What is a University?

[Steve Harrison]

So today's question that is niggling me is this What (really) is a University? Is it just a collection of buildings, people, expertise, space? ....and more specifically what could they be? And even more specifically what do the creative genii that inihabit 38mins need from a University?

And this is what got me thinking....

The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.

The Idea of a University. I. What Is a University?

John Henry Newman


IF I were asked to describe as briefly and popularly as I could, what a University was, I should draw my answer from its ancient designation of a Studium Generale, or “School of Universal Learning.” This description implies the assemblage of strangers from all parts in one spot;—from all parts; else, how will you find professors and students for every department of knowledge? and in one spot; else, how can there be any school at all? Accordingly, in its simple and rudimental form, it is a school of knowledge of every kind, consisting of teachers and learners from every quarter. Many things are requisite to complete and satisfy the idea embodied in this description; but such as this a University seems to be in its essence, a place for the communication and circulation of thought, by means of personal intercourse, through a wide extent of country.

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So the real question is...is 38minutes a University for Digital Creatives?

[Neil McGuire]

'things' not 'thinks' - duh - should have gone to proper university....

[Neil McGuire]

Am very interested in blends of 'formal' and 'informal' learning, ways in which the two can augment each other etc. The following are some thinks i've been looking into, (loosely grouped) around this topic:

http://www.unitednationsplaza.org/
http://blackmountaincollege.org/content/view/12/52/
http://www.wmin.ac.uk/sabe/page-1135
http://www.staedelschule.de/
http://www.corner-college.com/College
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=bf-home&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corner-college.com%2FCollege&lp=de_en&btnTrUrl=Translate
http://www.good.is/post/real-world-studio/
http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm
http://atrandom.researchcentereddesign.com/index_about.htm
http://www.open.ac.uk/about/ou/p3.shtml
http://people.ischool.berkeley.edu/~duguid/SLOFI/
http://www.battlecat.net/diy-masters/
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=94208&sectioncode=26
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/apr/14/government-high-street-shops-grants
http://inspired.futurelab.org.uk/
http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/thinktank/makingdo/
http://www.neilpostman.org/

on the topic of art schools, the thing for me that sets art school ahead of other learning environments is their creatively social aspect. learning happens and knowledge is constructed in a peer to peer social environment. (I know this does happen in other universities, but not in the same way or to the same extent). this social aspect is still the element of 'online' learning that is also most underdeveloped, but as mentioned, am very interested in mixes and augmentation and what this might mean for future learning. I am certainly very interested in a return to the notion that education, knowledge and learning should be free.

[rufflemuffin]

This is a really interesting question, I'm educated from the Glasgow School of Art, so a university/college that is based on creative disciplines.

I'v been discussing this alot recently with fellow students, that many of the creative institutes are merely facilitators of learning. So they provide a base (a brief) a little knowledge (couple of lectures/workshops) and a space (studio).

I am very passionate about what we learn outside of university. I have used the internet most of this year to teach me an emerging discipline that isn't really quite taught in design schools yet, but getting there. We also receive minimal amount of lectures, most of the time is open to studio based work. Some complain we aren't taught enough, I disagree, I think it is up to you as a student/adult, to undertake your own learning, drive in your own direction of expertise and learn outside of the classroom...

So whats to say I couldn't of just sat at home, and taught myself without the hassle of fees and living away from the mothers nest?

My answer is that university, well from my background, art college, is most importantly an environment. I bounce off my peers, we learn from each other, we work together, there's an excitement in the studio about what we're doing and we're aiming towards deadlines. Secondly, perhaps more relevant to younger students, they're leaving the nest and doing the important growing up bit.

On top of it, are we ready yet to get over grades and numbers on a bit of papers when it comes to getting employed?

some of my thoughts... :)