4th INTREPID Report-4th Action Workshop-London · 2019. 9. 9. · 4th INTREPID Report INTREPID Futures Initiative Universities and Knowledge for Sustainable Urban Futures: as if inter

4thINTREPIDReportINTREPIDFuturesInitiative

UniversitiesandKnowledgeforSustainableUrbanFutures:asifinterandtrans-disciplinaritymattered

OliviaBina,GiulioVerdini,AndyInch,MartaVaranda,

MariteGuevara,andPrueChiles

11May2017

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AcknowledgementsWearegratefultotheCOSTActionTD1408:Interdisciplinarityinresearchprogrammingandfundingcycles(INTREPID)http://www.intrepid-cost.eu/forfundingthe4thActionWorkshopinLondon.This report has benefitted from the contributions by: Prue Chiles, Bertie Russell, CarlosLopez-Galviz, Lee Crookes, Vicky Chambers, Jean-Paul Vanderlinden, Anna MacGillivray,SilvanoCustoza,MarkusMolz,JohanWoltjier,EnricaPapa,andAlessandraMossa.Citation:Bina,O,Verdini,G.,Inch,A,Varanda,M.,Guevara,M.andChiles,P.(2017)INTREPIDFuturesInitiative:Universities andKnowledge for SustainableUrbanFutures: as if inter and trans-disciplinarity mattered, 4th INTREPID Report, COST Action TD1408, 11 May,http://www.intrepid-cost.eu/intrepid-reports-and-policy-briefs/

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................................4BACKGROUNDTOTHISWORKSHOP................................................................................................................4AIMOFTHELONDONWORKSHOP..................................................................................................................4AGENDA...............................................................................................................................................................5

THREEGROUPDISCUSSIONS:STATUSQUO,VALUES,DRIVERSANDUNCERTAINTIES..............................................................................................................................5GROUP1–ANDYETAL....................................................................................................................................6GROUP2–GIULIOETAL..................................................................................................................................9GROUP3–MARTAETAL...............................................................................................................................12

OVERVIEW:JOINTDISCUSSION(BASEDONTHETHREEGROUPS)..............................17INTRODUCINGTHEIDEAOFTHEFUTUREOFUNIVERSITIES(FUTURE-OF-U)....................................18PURPOSE............................................................................................................................................................19DESIRABLEQUALITIES....................................................................................................................................21THEBIGSQUEEZE–OREMERGENTVALUES?..............................................................................................23INSUMMARY:ETHOS,PURPOSEANDDESIRABLEQUALITIES..................................................................24

TWOPOSSIBLEWAYSFORWARD............................................................................................25THEURBANCURRICULUMOFTHEFUTURE.................................................................................................25ANEXERCISEINENVISIONINGTHEFUTURE-OF-U:INTREPID’SCO-CREATEDVISION?...................25NEXTSTEP.........................................................................................................................................................27

ANNEX1:PARTICIPANTS...........................................................................................................28

ANNEX2:THEBACKGROUNDINFORMATIONSENTOUTTOPARTICIPANTS...........28EXPECTEDOUTCOMES.....................................................................................................................................29PRACTICALITIES...............................................................................................................................................29

ANNEX3:INITIALTHOUGHTSON“THEFUTUREOFACADEMIAANDUNIVERSITIES:ASIFIDANDTDMATTERED”...................................................................................................29

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Introduction

BackgroundtothisWorkshopThisWorkshop is organised as part of an EU-fundedNetwork (COST Action)1: INTREPID –whoseobjectiveistoinspirechangeinhowweunderstandknowledgeandbuildleadershipforinterdisciplinarityhttp://www.intrepid-cost.eu/.INTREPIDaddresses3challenges:

• Challenge1–UnderstandChange:ReflectingandLearning• Challenge2–CriticalMass:BuildingNetworksandCooperation• Challenge3–EnableChange:Enablinginterdisciplinarityandtransdisciplinarity.

Ithasbeenexploringthediscourseandpracticeofinterdisciplinarityandtransdisciplinarity(IDandTD)2inresearchpolicy,programmingandfundingintheEUanditsmemberstates,andhasbeenlookingspecificallyintotheobstaclesto,andenablersof,IDandTDinurban-relatedresearch.ThisNetworkisfundedforfouryears.Wearenowenteringthelasttwoand,oneofthenexttasks is to reflecton“TheFutureofAcademiaandUniversities: as if IDandTDmattered”(INTREPID Futures Initiative). The idea is tomake a contribution over the next two years,towardsshapingthespaceandtermsofknowledgeproductioninawaythatenablesmoresustainable urban futures. Thus, we will engage with the future of academia anduniversitiesfromtheperspectiveofurbanstudiesandurban-relatedresearch.

AimoftheLondonWorkshopThisLondonWorkshopismeanttoadvancetheagendaof“UniversitiesandKnowledgeforSustainableUrbanFutures:as if IDandTDmattered”,byhelpingustodefinethescopeofourcontribution,andoftheactivitieswemightfundfor2017-2019.Intentionstatement:‘Tocontributetotheshapingoftomorrow’suniversities&theirurbancurricula:asif interandtransdisciplinarywaysofknowingactuallymattered’.

For thispurpose, theWorkshopwasaone-daygatheringofexpertsandpractitionerswithdiverseexperienceanddisciplinarybackgrounds.

1COSTActionsareintendedtofundarangeofactivities(workshops,trainingcourse,conferences)andthusfacilitatenetworkingandexchangeofideas.Theydonotfundresearchdirectly.2INTREPID’sworkingdefinitionsare:ID:Definitionsofinterdisciplinaryvary.Itisclearthatthisisresearchthatspansacrossdifferentdisciplinesandmaycreateinteractionbetweenthesedifferentdisciplines,andthesedisciplinesmayoptforaclearintegrationorcollaboration.Inaddition,thesecanhavecommongoalsandaims,orcollaborateonthecreationofjointsolutions.Whilesomeresearchersrecognizetherelevanceofextra-academicknowledgehere,weproposethatthisisnotessential.TD:Extra-academicknowledgeisoftenseenasimportantintransdisciplinaryresearch,andmayserveasthemaindistinguishingfactorcomparedtointerdisciplinarity.

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Agenda

Three Group discussions: status quo, values, drivers anduncertaintiesThissessionlastedapprox.1.5hours,andwasbasedonthefollowinginstructions:

Morning (Giulio Verdini Chairs) Coffee and tea

10:00 Welcome by Johan Woltjer, Head of Planning and Transport, University of Westminster

10:05 Olivia Bina & Giulio Verdini–introduce INTREPID, today’s aims and agenda

10:20 Round of introductions: who, where, what

10:35 Small groups: Where is the challenge? 10:55 Context and a few initial thoughts

(Olivia) 11:15 Coffee and tea

& WORLD CAFÉ’ x 4: why change is needed and how can it happen? (Olivia)

Afternoon (Olivia Bina Chairs) 13:00 Lunch: small group discussion:

“what is my personal connection to the issue? What expectations of University?”

14:00 SYNTHESIS: elements of a vision, scenarios and key themes (Andy Inch)

15:30 Coffee and tea 16:00 REFLECTION AND NEXT STEPS:

“how to spend it” & will you want to join us? (Marta Varanda)

17:30 Wrapping up and drinks! (Giulio and Olivia)

BRAINSTORMING (11.20-13.00) •  Participants in groups of 4-5 spend 15

minutes brainstorming on each of the topics on the right, collating their ideas on flip-chart paper and/ or post-it notes. 5 minutes is used for feedback on key themes from each group.

TOPICS / ACTIVITIES •  Characterizing the status quo (20mins) •  Drivers of/for change (20 mins) •  Values to guide change (20 mins) •  Uncertainties, obstacles, opportunities (20

mins)

Universities and Knowledge for Sustainable Urban Futures: why change is needed and how can it happen?

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Group1–Andyetal.

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CharacterizingthestatusquoOur group, comprisingmainly UK based academic and non-academic participants focusedextensivelyonintensifyingprocessesofmarketisationthatarereshapingbothresearchandteachingpractices. In relation to the latter this involves thepressures to view studentsascustomers in a market for services, bringing increased pressures to educate foremployabilityandtheperceivedneedsof jobmarkets(eventhoughthesearepredictedtochangemassivelyoverthecourseofanycurrentstudent’sfutureworkinglife).

Institutionally/internally,thegroupalsocharacteriseduniversitiesintermsoforganisationalsilosthatdividedisciplinesandteaching/researchfunctionsinwaysthatoftenworkagainstinnovationorresponsivenesstoproblemsintheworld.

Whilst the groupwas generally critical of thesedevelopments itwas alsohighlighted thattherearepotentiallypositiveunintendedconsequencesofmarketisation,atleastinsofarasthiscanbeassociatedwithademocraticwideningofaccesstoHE,andpotentiallydisruptivepressures to engage with and be accountable to organisations and agencies outside oftraditional‘ivorytowers’(however,problematicthelattertermwasacknowledgedtobe,wesaw it as useful shorthand for a traditional, elite form of HE that was being justifiablychallenged.).

Driversof/forchangeFollowingfromtheabove,marketizationwasacknowledgedasaprocessthatcontinuestodriveextensivechange.

Thiswas linked to ongoing struggles over the commodification of knowledge and currentchallenges around ‘open access’ to the products of academic labour, including researchoutputs(e.g.journalarticles)andteachingresources(e.g.MITopeningupaccesstoteachingmaterialsifnottothecredentialsthatcomewithanMITdegree).

Proliferation of data was seen as part of a wider acceleration of academic life andknowledgeproductionthatraisedsignificantchallengesforacademicculturesandworkingtime.

Therewasconcern that the fashion for ‘bigdata’oftenworkedagainstattempts toattainrealwisdomwhichshouldbecoretothemissionofHE.This isrepresentedinthediagrambelow,wherethemissionofHEshouldbeunderstoodtositatthetopofthepyramid.

Wisdom

Intelligence

Knowledge

Data

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Furtherdiscussionalsoconsideredhowresearch funders’prioritieswereamajordriverofacademicbehavior,oftenverywastefullygivenhowmucheffortisexpendedunsuccessfullychasinghighlycompetitivefunding.Howfunders’prioritiesaresetraisedquestionsaroundwhodefinestheproblemsthatresearchshouldaddress.ItwasfeltthatcurrentprioritiesarenotfavourabletoSSHsubjectsandareoftentheproductofeconomicinterestsandpoliticalinfluence.

Some external drivers of change were also identified, including the likely impacts ofautomationonjobmarketsandwhatthismeansforthenatureofhighereducation.

ValuestoguidechangeIndependencewasconsideredafundamentalvalueoftheuniversity,inpartmeasuredbyanability to stand back from immediate pressures. This was felt to be under threat in theaccelerated academy where much research activity (and employability-centred teaching)focuseson instrumentalproblemsolvingratherthanondefiningtheproblemsthatshouldbeaddressedinthefirstplace.

Following from this a key value isdemocratizationwhichwas discussed in relation to thepotential realization of what Appadurai labels a ‘right to research’. Beyond this it wassuggested that a key principle for a democratic university would be that there wasdemocratic/publicaccess toresearchagendasandthe framingof researchproblems.Thiswas illustrated by an example of how broadly similar research problems can be posed infundamentally different ways so as to either serve common /public interests and socialjusticepurposesornarrowcorporate interests (e.g. ‘howdoweensureaccess tosafeandhealthy foodforall’vs. ‘howdowesolvetheproblemofglobal foodsupply inachangingclimate’,where the latter is a question set byMonsanto, the former is thequestion foodjusticeactivistswouldask).

Therewasalsodiscussionoftheuniversityasa‘protectedcriticalspace’whichallmembersof society could access in order to learn the skills required for critical citizenship anddemocracy;empowering people to ask the right questions. This encompasses elements ofJohn Dewey’s vision of universities and arguably suggests something like a broad ‘liberalarts’approachtoeducationasopposedtotheevernarrowingspecialisationdemandedbyjobmarkets.

Itwasalsorecognized,however,thatthisneededtobebalancedagainstaneedforporousboundaries toensureaccessibilityand responsiveness to societaldemands for knowledge,and the need to tackle the challenges inherent in Brewer’s phrase that ‘the world hasproblemsbutuniversitieshavedepartments’.

Any such protected space needed also to introduce greater control over the speed ofacademiclabour,promotingvariablespeedsofworkappropriatetodifferenttypesoftask.

Allof this shouldbeaimedat increasing thestoreofwisdom in society (as represented inthepyramidabove).

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Uncertainties,obstacles,opportunitiesDiscussionhereconsideredissuesofaccountability:whodecidesonthegoalsandpurposes,researchandteachingprioritiesofUniversitiesandhowisthatmadeaccountabletosocietymorewidely?

Inaddition,wediscussedhowlearningopportunitiesmightbereconceptualisedthroughoutthelifecourse,openingupthespacesoftheuniversitytopeopleinmuchmoreflexiblewaysin response to potential post-work futures that may render traditional education foremploymentmuch lessrelevant (aUK-styleOpenUniversity forthe21stcentury).Thishadechoesoftheideaofthe‘raggeduniversity’(https://www.raggeduniversity.co.uk/)

The discussion also considered what it is that gives Universities their continuing societallegitimacy. Superficially, theMIT open course project suggests that this is about a role ineducation and promoting widespread societal learning. However,MIT retain control overthe award of degrees and clearly consider their power to offer ‘credentials’ their keyeconomic asset. This suggests two different directions for universities, in opening up anddemocratizinglearningorincontinuingtocredentialandcommodifydegreesas‘products’.

Finally, there was some discussion of how post-disciplinary futures may open up morecreativeapproachestotacklingsocietalchallenges.

Group2–Giulioetal.

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Characterizingthestatusquo

The ‘status quo’ of University and knowledge has been placedwithin the overall societalshift towards (mass) individualism, which is increasingly affecting the way of producingknowledge.University,ontheotherhand,willneedto‘openitsdoorstothesocieties’morethaninthepasttotackleissuesofinterandtransdisciplinarity.Thisopennesscanthereforebeaverycriticalaspect.

Universities are in fact failing to create ‘commons’ (knowledge as commons) but, on thecontrary, are reproducing particular dominant interests of the society. Such interests areentirely reshaping institutions and, in some cases, this is affecting the traditional role ofUniversitiestoforeseeprocessesofchangesandtoemploylong-termcriticalviews.

Thishasanimpactinvariousacademicaspects:

- Thereisanarrowlydefinednotionof‘employability’,whichisusedasarankinginstrument.Thisisdeterminingshort-sightedteachingstrategiesto‘meetimmediatemarketdemands’failingtoequipstudentswithtoolstocopewithflexibleandmutatingmarkets(TEACHING);

- ThereisanoftenuncriticaladvocacyforthecontributionthatUniversitiescangivetothesociety.Thisrequiresthefindingofpracticalsolutionsandtheapplicationsofproblem-solvingapproaches.Thisfitsverywellwiththe

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utilitarianismofneoliberalagendas(servicetocommunities),oftenfailingtodefineadequatelywhatcanbetherealsocietalcontributionthanaUniversitycangiveintermsofresearchproduction(RESEARCH);

While teaching is becoming more market-orientated and research more utilitarian,Universitiesstill characterize themselvesasplacesofcertain intellectual freedom.Thiscanact as an instrument of resistance. In the discourse of the future of Universities andknowledgeforsustainableurbanfutures,regionaldifferencesalsowillmatter.

Driversof/forchangeCurrentglobal transformationsarealreadyactingasdrivers for changeofentire societies,andthisisreflectedinUniversities.

Climate change and economic change (or crisis) are reshaping meanings and emotionalvaluesofentiresocietalsectors.Asaconsequence,suchsectorsareincreasinglydemandingchanges.Educationmightrespondtothat,addressingpositivevalues.

ValuestoguidechangeValuestoguidechangesarerelatedtotheneedoftacklingtogetherprimarilyissuesrelatedto climate changes and economic crisis or disruptions (with associated problems ofinternationalmigrations and soon). Therefore, there areuncertainties onwhatwill guidechange:positivevaluesasaresultsofawarenessoremotionalreactionsinfluencedbyfear(TrumporBrexiteffect).

Uncertainties,obstacles,opportunities

Phasesofuncertainties,as thecurrentone,carry togetherobstaclesandopportunities forthefutureofuniversityandknowledge.

The engagement of the civil society in process of knowledgeproduction, as advocatedbytrans-disciplinary approaches, is threatened by the diffused fragmentation of the society(duetoprecariousemploymentconditions,migrationsandsoon).TheUniversitywillhaveto open its door to the outside world being, at the same time, capable to interpret anincreasinglycomplexsociallandscape.

Accountabilityofknowledgeproduction(forwhomandwhy)willbecentraltothefutureofUniversity.

Inrelationshiptothisissue,technologicalinnovation(associatedwiththetopicofproximity)cannot be underestimated. It might provide a platform for knowledge innovation (forexampleinfosteringplace-basedengagement)oradisruptivetooltoreinforceexclusionarysocietalprocesses.

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Group3–Martaetal.

Characterizingthestatusquo(20mins):For our group the University was visualized as a fortress; in need of beingmore porous;there are insufficient links/bridges to theoutside and too little of theoutsidepermeatingintotheuniversity.

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University as a huge hierarchical bureaucracy – 7 layers from the president to cleaningservices.

Universitymainresearchoutputsareacademicpapers,whicharereadonaveragebyabout1.5people

Universityisstillbiasedtowards“normalscience”

Internationally rated “paradigm shifting” research is seen as most important, whereassometimesmorelocallyrelevantresearchmaybe“better.”

Referencesusedinthisdiscussion

• ThebooksofStefanCollini“SpeakingofUniversities”2017and“whatareUniversitiesfor”2012andTheGreatUniversityGamblebyAndrewMcgettigan

• Aregoodforcharacterizingthestatusquoandwhatishappeningtouniversitiestoday.Thewholecommercializationofteachingandresearch-andresearchthatispoliticallyworthwhileisdiscussed.

• IthinkSlowProfessor,challengingthecultureofspeedintheAcademybyBergandSeeberwasalsomentioned.

• Actuallyasearchonamazonthereareamyriadof“newfutureoftheUniversity”books.

Driversof/forchange(20mins)Inourgroupwewerelookingforhowwecanaddressthe“GrandChallenges’oftodaymoreeffectively

The drivers towards change are coming mainly from outside the university but have toface/confront the “FORMA”, the same old structure, and an inbuilt immune system, areluctancetochange.BasedonSimmelsociologicalthinkingsocialchangeisresultingfromtheconflictbetween lifeand form,where the form isbounding, controlling theactivityoflife.

Universitiesoperateonmanylevelsandscales.

Theoutsideinfluencesinclude:

- Centralandlocalgovernment- Companiestrainingtrends(ex.GoogleUniversity,AppleUniversity,…)- NGO’s;charities;community;- Otherpoliticalorsocialdrivers- Privatizedresearch-requestsforresearchbymulti-nationals- societalchallenges(risinginequalities,climatechange,increasingnational

sentiment,agingpopulation,urbanization…).

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Universitiesliveinawidersocial,economic,politicalsystemwhichincludes:

- Theyoungergenerations,ingeneral,wantnewapproaches,newwaysofdoingthings,somethingdifferent

- New-life- anarchicelements- contaminations(‘strange’unorthodoxcharactersandcareers)- newthinking

Universities themselves have a chaotic lifewith contradictory forces at different scales ofinfluence:

- grassrootsstudentinitiatives- thoughtleaders- decisionsmakers.

Valuestoguidechange(20mins)Fourmainvaluesforthefutureofuniversitiesandresearchandteachingvalues:

• CARE:foryourself,forothers,fortheworld,forthewhole• CONVIVIALITYagoodenvironmenttoworkin.• IMAGINATION• CONSCIOUSNESSofthecontextsweshouldworkin.

WeconsiderthecurrentUniversityasabox- acubewithcornersandedges-torepresentthestructure(seefigure,above).Buttheuniversityalso includesCurricula(life ,people) .Structure and curricula are the metaphor of two components of University which are inpermanent tension In short , the curricula are the expression of vitality, of life. Thestructure,inourcase,theboxUniversity

InSimmels’sociologicalthinking,thesocialchangeisresultingfromtheconflictbetweenlifeandform,wheretheformisbounding,controllingtheactivityoflife(i.e.curricula).

The best way to make possible the introduction of new thinking (paradigm shift) in theUniversityistoopenupthebox/cube-University.

Thisboxshouldbedisposedof(placedinthewastebin),openedupandmovearoundtakinginconsiderationthesevalues.

Uncertainties,obstacles),opportunities(20mins)Criticalthinkingaboutuniversities:

Whatshouldhappenatuniversitiesandwhatdoeshappenisveryfarapart.

Weneedtohavealong-termperspective,notshort-termthinking.

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Weneedtotryandmovetowardspositive,notnegativechange.

Universitiesarenotfreeaslongastheywillfollow/obeyaccreditationsystems

Theyneedtobeabletooperateonmanydifferentlevelsofeducationandreward.(Marta’snotetoPrue:notsurewhatdoesthismean)

Academic work focused on papers + papers is an academic anomaly which overloadsacademics and drives attention away form “what is the right object of research?” (datadrivestheresearch)

Thereforeweneed tobemore relevant,weneed to lookat real issues,grass roots issues“real-world “institutes and laboratories working on projects like “Transition Towns andworkingwithalternativeCityorganisationslike:

Forexample:

• REOS,• CityMine(d)• TheSocialLabsRevolution

Universitiesareimportantforpublicorganizationsandbusinessesinnovation,educationandrecruitment. But there are barriers that prevent cooperation. Each stakeholder (HEI,Businesses,Academics,GovernmentAgencies,…) have their ownmotivation to cooperate.Trusted relationships drive cooperation, but trust is based on the acceptance of thedifferences.

Themodernist separation- the grand narratives of the past needs to change to a nimblethinkingthatwillleadtochange–thereisaneedtoactNOW

Whatshouldhappen?

Even if itdifficult tochangethings, intellectuals likeBourdieu andLefebvre helptheorizeanotherway.

Opportunities

Humans can transform things; systems are loosely coupled and humans can make adifferenceinthemanduniversitieshavetobeapartofthis.

Embedded knowledge drives change and needs to be the pre-dominant way of working.Evenifitisdifficulttochangethings,Bourdieushowsusanotherway.

Therearemanynewtypesoforganizationandcreativethinkingbodiesthatareleadingtheway.Someinsideuniversitiesandsomeoutside.

Whatshouldhappen?

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Universitiescollaboration insustainabledevelopment isnotsimplyachievedthroughmoreknowledge,moreinnovationandmoreeducatedexpertswhotransferpotentialsolutionstocitizens.

Thespeedoftechnologicalinnovationchallengeuniversities.Thereisaneedforcurriculumredesign if we don’t want to be at the service of machines instead of making machinesservingus.

Universities should become more “engaged” with society, developing more links withpartners in their home city and region, and adopt service learning, experiential learningmethods,inwhichstudentslearnbyworkingonreal-lifeproblems.

Sustainability at a global, regional or urban scale is also about values, participation, sociallearning and a dialoguebetweendifferent domains of knowledge and legitimate interests(UNESCO,2005;Sneddonetal.,2006)

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Overview:jointdiscussion(basedonthethreegroups)Basedonfeedbackfromeachofthethreegroupdiscussions,Olivianotedsomeofthekeymessageson4sheets(seebelow).WethengatheredaroundtheseforfurtherreflectionandwiththeaimofidentifyingasetofissuesaroundwhichtofocusINTREPID’snextsteps.

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IntroducingtheideaofTheFutureofUniversities(Future-of-U)

ConcernsandUncertaintiesAgeneralconcernrelatedtothefactthatwediscussedthestatusquo,drivers,valuesanduncertaintiesmainlyfromtheperspectiveofacademia.Anessentialnextstepwouldhavetobetobroadentherangeofvoices.

Thefollowingisalistofconcernsanduncertaintiesthatwereconsideredimportant:

• Data:‘bigdata’,dataoverload(overwhelming?),(un)democratic,(un)controlled

• Funding:influenceofsourcesandfundingmechanisms• MassificationandOpenaccess:

o Doestheyimplydemocratisationorcommodificationofknowledge?o Isthecurrenttrendofarisingpercentageofpeopleholdinga

universitydegreessustainableanddesirable?o Doesmassificationimplythelossofacriticalapproach?

• Uncertaintyinthefutureofthejobmarket(acceleration,artificialintelligenceetc):areeducationandtechnologyinarace?Everythingthatiseasytodeliverandquantifyislikelytobeautomatedinthefuture.

• Placeandnon-place:Thetaskofteachingcurricula(deliveringinformationandknowledge)islikelytobeincreasinglytakenupbydigitalplatforms,andthuspartlyautomated.Afundamentalquestionarises:whatwillmaketheplace-baseduniversityinthefuturestillberelevant?

• Urbanisationasamajordriverofchangeandonethatiscloselylinkedtoacceleration,artificialintelligence,internetofthingsetc.

• Roleofuniversitiesinsociety:arewewitnessingageneral(global)shiftingfromuniversitiesbeingacommongoodtobeingmarket-driven,problem-solvinginstitution?

• “Linearisdead”• Newformsofproletarisation:Precariat

Universityandsociety:systemicandtacticalchange?CanweenvisagetheFuture-of-Umakingitanopportunitytoservesociety?Theaspirationbecomes one of the university becoming itself a driver of change, rather than being thetarget(victim)ofchange.

There is a view that the university system and pedagogy are in crisis and that this is anopportunitytointroduceinnovation(disturbance).Alternatively,othersarguedthatratherthan crisis, universities are constantly subject to tensions, and opportunities, and the

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question becomes ‘where can we intervene [within the university system] to push thevaluesthatwewanttopromote?’

Can we [INTREPID] find spaces and, or, projects that can promote similar opportunities?Echoingideasoftacticalurbanism,whatwouldbetacticalinterventionswithinacademia?

UniversityandtheCity:aquestionofreciprocity?Followingonfromthequestionsofopenness toandconnectednesswith,society,wealsodiscussedtheimmediatecontextofuniversities:their(mostly)urbanlocationsandtowhatextentideasofacivicuniversitycouldmeanauniversityopentothecity,forthecommongoodandforsharing,co-designingandco-creating.

How can (should?) this co-exist with the current (dominant?) model of amarket driven,serviceorienteduniversity,andtheagendaofmassification(whichpotentiallyconflictswiththeneedforlocal,place-based,understanding)?

Thisalsoraisedquestionsofreciprocity,affordabilityandaccessibility.

Purpose

Introducingtheideaofpurpose3Whatshouldbetheroleofuniversitiesinsociety?Whatistheneedforacademiatoday?Isuniversityresponding,andtowhatneed(s)?

Perhapswe could start by arguing that university appearsunfit for purpose: asMolz andAssenza (2016)4havenoted, there is an ‘anomaly’ in today’sworld,whichhas thehighestnumberofpeoplecompletinghighereducationstudies,andyetisfacingthegreatestcrisesinecological,socialandeconomicterms.

Employabilityhasbeenan important reason for studying for adegree. In theFuture-of-Uthismay be challenged by an increasinglyuncertain future of jobs as we know them, asmultipleformsofartificialintelligenceandroboticsreplacehumanjobs,leadingtoquestionthepurposeofuniversities.Preparing thenextgenerations forversatility in theway theythink and resilience by equipping them with the skills to constantly learn and updatethemselvesarisesasonepossiblenewfocus(anewperspectiveforlifelonglearning?).

Relatedquestions:

• Will(should)thefutureuniversitypromotecooperationabovecompetition?• Willthenextgenerationslearntousewhattheyknowtobuildajustand

sustainableworld?

3Wenotethatourdistinctionbetweenpurposeanddesirablequalitiesneedsfurtherthinking.4Molz,M.andAssenza,G.(2016)TwoparadigmsofHigherEducation-Modernistandtrasnformative,WorkingPaper#1,7September,UniversityfortheFutureInitiative.

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PurposepyramidsMovingtowardswisdomissomethingwecouldaspireto?

Canuniversitiesaspiretodrivechange,ratherthanbedrivenbyit?

The exponential growth in data calls for a democratisation (massification?) of highereducationenablepeople tomakesenseofadata-drivenworld.See imageabove ‘Flippingthecurriculum’(above).

What will be a ‘good university’, beyond ideas of international rankings as currentlyadopted? (@14.20~of the recording) Leeansweredhisownquestionhalf askingwhether‘moving towardswisdom issomethingwecouldaspireto’.Thisfeltalmost likeacatharticmoment:thewholegroupapplaudedtheideaandmission.Althoughitwasalsoarguedthatthefutureuniversitywillstillclaimdiversity,includingdiversityofpurpose,itseemedthatitshouldseektoenableandempowerindividualstobecomefullcitizens,withahighsenseofcivicnessandacharactershapedbycapacityforselfreflection.Theseatleast,weresomeoftheaspectsthatwecombinedunderthelabelofwisdom.

The aim is to enhance humanities capabilities and potential so as to ensure a just andsustainablefuture.

Can the Future-of-U be (again?) a space and place of ‘wisdom’? Greater openness in theFuture-of-Uandatransdisciplinarapproachseemtobeessentialtoaprojectthatseesthefutureuniversity asone todeliver ‘wisdom’. Itwas felt thatwisdomcouldonlybecomeacorepartofuniversitiesiftheseallowedforinterdisciplinarity,opennessandporositywhenitcametodefining,negotiating,shapingandpromoting‘wisdom’.

Related to this, is the question of whether (should?) the future university promote thecapabilities that enhance cooperation above competition? In a world that is increasinglyinterdependent, as well as interconnected, wisdom may depend on a (re)discovery ofcooperation.Thisisalsoacrucialskillforalleffortstowardsgreaterinterdisciplinarity.

ValuesrelatedtoPurpose• Empowerindividuals,sense-making(enlightenedasopposedtoinanAge

ofenlightenment?)5• Righttoresearch• Raiseconsciousness• Promotewisdomandethics(butcarenottobeelitist)• Positivevalues

5Kant(1784)WhatIsEnlightenment?http://www.columbia.edu/acis/ets/CCREAD/etscc/kant.html

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• Spaceforemotionsandreflection• Beyondlinearideaofdeliveringemployabilitytowardslifelonglearning

Desirablequalities

The‘openquestion’Oneof themainquestions that seemed toarise fromthe ‘statusquo’was: ‘howopen orporousshouldthefutureuniversitybe?’

Therewasageneral rejectionof theFuture-of-Ubeinga futureversionof ‘fortress’, ‘ivorytower’ enterprise, suggesting that some degree of openness and porosity will be anessentialqualityofthefutureuniversity.Thishoweverledsometonotethattheideathattoday’suniversityisa‘fortress’or‘ivorytower’shouldbediscussedwithcare:wemayalsobebuyingintoalabellingandcritiquethatisdesignedmoretoundermineacademia,thantodescribe it. Or, we may be supporting the drive towards justifying the existence ofuniversitiesthroughthesolemeasureofeconomicandsocialimpact?

Reference to theroleofBejart inFrenchuniversities in the60swasmadetodisprove thesingle narrative of ‘ivory towers’. Partly linked to this critique, we discussed the idea ofuniversities as an important placewhere to exercise the ‘privilege of critical reflection’,expectingthistobeanevenmoreimportanttaskinfutureuniversities.

The general feeling was that the Future-of-U would enatil strong links with the world‘outside’,butwewerenotabletodefine‘links’atthisstage.Thefollowingtwotermswereconsideredessential:

Openness Lackofrestriction;accessibility.(opennessto)Acceptanceoforreceptivenesstochangeornewideas.Lackofsecrecyorconcealment;frankness.

Porosity (ofarockorothermaterial)havingminuteintersticesthroughwhichliquidorairmaypass.Notretentiveorsecure.Synonyms:permeable,penetrable,pervious

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/

Openorporoustowhat?Towhom?• Thenotionoftransdisciplinaritywascentral:basicallyreferringtothe

embracingofmultipleanddiverseforms,sourcesandagentsofknowledge,whenshapingproblems,solutionsandtheunderstandingofreality.Thefutureuniversitywouldbeopentosuchmultiplicityanddiversity,emphasisingtheneedtomixforms,sourcesandagentsofknowledge.

• See‘boxmodel’(nextfigure)referredtobyPrueandcolleagues:openupthestructuresandcurricula.Thepossibilityofshapingthespaceandplaceofmultipleknowledge,fornewjobsandmarketsandnon-marketrealities

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• Engagement:areuniversitiescapableofwider,deeperengagementwiththeoutsideworld,especiallythecityandregioninwhichtheyarelocated?Willtherestillbeanotionofan‘outside’intheFuture-of-U?

• Linkedtothis:co-designandco-creationofknowledge.

Valuesrelatedtodesirablequalities• Opennessandporosity6• Reciprocity:exchange,sharing(co-design,co-create)• Accessibility• Local(&regional)embedding• Independence• Civicness7• Criticalspace(abilitytostandback)• Democratisationoftheeducationandresearchagendas,questions• Balancethelong-termperspectiveandinquirywiththeurgencyof

marketandsocietalsolutions.

6ReferencetoKant(1795)PerpetualPeace:APhilosophicalSketchisites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.../Kant%20Perpetual%20Peace%20section%20II.pdf7Dekker(2009)Civicness:FromCivilSocietytoCivicServices?https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11266-009-9089-9

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TensionsThemaintensionscurrentlyaffectinguniversitiesare:

• democratization(peopleoriented)vscommodification(mktoriented)• longvsshortterm• wisdomvsdata• people(life)vsstructure(form)• porosityvsfortress• liberalartsvstechno-econscience.

Thebigsqueeze–oremergentvalues?Are themultipledriversof change,and relatedcrises, and inparticular theecological andeconomic crises and rapid changesputtingpressureon theballooningbodyof knowledgeand knowledge production activities, thus pushing forward (makingmore prominent) thefollowing twodimensionsofunderstanding, thatwouldotherwisecontinue to recede intothebackground(andintooblivion)?

• Positivevalues• Emotionsandsense-making.

Universities that contribute to building wisdom, and thus individual’s characters, shouldengagewithalldimensionsofthehumanbeing:mind,heartandbody.

Arecrisesthusanopportunity?

SeefigurebyJean-Paulandcolleagues.

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TheethosoftheFuture-of-U

• Care(ofSelf,others,thewhole,World)• Justandsustainableworlds• Conviviality• Imagination• Lifelonglearning

Insummary:Ethos,PurposeandDesirablequalitiesWe identified a range of themes (originally under the idea of values for the Future-of-U),whichcanbetentativelycategorisedunderethos,purposeandqualities:

Ethos Purpose Desirablequalities

• Care(ofSelf,others,thewhole,World)

• Justandsustainableworlds

• Conviviality• Imagination• Lifelong

learning

• Empowerindividuals,sense-making(enlightenedasopposedtoinanAgeofenlightenment?)8

• Righttoresearch• Raise

consciousness• Promotewisdom

andethics(butcarenottobeelitist)

• Positivevalues• Spacefor

emotionsandreflection

• Beyondlinearideaofdelivering

• Opennessandporosity9

• Reciprocity:exchange,sharing(co-design,co-create)

• Accessibility• Local(&regional)

embedding• Independence• Civicness10• Criticalspace(abilityto

standback)• Democratisationofthe

educationandresearchagendas,questions

• Balancethelong-termperspectiveandinquirywiththeurgencyofmarketandsocietalsolutions

8Kant(1784)WhatIsEnlightenment?http://www.columbia.edu/acis/ets/CCREAD/etscc/kant.html

9ReferencetoKant(1795)PerpetualPeace:APhilosophicalSketchisites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.../Kant%20Perpetual%20Peace%20section%20II.pdf10Dekker(2009)Civicness:FromCivilSocietytoCivicServices?https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11266-009-9089-9

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employabilitytowardslifelonglearning

TwopossiblewaysforwardInourfinalsessionweidentifiedanumberofpossiblewaysforwardforINTREPID.

TheurbancurriculumofthefutureTherewassupportfortheidea(originallypresentedinBarcelona)ofexploringthethemesoftheFuture-of-Uthroughthedesignofanurbanstudies-relatedcurriculum.

1. BACKGROUND:Civicdesignandcitizenshipmodelsandtraditions(whichtraditionallyemphasisedcivicnessinurbanplanning,e.g.PatrickGeddes)shouldberevisited–almostasheritage:‘historiesofdisciplinaryformation’(andthequantitativeturn,alsowitnessedinsociologymoreingeneral);

2. CASES:identifyanumberofexistingpre-figurativepracticesandcurricula(egSOAS–issueofdecolonizationofknowledge?Westminister?)

3. PROTOTYPE:co-designanewcurriculum,thekindofstudentsthatwouldtakeit,thephysicalenvironment(thefutureuniversity)thatwouldhostthem.

a. Oneoption:involveacademicsonlytofacilitatetheprocess,andenablecitizensandstakeholderstoshapetheprototype?

b. CheckoutINET’stestingofneweconomicscurricula.114. TEST:applyit.Eg.throughasummerschoolaimedatseniorcityplanners?5. PotentialINTREPIDactions:workshops+trainingschools6. FUNDING:InvolveC40orCovenantofMayors?

AnexerciseinenvisioningtheFuture-of-U:INTREPID’sco-createdvision?The above exercise could or should be embedded in a wider exploration of the kind ofuniversitythatcoulddeliversuchnewcurriculum.

Here, additional ideas for further exploration included the revisiting of the idea of ascenarisationexercise,whichcouldbeheldinanumberofINTREPIDmembers’universitiesandothersbasedonacommontemplate.Thiscommontemplatewillfocusonissuessuchas the purpose and desired qualities shaping the Future-of-U, themain drivers of changewith particular emphasis on values. These are initial ideas not fully explored in theworkshop. One main challenge will be to leverage INTREPID’s funds, as these will beinsufficient:

11https://www.ineteconomics.org/perspectives/videos/young-scholars-initiative-the-next-generation-of-new-economic-thinkers

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• CHALLENGE1:envisiontheFuture-of-Uasonedrivenbythegoalsofsustainability,wisdomandcharacterbuilding–thusexploringthequalities,shape,anddynamicsofuniversitiesimaginedasaplacethatenableshumancapabilitiesforasustainablefuture.

• CHALLENGE2:definewhatauniversityis,andhowitdoes,couldandshouldrelatetosocietyandcontributetoknowledgeproduction,maybebybreakingdown'theuniversity'intosomeofitsconstituentpartsorqualitiesandaskinghowtheymightchange?

• OTHERfocus?• APPROACH:cocreativelydesignavisionoftheFuture-of-Uforasustainable

societythatcouldbetestedforimprovementsinanumberofuniversitiesofINTREPIDmembersandothers.

• CO-CREATION:involveawiderangeofstakeholdersintheprocessofenvisioning.

• DESIGN:couldwedesignthespatialdimensionsofafutureuniversity?(seeabove)

• SURVEY:NickyChalmersofferedtosupportabriefsurveythroughherplatformofglobalcontacts.

• PotentialINTREPIDactions:Shortfellowshipmissionsinuniversities(STSM’s);workshops;trainingschoolonscenariobuilding;

Issues of scale: theFuture-of-Ucanbeexplored,and implies,multiple scalesofanalysis–whichshouldwetarget?

• Thenetworkofindividualsinvolvedinmakingtheuniversity,itsdepartmentsandsoforth;

• Thenetworkofindividualslinkingacademicsandotherproducersandusersofknowledge;

• Thephysicalspace(egMITvideobyOttoSharmer);• Thenetworkbetweenauniversityandotheracademicandnon-academic

entities;• Other?

Someotherelementsworthconsideringwere:

• Civicdesignandcitizenshipmodelsandtraditions(above)mayprovideaninterestingentrypoint;

• MaintainthefocusoninterandtransdisciplinaritywhenexploringideasandvisionsoftheFuture-of-U;

• Combiningutopia(RuthLevitas)andfuturestudies(HGWells)toenvisiontheFuture-of-U;

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• linkingtheexplorationofwisdomandcivicuniversitywiththeshiftfromhomoeconomicustohomoconsciens.

NextstepSomeINTREPIDmemberswillbemeetingattheTDNetconferencetotakethisforward:

http://www.transdisciplinarity.ch/td-net/Konferenzen/ITD-2017.html

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Annex1:Participants

Name Surname CountryOlivia Bina PTGiulio Verdini UKPrue Chiles UKMarta Varanda PTAndy Inch PTBertie Russell UK,Carlos Lopez-Galviz UKLee Crookes UK,Nicky Chambers UKJean-Paul Vanderlinden FRMarite Guevara ESAnna MacGillivray UKSilvano Custoza ITMarkus Molz LUXJohan Woltjier UKMichael Neuman UKEnrica Papa UKAlessandra Mossa UK

Annex2:thebackgroundinformationsentouttoparticipants

Weproposetotakeaveryspecificlens:imaginingthecurriculumforUrbanStudiesin2047,thatis30yearsfromnow.Fromthisspecificangle,wewouldthenexpecttorethinksomeofthekeyaspectsofcontent,pedagogy,butalsocore institutionalandstructuralaspectsofknowledgeproduction.We could also explore the link, synergies and contributions to theUN’s agenda for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and its related Goals for2030.12

Weexpecttofocusourdiscussionaround(some)ofthefollowingquestions:

• Whatknowledgeandlearningisneededtocreatemorejustandsustainablefutures?

12UNESCO(2016)EducationforPeopleandPlanet:CreatingSustainableFuturesforAll,UNEducational,ScientificandCulturalOrganisation(UNESCO),Paris,http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002457/245752e.pdf;Mader,C.andRammel,C.(2015)TransformingHigherEducationforSustainableDevelopment,UNSustainableDevelopmentKnowledgePlatform:sustainabledevelopment.un.org,(accessed:20/2/17);andspecificallyonurbanstudies:Bina,O.,Balula,L.,Varanda,M.andFokdal,J.(2016)Urbanstudiesandthechallengeofembeddingsustainability:Areviewofinternationalmasterprogrammes,JournalofCleanerProduction,137,20,330–346,10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.07.034.

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• whatrangeandscopeoftopicsneedtobecoveredtorealisethefutureswewant?

• Howwillknowledgebegenerated,distributed,ownedandusedintheurbanfuture?

• Whatskillsandcompetencieswillneedtobecultivated?• WillWesternsciencebeintegratedwithwaysofknowingbeyond

traditionalacademicdisciplinesandwaysofknowing(e.g.traditional,customary,localorindigenousformsofknowledge)?

• Whowillgenerate,distribute,ownandusethisknowledge?• willintellectualpropertyremain?Canafutureeducationcontributeto

whatArjunAppaduraicallsthe‘righttoresearch’,buildinga‘capacitytoaspire’andthusservingsocietyasawhole?

• • Wherewillknowledgebegenerated,distributed,ownedandused?

• Whatrolewilluniversitiesandotherinstitutionsplayinthesedevelopments?

• Willuniversitiescontinuetoexistandbebasedonphysicalcampuses?Whatorganisationalandphysicalshapewilltheyhave?Howwilltheyrelatetotheir(urban?)surroundings?

• Willtherebefaculties,subjectsanddepartments?Willcurrenthierarchicalstructuresremain?

Expectedoutcomes• Alistofprioritythemesfordiscussionandinquiryoverthenexttwoyears• IdentificationofpossiblesynergiesbetweenINTREPIDandparticipants’sown

initiatives• IdeasabouthowbesttouseINTREPID’sfundsinordertocontributeto

advancethisinquiry:workshops,training,publications,conferenceetc.

PracticalitiesINTREPIDwillcoveryourtravelandsubsistencecosts.TheworkshopisintendedtocoverthewholedayofFriday24thMarch.ThevenuewillbeWestministerUniversity,London.Detailstobeconfirmed.

Annex 3: Initial thoughts on “The Future of Academia andUniversities:asifIDandTDmattered”In our Network’s last meeting in Barcelona (17 February 2017), we had a preliminary‘brainstorm’ session aimed at scoping some of the broad contextual issues linked to thisInitiative. We started by discussing the role of academia and universities in producingknowledge for sustainable futures. We ended up with what looks like two possiblenarrativesofthefuture,onemorelikelytoleadtodystopianconditions,theotheraspiring

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tomoreutopianones.Thesearehighlightedinthefigurebelowandsummarisedinrathersimplisticandpreliminarytermshere:

• Apotentiallydystopianfuturemarkedbytechno-scientificutopiasdrivenbyknowledgeproductionthatservesinnovation,growthandaccelerationinallaspectsoflife.PredominanceisgiventonaturalandlifesciencesinbothdisciplinaryandIDterms,withinputfromtheartsandhumanitiesandsocialsciencesin-so-farastheycanservethetechno-scienceagenda(anarrowscopeforID).Knowledgeisproducedbyacademicandnon-academicactors,withafocusonsourcesthatcancontributetothetechno-scientificagenda)(anarrowscopeforTD).Thisisexpectedtoservethedesiretoaccumulatepowerandcontrol,thusshiftingintodystopianimpulses.

• Apotentiallyutopianfuturemarkedbyafocusonvaluesandacommondesireforsustainablewellbeing.Hereknowledgeproductionisdesignedtoserveajustandsustainablefutureforalllifeontheplanet.Knowledgeproductionallowsforthecombinationandintegrationofalldisciplinesandwaysofknowing(broadID)andincludesactorsfromallwalksoflife(broadTD).Theartsarerecognisedasacriticalsourceofinspirationadhope,andawayofpromotingconnectedness.

PURPOSE:WefeltthatINTREPIDshouldtakeapurposivestanceinrelationtothetopic,byaskingwhatAcademia and Universities can do to promote knowledge for a sustainable development-orientedmindsetandfuture.Todothis,wecouldlinktoUNESCO'sagendaforEducationfor

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SD, andwe could also link to SDGs agendas13and - for urban issues - to thework byUNHabitat. But wemay also consider these frameworks too conservative and explore otherpaths.CHALLENGES:As a result of our discussions, we identified a number of challenges that must beacknowledged,thoughtheydonotneedtobethefocusofourwork:

• ThelimitedpracticeofIDandTD,andtherelatedissueoflimitedanddecliningpromotionoftheArts,HumanitiesandSocialsciences(the9/95ratioofH2020)

• Thepartlyrelatedsituationwherebywehaveanincreaseintechno-scientificinnovation,thatisconstantlyacceleratingleavingmanybehindintermsoftheircapacitytounderstandwhatliesbehindthe'service'(bigdataetc)-andthatispoorly(ifatall)accompaniedbyethicalscrutiny.

• Wefeltthatethicswasproblematicnotjustforitslimitedapplicationbutalsobecauseweseethisdomainofknowledgeasbeingactivelyunderdeveloped,withpotentiallyseriousconsequencesforthedirectionofknowledgeandscience;butalsoforprivacy,andfundamentalfreedoms,andsustainability(geoengineering?).

• WeexplorednotionsofconnectednessandDIS-connectedness:apartfromtheobviousdisciplinaryboundaries,extremespecialisationandTaylorism.Wetalkedofthedisconnectionbetweenknowledgeanditsconsequences(linkstotheaboveonethics…),wealsomentioneddisconnectedlives,perceptions,disembodiedexistence(focusinthemindvsbody)

• Driversoftheabove:acceleration,drivenbygrowthexpectations,drivenbydesireforpoweraccumulation,drivenbyego-centrism.

• Alternatives:questionexistingsystems,createalternativevaluesandmindsets,promotecare,trust,respect,hope,love?

FOCUS:Itwassuggestedthat INTREPIDshouldfocus itscontributionby“Imagining thecurriculumfor Urban Studies in 2047”, and using the vehicle of a curriculum to explore and discusssomeofthebroaderchallengesaround“UniversitiesandKnowledgeforSustainableUrbanFutures:asifinterandtrans-disciplinaritymattered”

13Forexample:Mader,C.andRammel,C.(2015)TransformingHigherEducationforSustainableDevelopment,UNSustainableDevelopmentKnowledgePlatform:sustainabledevelopment.un.org,(accessed:20/2/17).

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