The Idea of University: Beyond Étatisme, Managerialism, and “Ivory Tower” (On Intermediary Functions of the University)

Modern universities frequently become a topic of discussion in the public sphere, with issues such relevance of university programs, funding for research, and the state of higher education being examined. These discussions prompt political theorists to reflect repeatedly on the idea of university. This idea is often tied to values, expectations, and beliefs, which are manifested in normative representations grounded in either pragmatism – defining the university as a functional component of the state system, and necessitating it to meet the economic demands of a society – or idealism, which positions the university as an “ivory tower”. These perspectives tend to exaggerate certain capabilities of the university to the detriment of others, thereby distorting not only the lens through which research is viewed but also the social beliefs that shape the development of state systems and universities. Drawing upon an institutional approach, the authors of this article propose a theoretical framework that captures contemporary pragmatics of the university community, the market, and the state concerning the development of universities and their contributions to societal organization. According to this framework, the university should be regarded as an intermediary institution endowed with public subjectivity. It functions as an organizational form of the university community and an agent of societal relations, engaging in communicative exchanges with the external environment, represented by societies, states, and markets. The university creates conditions for the interaction of various agents within societal relations, including fostering its own space through formalized, rational public discussions. Ultimately, it produces knowledge that influences the organization of societal order. Together, these attributes allow us to consider the university as a mediator. This role enables the university to effectively undertake its mediating function both within the university corporation and beyond, balancing diverse social expectations and maintaining its position as one of the most stable and adaptive organizational forms that comprise the societal order.

Keywords: the university; the idea of university; étatisme; managerialism; mediation; intermediary institution; societal order