The social role of the university is often the subject of fervent debate. Some argue that universities can no longer be ivory towers, where unworldly academics focus on arcane projects. Others argue that universities have yielded too much to industry, thereby turning into vocational schools - citing as evidence the rapid development of many applied faculties such as business administration, law, medicine and engineering.
Nonetheless, both camps recognise that the university has undergone dramatic changes in the past 20 years or so: long gone are the days when only a small proportion of the population attended university, when graduates were virtually guaranteed good jobs, when rankings were not an obsession, and when teaching and research output were not quantified and monitored excessively.
They would probably agree that it is the university's responsibility to provide students with certain basic skills that address the needs of a fast-changing society. The point of contention is what those skills should be. I can think of three which universities ought to be teaching.
Communication skills
Students should possess communication skills fit for exchanging ideas. Many universities now require incoming students to take writing seminars to help them fulfil academic writing requirements. However, students often become so mired in academic writing style and jargon that if you asked them to present their theses in plain language, they would not be able to do so. There are also those who patch up flimsy arguments with academic jargon so as to give their piece the air of scholarship. The university should be a place where students acquire the skills of communicating with different audiences appropriately: an all-round scientist ought to be as good at writing academic articles as they are at writing popular science books.
Literacy skills
In an age of increasing division of labour - not only in academia but also in society - it is all too easy to rely on 'expert opinions'. I have met far too many parents who, on learning that I work in an educational psychology department, would immediately ask me for tips on their children's education - as if I were a career planner or there were only one 'good way' to educate the young.