Political Role of Universities: Is it Necessary? ****************************************************************************************** * Political Role of Universities: Is it Necessary? ****************************************************************************************** On March 21, 2018, a public debate was organised by Charles University’s Centre for Philos Religion to discuss the political role of universities. Three speakers were present, each similar opinions on the role of universities in the political sphere. Universities are amb their nature, successful in their growing appeal to more students each year and yet they a undermined by the public sphere. The discussion emphasised how in a time of polarisation, challenges in society would undoubtedly affect how universities operate. Vice-Chancellor of the Oxford University, Professor Louise Richardson, Stefan Collini, a P of Intellectual History and English Literature at Cambridge University, and Tomáš Halík, P Sociology at Charles University were all present. Each demonstrating different experiences specific view points for the role of universities in the public sphere, whether political Broadly speaking, Louise Richardson highlighted her experiences as a high-ranking universi during both the Scottish referendum and the EU referendum as a cause of conflict with the sphere as well as acknowledging that the growing educational divides put universities in a position. Professor Stefan Collini, as the author of ‘What are Universities for?’ and a co other public debates on the role of universities around Britain, stated his reasoning for should remain public bodies separate from the political sphere. Final speaker Tomáš Halík, for political freedoms demonstrated through his demonization by the Communist regime as ‘a regime’ whilst teaching at Charles University in the 1970s, was more radical in his approa deemed the ‘nurture of democracy’. Initially, the opening statements outlined the main arguments of the three speakers. Due t the three speeches, the end discussion was limited but still successful in answering sever the audience. Firstly, Collini’s opening statement largely focused on how the university system should r on education and therefore not have a political role. However, because of this commitment universities are affected by their surroundings and hence through this education they may engage more successfully in the public sphere. Yet, student organisations should remain se university, and student-led activism is not ‘puppet-mastered’. The open-ended enquiry with structure can cause scrutiny over government policy, but this should not entail a hostile Therefore, universities are ‘partisans for truth, not for party’. This is also demonstrate temporary nature of government in democracies, and hence the universities’ power will outs Yet, universities should not have a starring political role; they should remain in the bac educators and remember that ‘free speech does not give freedom to cause direct harm to oth Louise Richardson pointed out how in an idealistic world there would be no political role However, unfortunately, they have always been drawn into the political fray due to being, state funded. Largely focusing on the historical nature of universities and briefly discus relationship with the state, from Thomas Cromwell’s purge of university scholars, to the c Czech universities teaching in Czech language in 1939, Richardson demonstrated how the gro divide in countries can cause fear over how they are run. This was illustrated by using th 75% of ‘remainers’ in the Brexit vote had a post-secondary degree and that education was m class, age or race. As the previous Vice-Chancellor of St Andrews University during the Sc and Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University during the EU Referendum, Richardson was very sel universities can be drawn into the political sphere. Her own experiences underlined how th of universities should be to remain a platform for individuals to debate, but continue to space for this discussion to take place. However, in the case of the EU referendum, Oxford express that to Remain in the EU was in the best interests of the university. Contrastingly to the other speakers, Tomáš Halík focused his argument on the threat of uni ruled by political powers. He metaphorically described universities as an immune system be by the political threat of populism. Halík reiterated how totalitarian power and the rise based on fear and is a dangerous phenomenon that should cause universities to prepare for saviours of critical thinking. Using the example of the Central European University (CEU) highlighted how the right-leaning government’s threats to close the university were a dang values. Just the week previously Hungarians took to the streets to protest the changes to laws in the country. The situation remains unresolved. Drawing from his own experiences wi regime, Halík stressed how universities should make platforms for competent students and s as part of being responsible citizens, and how this will act as a commitment to the consta democracy. The discussion addressed a variety of questions from free speech to student revolutions. I questions focused on what a university’s role should be, not just in a political sense. Do have a responsibility to teach civic values? All speakers agreed that it was not universit function to teach civic responsibility as they are not accountable for their students; yet education process, acquiring a sense of values such as engagement, reason and questioning osmosis of studying at university. If you are interested in accessing any of the other questions discussed at the forum, the recorded and is available to access on the website of Charles University’s Faculty of Arts intention of a new tradition being formed with discussions on challenges facing society in to be held three times a year. If you want to be more involved in the movement, attend the autumn, or use the hashtag #politicaluniversities. Lily Fairbairn is a British student from Northumbria University in Newcastle, where she st Faculty of Arts for one semester. She is keen on gaining experience in journalism and to h simultaneously meeting people with similar interests to her.