BRUSSELS: What are universities for?

Human capital is now the biggest factor in economic success, calling into question moves to create elite universities that generate high level research but neglect their role in education according to a new report, University Systems Ranking: Citizens and society in the age of the knowledge, by researchers Peer Ederer, Philipp Schuller and Stephan Willms of the Human Capital Centre at the Brussels think tank the Lisbon Council, reports Science/Business.


Universities are not simply a mechanism for churning out a handful of elites and perpetuating social inequality but should be capable of empowering and equipping the largest possible number of individuals with the fullest set of tools she or he will need to become well-rounded participants in our social democracy and fully-functioning economic units in that society, says the report.

They must also stand out - as many systems do today - as centres of world-leading, independent research, capable of preserving, developing and perhaps even expanding our valuable cultural and scientific legacy for generations to come.
Full report on the Science/Business site