Perspectives for European Universities in the Learning Economy

Over the past decade there has been an increased discussion on how universities can play a more effective role in contributing to promote wealth creation in Europe. A significant stream of that discussion has regarded American universities as a reference and has resulted, within the diverse range of institutions in the European higher education system, in various organizational and strategic arrangements that go much beyond the traditional roles ascribed to education and research. The unifying characteristic of these different arrangements is provided by the unique characteristics of “the university” as a societal environment for exploration and interpretation of knowledge. We conclude that while the role of the university needs to be re-examined, the institutional integrity of universities must be preserved.