HIGHER EDUCATION, DEMOCRATIC HIGHER EDUCATION, DEMOCRATIC CULTURE AND SOCIAL CULTURE AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITYRESPONSIBILITY

Sjur Bergan

Council of Europe

EURASHE Annual Conference 2007

““HIGHER EDUCATION MADE TO HIGHER EDUCATION MADE TO MEASURE”?MEASURE”?

What measure? Increasing pace of change Mobility in the labor market Need to update knowledge Education not a “once in a lifetime experience” Yet: we often speak as if higher education served

one purpose only: preparation for work

PURPOSES OF HIGHER PURPOSES OF HIGHER EDCUATIONEDCUATION

Preparation for the labor market Preparation for life as active citizens in democratic

societies Personal development Development and maintenance of a broad,

advanced knowledge base

SOCIAL DIMENSIONSOCIAL DIMENSION

Cuts across the main purposes Equal opportunities Competence

Subject specific Generic

Individuals in society Individuals for society

““THE BIG ISSUES”THE BIG ISSUES”

Sustainable societies Environmentally Economically Politically Socially Culturally

Coping with diversity Public vs. private space

HIGHER EDUCATION AND HIGHER EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIPCITIZENSHIP

Relies on advanced generic competences Ability to:

understand complex realities assess complex and often incomplete information weigh benefits and disadvantages of different orders accept short term pain for the sake of long term gain

DEMOCRATIC CULTUREDEMOCRATIC CULTURE

What we need to make democratic institutions and democratic laws work

Must be developed and maintained in all societies Not achieved once and for all Education is key to success

COUNCIL OF EUROPE PROJECTCOUNCIL OF EUROPE PROJECT

The Responsibility of Higher Education for Democratic Culture

With US partners Participation of institutions from other parts of the

world Forum in Strasbourg June 2006

Declaration Network Web site http://dc.ecml.at/ Follow up Philadelphia March 2007

You are welcome to join the project!!

SOME CHALLENGES TO HIGHER SOME CHALLENGES TO HIGHER EDCUATION IN EUROPEEDCUATION IN EUROPE

Develop a broader view of higher education Greater sense of civic responsibility Work for cohesion and sustainability See connection between classroom and society Help universities and academics see their role as

actors in society Take a longer term view in the age of the sound

bite

ULTIMATE CHALLENGE?ULTIMATE CHALLENGE?

Help learnersHelp learners

Not only to do well…Not only to do well…

……but also to do goodbut also to do good