UNIVERSITIES AND CITIES AT THE CROSSROADS

A Valedictory LectureBy

Professor John RatcliffeOctober 7th 2009

Catastrophe

Transformatio

n

Evolution

New endings and new beginnings

THE GREAT DISRUPTION:

“Genuine beginnings begin within us, even when they are brought to our attention by external opportunities”…William Bridges

THE DREAM

“The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by sceptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things

that never were.”John F. Kennedy

THE NIGHTMARE

“Cheer up… the worst is yet to come!”

HARBINGERS OF CHANGE

A Confluence of Powerful Trends

Problems Seem Increasingly Intractable

The Demographics of Discord

The New Players

The Problems Are Structural

“Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed.” Irene Peter

TWENTY ONE 21ST CENTURY CHALLENGES

Too Many People

It Takes Time

Redefining The Enemy

Economics Are ComplexRunning The Show

Not Enough Resources

There Will Be New Technologies

What’s The Risk?

Détente With Dilemma

The Great Leap Downward

The Green Quotient

Out Of Our Minds

From Obligation To Opportunity

Doing Well By Doing Good

Sharing And Collaborating

Power On Earth

Are We Connected?

The Smart Workplace

Sustainable Cities: An Oxymoron

Benefitting From Synchronicity

There Will Be Surprises

“I never think of the future, it comes soon enough” Albert Einstein

The main difference that distinguishes the 21st century from those that preceded it is the need to create a mindset that can tackle the conscious design of large systems

THE CITY IN TRANSFORMATIONQUALITY OF LIFE: People, Places & Profiles

COMPETITIVENESS: Creativity, Knowledge & Enterprise

SUSTAINABILITY: Principles & Prospects

GOVERNANCE: Values, Vision & Leadership

CONNECTIVITY: Communications, Infrastructure & Facilities

“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”… Warren G. Bennis

THE UNIVERSITY IN TRANSITIONValues, Visions & Vectors

Governance, Leadership & Management

Delivery, Deployment & Diversity

Global, National & Local Perspectives

Colleges, Communities & Cities

Welfare – Truth - Order & Freedom - What Is Good - Beauty

PROSPECTS FOR UNIVERSITIES IN 2020

Higher education is really big global business

Many corporations look like universities

Many universities look like corporations

Some universities taken over by corporations

Universities emulate major retailers

(Made in 2000)

Mega merger of universities

Mega universities will arise

Much research will be collaborative

Knowledge partnership will grow

Elite group of World Best Universities

PROSPECTS FOR UNIVERSITIES IN 2020

(Made in 2000)

City universities will emerge

Management structures mirror Microsoft

Look at MIT – remember OU

Cost: Irrelevance-ignorance-consciousness-(value + worth)

The West Report 1997: Global alliance for learning

FE colleges moved into I + E

Academic staff: Stars-Counsellors-Programme managers

Funding based on student

Student population profile ageing

Global accreditation will count

Blend of leisure, entertainment and education

NEW SCENARIOS FOR UNIVERSITIES

An Increasingly complex environment for higher education institutions:

Challenges for institutional leaders

New frontiers in researchPublic Service Decreasing funding

Pressure for rankings

What and how to teach?

Increased accountability

Market pressures

Governance

(PROF. JOHN GODDARD)

“The unusual and the unknown make us either over confident or overly fearful”… Gaius Julius Caesar

HIGHER EDUCATION DRIVERS

“Science investigates religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge which is power religion gives man wisdom which is control.”… Martin Luther King, Jr.

A RESEARCH INTENSIVE UNIVERSITY?

“Today knowledge has power. It controls access to opportunity and advancement.” Peter Drucker

A MIXED ECONOMY UNIVERSITY?

“The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth.” John F. Kennedy

A CIVIC UNIVERSITY?

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”Albert Einstein

FUTURES THINKING: IMAGINEERING, FORESIGHT AND SCENARIOS

PROJECTS AND PERSPECTIVES

THE NEED FOR A STRATEGIC FORESIGHT UNIT

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Peter Drucker

THE CENTURY OF KNOWLEDGE CITIES

Political Will

Strategic Vision

Strong Investment

Promotional Agencies

Multi-Ethnicity

Metropolitan Website

Value Creation To Citizens

Urban Innovation Engines

Knowledge Society Rights

Low Cost ICT Access

Research Excellence

Public Libraries Network

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.”… Albert Einstein

KNOWLEDGE CITIES

Dublin?

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”… Benjamin Franklin

THE KNOWLEDGE VILLAGE

Grangegorman?

“The empires of the future are the empires of the mind”… Winston Churchill

SUSTAINABILITY & CITIES“The Greatest Challenge Of Them All”

SUSTAINABILITY: DIT’S GRAND CHALLENGE

A City To Transform

Dynamic Expertise

Transcendent Partnerships

Sustainable Challenges- Environmental- Organisational- Scientific- Cultural

Embedding & Engaging Strategy

“Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development.”

Kofi Annan

NECESSARY ATTITUDES AND ATTRIBUTES

Awareness & Values

Wholeness & Systems

Preparedness & Futures

Resilience & Adaptability

Mindset & Reflexivity

“These things will destroy the human race: politics without principle, progress without compassion, wealth without work, learning without silence, religion without fearlessness and

worship without awareness.”… Anthony de Mello

“A Vision Without A Task Is But A Dream, A Task Without A Vision Is Drudgery,

A Vision With A Task Is The Hope Of The World”

(Inscription On A Church, Sussex, England, 1730)

“No Problem Can Be Solved From The Same Level Of Consciousness That Created It. We Must Learn To See The World Anew”

(Albert Einstein)