Reflection on the Concept of the Adaptive University

The concept of the adaptive university addresses the problem of the relationship between the university and the environment by considering the changes that are required and emerging in order to create the dynamic equilibrium for the university's existence within changes.  University can not have a dynamic life if the changes are only the top-down demands and missions assigned by the high leaders of the university. Each university needs innovations and original approaches in order to keep its survival, within the changes and dynamism of the scientific societies. How is it possible? Does not it need internal dynamism besides the dynamism of the surrounding systems? The university is a living organization and a dynamic system and so it must be adaptive for its survival and also its progress. But what is the adaption? How the survival and development of the university can be possible within the internal and external changes? Are they automatic or only a moment in life? This article reflects on these questions and presents some principles for adaptive universities by the study of scientific researches and the author’s observations in other universities (Montreal, Toronto, McGill, Sherbrook…) in different years.