engleski

Facing new expectations – integration third mission activities into the university

Universities around the world have been called to (re)consider their role in society, to evaluate their mission, their relationship with various internal and external stakeholders, as well as their contribution to democratic and sustainable society. Universities are increasingly expected to be more socially accountable, to collaborate more and therefore contribute more to different public and private domains of the society. In other words, universities are impelled to assume their ‘third mission’ and to engage in various forms of interactions with local, regional, national and international business and social partners. The university pillars of teaching and research are therefore undergoing significant pressure and change. Academics are not only expected to achieve excellence in their teaching and research, but to achieve it in a way that is measurable, efficient, effective and highly relevant for the contemporary knowledge- economy and society at large. At the same time, universities have been criticized for tailoring their curricula and research as well as extending their activities by the market’s needs, thus leaving behind the civic responsibility. Authors place the issue of extending teaching and research within the wider discussion on the ‘third mission’ that thoroughly explores how universities interact with the public domain. The issues of university civic mission, education for socially responsible and active citizens, as well as the education for sustainable development, are discussed as potential answers to the pressures universities and academics are faced with on their way to become more accountable for complexity and needs of the society.

academics, changing academy, changing conditions of work, changing role of academics, university third mission, university civic mission, interconnections of academics activities, evaluation academics' engagement, sustainable development

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