Mission Of The Modern University: Adaptation And Transcendence

Mission of the university is an important topic of higher education research. Knowledge economy and mass higher education gradually push the university to the centre of the society, which will consequentially generate contradiction between reality and ideal, and points in educational theoretical circle diverge greatly on whether it should adapt to or transcend the society. With methods of theoretical analysis, this thesis makes a deepen research on the problem above and at the same time advances his point of view about it.The author considers that adaptation and transcendence, which are not incompatible like oil and vinegar, are both indiscerptible responsibility of the university. A balance point can be found between them. With the contact of the university and the society becoming closer and the interaction between them stronger, the university will inevitably adapt to the society to some extent. While on the other hand, the history of the university and it's ideal required it to transcend the society. In reality, the university often goes to two extremes: to be vulgarization or to be a "ivory tower". As a better way to resolve the problem, it is important to set a definite bound between them.The author holds the view that the university should adapt to the society initiatively. If so, the university will be able to get away from the endless satisfaction to the demand of the society, which may cause its vulgarization. As for its transcendence, the author believes that ivory-tower spirit which has unsubstitutable value even in this highly fused age, is its life-force and the foundation of its independence. However, the university should no longer isolate itself in the ivory-tower, it must find a new way of existence-guiding the society. To guide the society is a transcendence over its actual mission, and also the final mission of the ivory-tower spirit.