, resources, and socioeconomic contexts. Emphasis is placed on some past and present conceptions of the university, the university and rising needs, and the university and its new responsibilities. The author cautions against the formulation of judgments that are definitive in nature or claim universal applizability. Generalized conclusions are presented covering contradictions of the university, the sociology of the university, the university and violence, university freedoms and democracy, and the university ability to reform itself. (MJM) International Associationof Universities PAPERS-io ri c:D THE UNIVERSITY AND THENEEDS OF CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY USDEPAW1NFFNIT OF HEALTH PF.PPOOUCE'WS. COPT EDUCATION S 0E FARE wGr+tEil KAATEPIA. HAS BEEN GRANTED BY NATION>LISSFITUTE Oi./C4 T ION F F4' PI, F ,j rEr % :4' "IN N Y /. S. P ro F_FYF'. A 7)OPrFANVFItCYYS OPFPATING ',NGt'Y AGPFEN'ENrS1.1ITN THE NAI QNAl IN ," N`.." ".", EN 4. N.t.' r,rE DUCA',GN FUP-)-,FP pEPPE). DOC r'S;CIE TNF FDIC SYSTEM PE. ovPES OfTHE COPYRIGHT CVNFP _44 PARIS 1970 1 II 1/4.0 C1 PAPERS O OF THE r-.1INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITIES Cr C> LU No. 10 THE UNIVERSITY AND THE NEEDS OF CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY A REPORT PREPARED BY PROFESSOR HENRI JANNE 1, rue Miollis 75 - Paris 156 :970 The French edition of this volume is published under the title: L'Universite et les Besoins de la Societe contemporane The designations employed in this volume do not imply any expression of opinion on the part of the International Association of Universities concerning the legal status of any country, or of itsauthorities, or concerning the delimitations of the frontiers of any country or territory. Copy-right by the International Association of Universities. 1970. CONTENTS Pages liAct-iunintsi) Noll,. 111 I So-1011E10i VII Pril-1 N4.1. - President ZI"It%YE xi )11POliT P1401-TsS(Pli 11NI-11 JANNE I Sunk' Past anPresent Coney)) lions of fhi t'inversity 4 It Tito University and Rising Neott 13 I 11 The Vniversity and its New Itt.sponsil nines 50 1V 1:oticlusions 75 .\\NFx 78 listwx ov toms V BACKGROUND NOTE RN IAA' SECRETARIAT From its earliest days theInternational Association of Universities has been concerned with the relations between universities and the societies around them.Regularly, in one farm or another, aspects of this subject have figured in the programmes of its General Conferences.At Istanbul in 1955, atMexicoin 19tin and at Tokyo in 19115, discussions took place on "university education and public service" and, more generally, on the contributionoruniversitiesto"economic and cultural development". The Association has decided that these questions should be raised again at its next General Conference, to be held at Montreal in 19-in.On this occasion, members of the Association will discuss the theme: the rniversity and the Needs of Contemporary Society. Clearly there is a certain continuity in these matters, but at the same time an evolution its their setting.The element of continuity, it may be mentioned, has nothing ritualistic or obsessional about it.It arises from the actual problems which universities have been facing over the last twenty years.The evolution of the setting, hoe,r, needs longer com- ment, for far more is involved than a new turn of phrase, a verbal re-formu- tation meant to disguise a rather depressing monotony.At the beginning of the 1950's, the growing importance of knowledge in every field of human activity obliged universities to give particular attention to one of their traditional functions--the education of those who would hold responsible positions in later life.The difficulty was that of preventing an excessive attention to this function from injuring the most fundamental university purpose of all, the free and objective search for truth.Some years later, the scandal of under-development in various parts of the world became major issue, anal was accompanied by growing awareness of how difficult its elimination would be, given the multitude of economic and social and cultural factors which caused and maintained it.The belief that univer- sities could no longer be satisfied with educating people in traditional ways thus became stronger and stronger.They needed to play an active role as initiators and creators in all fields of development, to set up a "development science", and to help to create the conditions for its appli- cation throughout entire social systems.In this wayperhaps a rather pragmatic and empirical one, but going far beyond the domain of the natural sciences and technology--the concern with man himself, with the "humanities", came once more to the fore.The promise of a new pro- grammed dynamism and universality seemed to lie ahead for universities. vii Despite all tilt' witch discussed -explosions' of isnoNytedge and of milliliters, desple all Ilse endless adininkf ratiN-tt difficulties N Melt universityexpansion create!(, there '1\ as a tli'w hind of optimism..ks the hatling institutions i,f kitowledt.te ;mil education, oak crsities seemed to hold the ktyto the future.Pushed tilitI.\ (Ili\ upiiuiistie v iev, implicit that univer- sities (1111irt hr thotit.thl of as small bid N'ialott' models for complete social sYsit'llts, ill which I major vont tan would be that of ort.tanizing co-opt,ralioti testy. en x.aviows, brancht-, L11,1M ;11111 listVyt'eii num of sch,,nec and learninti. little, this ;0, tilt, pip:Mimi tut Whell Ilia.\ +Nokia! loll's Tols%0 60110'01 Coil irctclice vas held. Since that !link'. Ilk'W :Intl j%,,d sit mttions tia \A, arisen for the Inns et-- sit ies of countries, and pltrliettlarly- in(hosts describedIt developed tines. .\ fler the seittillid of mitler-development, students ;tint others have discoveredor think they have discoveredthe scandal of de\ elopment. Set. this hr- inll,si,tilllllenl of 110/1/11.` within an entlitss producer- constaticr cycle, \vhcre the "established toiler" has taken over anti mobil- ized not only katit\letlite but the \\intik, of -culture", subtly transformilli_t itinto tirefitted technique of mystification and manipulation. The riOttness ttr wrotts_tness of such ideas need nut be discussed here. but \%liether they ilia.' well-futuittett or notit has to he initialled that the eiter.4y with it HillIfty are put forward has stimulated new thuto_ditin tiniversities ;it Hill ;.-11°,'il2,11iiii'S ill (Jill' present conception of "needs", There are Ito' 1,01i where needs 'have an atrociously obvious retilit. There are other,\\ here they seem to eolrespoad in littlehill successes in :111reiliiiP1 eantitaktus, \\ here individual ilwareuess of 'weds mcrel (he result of sales prontoli4M. liltlra ie Itoyeltyiiiso molly countries uppeared at one time to hay e confeiTed a kiwi of weld_\,i,fc s;Inytity the expression "the reeds of society-, bid that chain] hits been broken and sotruethinker, tit!!..;t1111,1s1 ohs( ssi ely to lind oul exactly\!lilt they are who tlecitlr \\11;1!socialneed, ",ire ", 11111110*:+1antiliSy11110,1;.ICA techniques required to persuade individuals to accept these' needs and llms in elicitto "have" theni. In the so1'Lllitit Co111111 Hes, univetsities tire doubtless more closely ititc- ,..trah.,11 than elsewhert, in Laater.11 social structures and major conflicts do not scent to arise.Observers from outside, Ito er, often titicstion thisinteL:ratiott is not ticetoupanied restrictions on the freedom of inlet, lectual life \thether, in these countries tun, the needs which universities set VI' roil defined front above by bureaucratic procedures. Thus, the tension !v hied used to exist between believers in the "ittlap- taliult" of lite univcrsit told the defenders of ils"traditional missimi" has now itt en increased by n 11..w split \%hiell those who accept that the uniersily should play an itclic port in social life.There are taunt who 1,Pliua.it-11oHll serve society : there :ire those Vdlii hetieye it should change it For the !list, it ointlit lo ;it cuter:du it positive andtuts su itt . \ 1 1 1 1 1i 4 r n :fir the s ty ond. it ought to oppose an inhuman and rever- iftle evolution.The rottiail:byAlurx aboutFeuer/tacitiswell Istio\s,11 untilroar, philosopher, n merely interpreted the Nvoild: our business isto ". If we a ;[(1"universities"for "philosophers" inthis phrase, 1111, protest movements of toola)' \You'ld doubtless be willing to itccepfthe forttil:,.Those in favour of adapting the university would not (attic, ly contradictit ifllo, idea of chaise tt.is that of ittivaneint.: omit: tinieidv in the saute diteel ourThose in favour of maintaining troth lions would doubtless believe that Bw first task of imiversities remains that of Interpretation. Things are not as simple as this, however, for everyone knows that interpretation is itself a part both of change and of conservation. It seems dear, in fact, that the university is now the centre of a triple anxiety. Some feel thatit does not sufficiently keep its distance with