[OSList] On the future of universities

[Alan Stewart]

Dear All

Here are two views on this issue. In the first, the question is posed ‘How
much longer will universities exist?’ See the whole article, in which is:

“ …So what is a university?

Firstly, it is (usually) a very expensive piece of land, with very
expensive heritage buildings and very expensive gardens. It probably has
its own police force, very expensive sporting facilities, loss making
taverns and restaurants, and may also own student accommodation and
performance spaces.

A university is first and foremost a messy, diversified property portfolio
that is expensive to administer and is often more about presentation than
purpose – sandstone quadrangles, cricket pitches groomed to chequerboard
perfection by teams of silent men on roller mowers, carillons and formal
gardens.”

… And ending with:

“Sooner or later, an alternative institution that's cheaper, more
supportive, and less ‘kinetic’ to learn in, will set up shop, and draw away
the best academics. Students will follow.

Then ultimately, the university will be finished.”

http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/dl-opinion/how-much-longer-will-universities-exist-20130916-2ttdx.html

 Seeing this brings to my mind a different perspective of what is a
university and it’s future, as was recently reported on these lists by Jen
Mein and Jodi Sandfort about what the University of Minnesota (UMN) is
offering as a ‘harvest gift’ to the global
AoH<http://www.artofhosting.org/>community. This is an
e-book <http://purl.umn.edu/155523> which carries stories of how AoH
principles
and practices are being used across a broad spectrum of this university’s
activities.

For as indicated upfront in their e-book there are remarkable happenings at
UMN:

* “Introduction*

Within the historic buildings with marble columns, beige conference rooms
and traditional classrooms throughout the University of Minnesota campuses,
there are people working differently. Chairs in circles, markers and table
clothes on tables, agendas that are drawn out with pictures, signal
something is different. But beyond those physical artefacts, the people
invited into these spaces are entering into meaningful conversations around
powerful questions.

The Art of Hosting is alive at the University of Minnesota and this eBook
captures stories of how some of the faculty, staff, and students have been
motivated to change how they work with each other, with diverse external
communities, even how they understand themselves. From conversation to
transformation, the Art of Hosting goes far beyond hospitality ... “

Here are instances of the Art of Hosting practices being used at UMN which
drew my attention.

. <https://sites.google.com/a/umn.edu/aohumn/home/membership>  Stories of
Practice, Wisdom and Community at
UMN<https://sites.google.com/a/umn.edu/aohumn/home/membership>

. Section Introduction to AoH e-book of
UMN<http://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/155523/3/CCAoH_UMN_eBook.pdf>

. Applying Art of Hosting as an Open Governance
Model<https://cultivatingchange.wp.d.umn.edu/hostingconversations/category/institutional-effectiveness/>
. Art of Hosting Meets Art of Teaching Gathering Harvest - January 15, 2013
<http://umnaoh.blogspot.com/2013/01/art-of-hosting-meets-art-of-teaching.html>
. AoH Book Group Discussion: Wave Rider, by Harrison
Owen<http://umnaoh.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/aoh-book-group-discussion-wave-rider-by.html>

Reading the above indicates that these across the board AoH approaches are
leading to:

. a substantial change of culture within this university – no mean feat!

. participation by all concerned being a key feature, on the premise that
'we are in this together and to treat each other well.'

. a sense among faculty, staff and students that this is not lip service.

. autonomy within the university for how cultivating change is developing
organically. “To date, more than 175 people working for the University,
including faculty, students, teaching, research, administrative staff, and
college deans are trained.”**

*And so I would ask of UMN people and others on these lists: *

. Would you suggest that a firm focus on creating contexts for
conversations that matter is meeting the needs of faculty, staff and
students in ways that perhaps other universities are not, granted that it
is early days?

. Do you see that this opens up opportunities for universities all over
around our little planet, 3rd from the sun, to cultivate similar kinds of
change of culture?

. *Parri passu* would this also create new career options for
*AoH*practitioners and others who work with particular components such
as Open
Space Technology (OST) <http://www.openspaceworld.org> and The World Café
(TWC) <http://www.theworldcafe.com/history.html> in enabling universities
to make a start on cultivating such change?

. Could there be opportunities for these practitioners to collaborate with
others outside of ‘The Academy’ in setting up alternatives which do meet
the needs of people who would otherwise become university students and
faculty?

Looking forward

Go well

Alan

Alan Stewart, PhD
Social artist with conversations that matter and participatory fun
Former Senior Fulbright Scholar at Stanford University in California
Twitter: @alpalstewart

See my new e-booklet Time to converse – at the heart of human
warmth<http://amzn.to/18dxS2P>
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