universities and cities at the crossroads
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UNIVERSITIES AND CITIES AT THE CROSSROADS
A Valedictory LectureBy
Professor John RatcliffeOctober 7th 2009
Catastrophe
Transformatio
n
Evolution
New endings and new beginnings
THE GREAT DISRUPTION:
“Genuine beginnings begin within us, even when they are brought to our attention by external opportunities”…William Bridges
THE DREAM
“The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by sceptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things
that never were.”John F. Kennedy
THE NIGHTMARE
“Cheer up… the worst is yet to come!”
HARBINGERS OF CHANGE
A Confluence of Powerful Trends
Problems Seem Increasingly Intractable
The Demographics of Discord
The New Players
The Problems Are Structural
“Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed.” Irene Peter
TWENTY ONE 21ST CENTURY CHALLENGES
Too Many People
It Takes Time
Redefining The Enemy
Economics Are ComplexRunning The Show
Not Enough Resources
There Will Be New Technologies
What’s The Risk?
Détente With Dilemma
The Great Leap Downward
The Green Quotient
Out Of Our Minds
From Obligation To Opportunity
Doing Well By Doing Good
Sharing And Collaborating
Power On Earth
Are We Connected?
The Smart Workplace
Sustainable Cities: An Oxymoron
Benefitting From Synchronicity
There Will Be Surprises
“I never think of the future, it comes soon enough” Albert Einstein
The main difference that distinguishes the 21st century from those that preceded it is the need to create a mindset that can tackle the conscious design of large systems
THE CITY IN TRANSFORMATIONQUALITY OF LIFE: People, Places & Profiles
COMPETITIVENESS: Creativity, Knowledge & Enterprise
SUSTAINABILITY: Principles & Prospects
GOVERNANCE: Values, Vision & Leadership
CONNECTIVITY: Communications, Infrastructure & Facilities
“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”… Warren G. Bennis
THE UNIVERSITY IN TRANSITIONValues, Visions & Vectors
Governance, Leadership & Management
Delivery, Deployment & Diversity
Global, National & Local Perspectives
Colleges, Communities & Cities
Welfare – Truth - Order & Freedom - What Is Good - Beauty
PROSPECTS FOR UNIVERSITIES IN 2020
Higher education is really big global business
Many corporations look like universities
Many universities look like corporations
Some universities taken over by corporations
Universities emulate major retailers
(Made in 2000)
Mega merger of universities
Mega universities will arise
Much research will be collaborative
Knowledge partnership will grow
Elite group of World Best Universities
PROSPECTS FOR UNIVERSITIES IN 2020
(Made in 2000)
City universities will emerge
Management structures mirror Microsoft
Look at MIT – remember OU
Cost: Irrelevance-ignorance-consciousness-(value + worth)
The West Report 1997: Global alliance for learning
FE colleges moved into I + E
Academic staff: Stars-Counsellors-Programme managers
Funding based on student
Student population profile ageing
Global accreditation will count
Blend of leisure, entertainment and education
NEW SCENARIOS FOR UNIVERSITIES
An Increasingly complex environment for higher education institutions:
Challenges for institutional leaders
New frontiers in researchPublic Service Decreasing funding
Pressure for rankings
What and how to teach?
Increased accountability
Market pressures
Governance
(PROF. JOHN GODDARD)
“The unusual and the unknown make us either over confident or overly fearful”… Gaius Julius Caesar
HIGHER EDUCATION DRIVERS
“Science investigates religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge which is power religion gives man wisdom which is control.”… Martin Luther King, Jr.
A RESEARCH INTENSIVE UNIVERSITY?
“Today knowledge has power. It controls access to opportunity and advancement.” Peter Drucker
A MIXED ECONOMY UNIVERSITY?
“The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth.” John F. Kennedy
A CIVIC UNIVERSITY?
“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”Albert Einstein
FUTURES THINKING: IMAGINEERING, FORESIGHT AND SCENARIOS
PROJECTS AND PERSPECTIVES
THE NEED FOR A STRATEGIC FORESIGHT UNIT
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Peter Drucker
THE CENTURY OF KNOWLEDGE CITIES
Political Will
Strategic Vision
Strong Investment
Promotional Agencies
Multi-Ethnicity
Metropolitan Website
Value Creation To Citizens
Urban Innovation Engines
Knowledge Society Rights
Low Cost ICT Access
Research Excellence
Public Libraries Network
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.”… Albert Einstein
KNOWLEDGE CITIES
Dublin?
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”… Benjamin Franklin
THE KNOWLEDGE VILLAGE
Grangegorman?
“The empires of the future are the empires of the mind”… Winston Churchill
SUSTAINABILITY & CITIES“The Greatest Challenge Of Them All”
SUSTAINABILITY: DIT’S GRAND CHALLENGE
A City To Transform
Dynamic Expertise
Transcendent Partnerships
Sustainable Challenges- Environmental- Organisational- Scientific- Cultural
Embedding & Engaging Strategy
“Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development.”
Kofi Annan
NECESSARY ATTITUDES AND ATTRIBUTES
Awareness & Values
Wholeness & Systems
Preparedness & Futures
Resilience & Adaptability
Mindset & Reflexivity
“These things will destroy the human race: politics without principle, progress without compassion, wealth without work, learning without silence, religion without fearlessness and
worship without awareness.”… Anthony de Mello
“A Vision Without A Task Is But A Dream, A Task Without A Vision Is Drudgery,
A Vision With A Task Is The Hope Of The World”
(Inscription On A Church, Sussex, England, 1730)
“No Problem Can Be Solved From The Same Level Of Consciousness That Created It. We Must Learn To See The World Anew”
(Albert Einstein)