Social role of the university: its relevance and modern challenges

author: Ihor Kyvliuk

Urgency of the research. It is well known that a university has three main functions: providing education, developing science, and supporting the community. But social changes in the world have changed the role of the university. Its social role is growing in diversity and complexity. In a knowledge-based society, the public has high expectations of the university's performance and impact. Its traditional roles are no longer valid. This change in the role of the university is reflected not only in the way knowledge is produced, which has become more transdisciplinary and applied, but also in the active involvement of different institutional spheres, universities, firms, government and end users, creating new hybrid spheres to manage innovation dynamics.

Target setting. The system of higher education in modern Ukraine is undergoing significant reforms and modernization, which are caused by many factors, including the war to the greatest extent.  It is quite difficult to assess the prospects for the qualitative results of the program of education renovation in Ukraine, as well as the changes that have created the current conditions.

Actual scientific researches and issues analysis. Many world and national scientist have paid attention to the concept of the social role of the university: W. Humboldt, K. Jaspers, M. Heidegger, E. Toffler, D. Bell, N. Boychenko, N. Demianenko, M. Zubrytska, V. Kremen, M. Polyakov, S. Savchuk, and others. However, the vast majority of works are devoted to the analysis of the classical university, but the issue of relevance is not exhaustively disclosed, given the frantic pace of change and adaptation of the university to them.

The research objective. To reveal the key aspects of the social role of the university in the period of modernity and in the future, as well as to trace what factors have a direct impact on it.

The statement of basic materials. Despite the established aspects of the role of the classical university, the article considers topical issues and consequences caused by the social needs and challenges of today.

Conclusions. In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic and the war have significantly affected the process of providing education in Ukrainian universities and, accordingly, the performance of social functions. These changes have become a real challenge for universities, which have quickly adapted to the new conditions and learned to use modern technologies to provide quality education.

Keywords: university, social role, online education, distance learning, development of science, cultural center, formation of student's personality 

References:

  1. Bondar, TV 2017, ‘Formuvannia kompetentnostei maibutnikh fakhivtsiv vyshchoi kvalifikatsii (Formation of competences of future highly qualified specialists)’, Naukovi zapysky. Seriia “Pedahohichni nauky”, vyp. 2, s. 36-41.
  2. Doslidzhennia “Vyshcha osvita v Ukraini: tendentsii rozvytku ta rehuliuvannia” (Research “Higher education in Ukraine: trends of development and regulation”) 2018, Instytut ekonomiky ta prohnozuvannia NAN Ukrainy. Dostupno: <http://iep.org.ua/uk/monitoryngoviy-proekt-visha-osvita-v-ukraini-tendenciji-rozvitku-ta-regulyuvannya/>. [22 Berezen 2023].
  3. Zakon Ukrainy “Pro vyshchu osvitu” (Law of Ukraine “On Higher Education”) 2014, Dokument № 1556-VII, Vidomosti Verkhovnoi Rady (VVR), № 37-38, st. 2004. Dostupno: <http://zakon4.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1556-18>. [22 Berezen 2023].
  4. Zakon Ukrainy “Pro naukovu ta naukovo-tekhnichnu diialnist” (Law of Ukraine “On scientific and scientific and technical activities”) 2015, Dokument № 848-VIII, Vidomosti Verkhovnoi Rady (VVR), № 3, st. 25. Dostupno: <http://zakon5.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/848-19>. [22 Berezen 2023].
  5. Makarenko, S 2019, ‘Formuvannia osobystosti studenta v umovakh suchasnoho vyshchoho navchalnoho zakladu (Formation of the student's personality in the conditions of a modern higher educational institution)’, Naukovi zapysky Ternopilskoho natsionalnoho pedahohichnoho universytetu imeni Volodymyra Hnatiuka. Seriia: Pedahohika, 2(40), c. 59-65.
  6. Melehanych, H 2016, Osnovni napriamy diialnosti VNZ dlia rozvytku mistsevykh hromad: dosvid Uzhhorodskoho natsionalnoho universytetu (The main directions of higher education activity for the development of local communities: the experience of the Uzhhorod National University). Dostupno: <https://dspace.uzhnu.edu.ua/jspui/bitstream/lib/26589/OSNOVNI%20NAPRIaMY%20DIIaLNOSTI%20VNZ.pdf>. [22 Berezen 2023].
  7. Ofitsiinyi veb-sait Natsionalnoho universytetu “Lvivska politekhnika” (n.d.), Tsentr innovatsiinykh osvitnikh tekhnolohii (Center for Innovative Educational Technologies). Dostupno: <https://lpnu.ua/ciot>. [22 Berezen 2023].
  8. Palahniuk, O 2017, ‘Rozvytok osobystosti studenta v umovakh vyshchoho navchalnoho zakladu (Development of a student's personality in the conditions of a higher educational institution)’, Naukovyi visnyk Chernivetskoho universytetu, c. 131-136.
  9. Sait Ministerstva osvity i nauky Ukrainy 2023, Priorytetamy Bolonskoho protsesu do 2030 roku maiut staty zbalansovana akademichna mobilnist ta posylena rol vyshchoi osvity u dosiahnenni tsilei staloho rozvytku (Balanced academic mobility and the strengthened role of higher education in achieving the goals of sustainable development should be the priorities of the Bologna Process by 2030). Dostupno: <https://mon.gov.ua/ua/news/prioritetami-bolonskogo-procesu-do-2030-roku-mayut-stati-zbalansovana-akademichna-mobilnist-ta-posilena-rol-vishoyi-osviti-u-dosyagnenni-cilej-stalogo-rozvitku-yegor-stadnij>. [22 Berezen 2023].
  10. Sokolska, TV 2020, Rol universytetiv v rozvytku hromad (The role of universities in community development). Dostupno: <https://rep.btsau.edu.ua/bitstream/BNAU/6034/1/rol_universytetiv.pdf>. [22 Berezen 2023].
  11. Stanislavska, V 2015, ‘Osobystist studenta yak sotsialno-psykholohichna problema (Student's personality as a socio-psychological problem)’, Sotsialna psykholohiia, № 4 (49), s. 47-57.
  12. Compagnucci, L & Spigarelli, F 2020, ‘The Third Mission of the university: A systematic literature review on potentials and constraints’, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, vol. 161. Available from: <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162520311100>. [22 Березень 2023].
  13. Guerrero, M & Cunningham, JA & Urbano, D 2015, ‘Economic impact of entrepreneurial universities’ activities: An exploratory study of the United Kingdom’, Research Policy, 44(3), pp. 748-764.
  14. Smith, PJ 2014, How can universities contribute to social change? Available from: <https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/how-can-universities-contribute-social-change>. [22 March 2023].