The autonomy and social commitment of the university: a historical journey

Abstract

The central thesis of this article can be synthesized in the fact that the social commitment of the university is rooted in the concept of autonomy. Some significant notes that –throughout history and since its origins– highlight the notion of autonomy as an inherent feature of the university are explored here. Some relations with the political-economic powers, but also with civil society, are underlined; for this purpose, some classic authors have been selected who have discussed the university and autonomy, contributing to think about what the university is. The fate of the university institution and its actors is the social commitment that inspires the management of knowledge: the production of new ideas, the creation of new ways of understanding and interpreting the natural and social world, and the training of intellectuals and professionals. Lines are also outlined to create tension among the three substantive missions of the university: teaching, research and, particularly, extension; by way of example, some considerations about their connections are developed.