What is a university? At Berkeley and discussion

This event was in two parts. A viewing of extracts from the Fred Wiseman film, At Berkeley, and a discussion, led by Professor Sir Peter Scott (Institute of Education at UCL). Arranged by the new

"Research Centre for Social Change and Transformation in Higher Education" Birkbeck - University of London, Friday, February 27, London 

 

 

The film exhibits the main aspects of university life, the intellectual and social mission, its obligation to the state and to larger ideas of higher education. It also show how decisions are made and implemented by the administration in collaboration. 

 

The challenge for me illustrating was to take notes in the dark – being a film, we were in a cinema and the lights were out during the film. Still I quite like the complexity of the drawings and the visual representation of polyphone discourses at play in the film and at the heart of any "what is the purpose of HE?" discussion.
The first illustration is made whilst watching the film:

 

The next drawing is made during the lecture by Peter Scott and the discussion afterwards. 

Social change and transformation – are these themes still at the heart of the university mission and vision?

What we can do to find out what a university is?:

1.       Learn to love Mass Higher Education

2.       Engage in discussions about public funding and public universities

3.       Realise that higher fees or introduction of fees does not solve the problem of necessary equity and excellence

      Maybe it is not a question of what IS a university – but of how do we perceive it.

Sorry about the quality of the scans.