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>
_______________________________________________ OSList mailing list To post send emails to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
