Keywords: function, function, responsibility, "communication" and modern universities
After stepping out of the ivory tower, the university faces many new challenges and opportunities. A key latitude to discuss the functions and responsibilities of universities is to grasp the relationship between universities and society, which is essentially an important embodiment of the relationship between education and society. This is an old and often new topic. Marx once commented on "the omnipotence of education" in the Outline of Feuerbach. Throughout history, there are many schools of thought about the relationship between education and society. The report "Learn to Live" by UNESCO once summed up four schools: idealism holds that education exists independently for itself; Willists are convinced that education can and must change the world, regardless of how the social structure changes; Mechanical determinism advocates that the form and future of education are directly controlled by various factors that develop with it in the surrounding environment; Finally, the theory derived from these four viewpoints assumes that education will inevitably repeat, even deepen and continue the bad things left over by society ... They think that it is impossible to save education without completely changing society. These four viewpoints all have their logical reasons, but they do not give a complete explanation of the real situation, nor do they inspire specific and clear actions. Can our research jump out of this? Obviously, what is needed first is the clarity of concept and the rigor of logic.
First, the distinction between "function" and "function" of universities-"should" and "practical"?
The research of university function has always been a controversial field. What is the function of a university? Firstly, it involves the analysis of similarities and differences between "function" and "function". In Chinese, the difference between "function" and "function" is relatively clear. According to Modern Chinese Dictionary (2002) compiled by the Dictionary Editorial Office of Institute of Linguistics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, "function" refers to "the beneficial function played by things or methods; Efficiency ",and" function "refers to" the due role of people, things and institutions; Function ". Both of them are a kind of function, but the main difference is that the "work" of "function" contains the meaning of "efficacy", especially that it actually produces ("plays") and is beneficial and has the affirmation of value judgment; The "duty" of "function" is the "due diligence" with professional or job responsibilities, that is to say, it doesn't matter whether its actual effect is positive or negative, just like the sentence "obedience is the first duty of a soldier", which is where his "duty" lies and which he should (have) and must perform. Secondly, "function" focuses on external effects, which is a kind of "real" efficiency, and "function" focuses on expressing the internal regulations and requirements of the organization, which is a kind of "due" responsibility.
Therefore, according to the semantic requirements of Chinese, the use of "function" should be more rigorous and standardized. The so-called "university function" must be strictly limited within the scope of the university's responsibilities, that is, all the functions that the university must perform and complete, otherwise it will be a "dereliction of duty" of the university. For example, it is absolutely necessary to say that teaching and educating people is the function of all universities, or it can be further defined that professional teaching is the unshirkable basic function of universities (or higher education institutions), because the fundamental difference between universities and basic education and general education lies in the fact that universities must have professional disciplines, and there must be a distinction between disciplines and majors when studying in universities, which means that universities are not without professional settings and professional teaching. At the same time, different types of universities have different functions. For example, academic research can be defined as one of the functions of research universities, otherwise it will be unworthy of its name. However, all universities (such as community colleges in the United States) cannot be required to incorporate research into their basic functions. Teaching-oriented universities also need and should engage in academic research, otherwise they can't guarantee the good realization of teaching functions, and of course they can also produce the "efficacy" of research and innovation, but they are generally not required to be "functions". Therefore, any organization or institution must have its basic functions when it is established, but it does not mean that it cannot have other functions derived from it. However, these functions were not clearly defined as "due functions" at the beginning, nor were they "functions" strictly speaking, but some functions played by organizations (institutions). If they are "beneficial" to society or an object (class), we can generally say so. With the continuous emergence of this role, from the obvious beneficial role to the internalization of conscious responsibility, some "functions" will gradually be consciously recognized as "functions" that must be performed. Therefore, "function" is broader than "function", mainly defined by its actual positive effect and positive role; The use of "function" should be strictly restricted, but generally no value judgment is given to its effect (whether it is beneficial or unfavorable or even harmful does not hinder its existence and function). The "function" that produces a positive effect is also generally called "function" because it is already "playing a favorable role". Therefore, the "function" of the university should be included in the "function" of the university, and the actual "function" of the university will always exceed the scope of the "function" of the university.
In fact, the preciseness and accuracy of the definitions of "function" and "function" in the Modern Chinese Dictionary mentioned above are also worth considering. For example, the word "beneficial" in the definition of "function" is also ambiguous: beneficial to whom? What is beneficial? This in itself is a place where ambiguity will arise. For another example, in the interpretation of "function", at least two points need to be discussed: First, what is the subject with "function"? Do all "things" have functions? (Should "institution" also belong to the concept of "thing" in a broad sense? ) Do natural things have "functions"? How can there be a theory of "function" without "responsibility"? The essence of natural things is natural and free existence. How can there be the functions of "deserved" and "undeserved"? As a matter of fact, there is no such thing as "function" for a natural person. So I think "function" should generally be used to describe artificially set organizations, institutions, departments (or things? )' s "due role". In other words, when organizations, institutions and departments are established, the scope of their due role should be determined, and there is no "role" for non-human things; Secondly, this entry itself has used "function" to explain "function", which shows that these two concepts are synonymous, but this just shows that the difference between them is very limited. The certainty and uncertainty of concepts are relative, and the difference between "function" and "function" is not absolute. It is strange that there are items such as "functional organization" and "functional management system" in Ci Hai, which are authoritative, but the item "function" can't be found, which is an unintentional negligence? Or do you want to avoid it? Maybe it's a clever "omission"! )
In the debate between "function" and "function" of universities, we should also consider the corresponding relationship with Spanish. For example, "function" in English includes two meanings of "function" and "function" in Chinese. In my opinion, "function" is closer to the meaning of "function" (as mentioned above, I think the so-called "function" is mainly about the "due function" of an artificial institution, organization or thing, but it is difficult to distinguish between "due" and "undeserved" functions for natural things), and "function" is closer to "use and usefulness" In fact, in most cases, there is no strict distinction between domestic higher education theorists, and it is also because of the commonality of translation. You can find such an example by looking for a translator in this field. For example, the most famous report of the International Education Commission in the 2nd/Kloc-0th century, Education-Brewing Wealth, translated by the Chinese Department of UNESCO Headquarters, contains a paragraph about "the function of higher education", but it is written with "function".
Therefore, the functions and functions of universities are universal in general, and it is difficult to distinguish them clearly, but when they are used at the same time, they should be distinguished: "University functions" should be strictly limited to the scope of "due" duties that must be performed, otherwise it will be suspected of "dereliction of duty". "University function" emphasizes the utility to society, which is a kind of "real" efficiency. The "function" should be carefully set up to stand the social accountability and test, and it should be vigorously exerted to gain social recognition and support. In the discussion, we should not only pay attention to the difference between them, but also pay attention to the connection and transformation between them, that is, the successful completion of university functions will also give full play to university functions, and the social identity of university functions will expand the extension of university functions to a certain extent, and it is possible to gradually internalize them into university functions when conditions are ripe (such as the "research" of research universities).
Second, from single function to multi-function-what is the "fourth function" of universities?
As for the specific setting and expression of university functions, there are broad sense and narrow sense. The discussion of university functions in a broad sense often focuses on the overall function of higher education, that is, the social function of higher education, which can be divided into political function, economic function and cultural function (the ecological function of education is also hotly debated by contemporary people, but it is actually a social function, because people's attitudes and behaviors towards natural ecology are always implemented through society). It can also be divided into two parts: the function of education to the whole society and the function of education to individual members of society, the function of education in the process of turning individuals into social people, and the function of education to provide knowledge and talents for personal development. There have been a lot of discussions about these, and I think such discussions are more related to the scope of university ideas. On the other hand, there are discussions about the specific functions of universities at the micro level, such as the management functions of universities, the functions of university associations, and the functions of university campuses. Many issues involved in these discussions are actually the functions of different departments. Of course, it is also an interesting angle to try to analyze the various functions of a university as a self-organizing system through the analysis of the relationship between structure and function of system theory. In my opinion, the most important thing to study the function of a university is the intermediate link, or the investigation on the middle level of the function of a university, that is, the unique function of a university, which is different from other social organizations and institutions and other types of educational institutions. This is the "two-function theory" or "three-function theory" about universities that people discuss the most and I am most interested in, or whether there is, and if so, what is the "fourth function" of universities.
The discussion of university functions has always been combined with the discussion of university ideas. It is generally believed that traditional classical universities are single-function universities with the purpose of imparting knowledge and cultivating gentlemen. However, Newman, who maintains the theory of single function of universities, emphasized "developing knowledge" as soon as his university ideal came out (1852). Therefore, I think this "single function theory" is not only a realistic reflection of the university in a certain historical stage, but also an insistence on protecting the university concept. Newman inherited the idea of "free education" in the classical humanistic tradition advocated by Aristotle. The main expositor of "Two Functions Theory" and the proposer of the concept of "Modern University" Fleck.