What Are Universities For?

This inquiry challenges us to consider what universities uniquely offer to the broader community: not just knowledge transfer, but the development of critical thinking, intellectual citizenship, and the capacity to engage with difficult questions that matter. It's an invitation to reflect on our own role as learners and contributors to society.

Please take approximately 10 sections from the Boulton and Lucas' reading. Explore some of the headings you might be curious about.

This will be an exploration of the idea of a university.

• Boulton and Lucas, 2008, "What are Universities For?" https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225511003_What_Are_Universities_For
• A Big Ideas podcast moderated by Prof Des Manderson: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/bigideas/the-purpose-and-the-future-of-the-university/12095864
• Universities Accord: https://www.education.gov.au/australian-universities-accord/resources/final-report

Consider the pre-panel activity (what did you think Universities are for?), the reading, and the panel discussion. What has shaped your view of a university? Has this view changed over time? What elements of universities do you think will persist into the future? Reflect (150-200 words) on a question that you asked, or would have asked if you had time.