Sustainability Through Directed Change in the Visionary University: From Predicting to Producing the Future
The sustainability of a university can be questioned from the perspective of three functional goals, henceforth setting the analytical framework: (i) the development of suited knowledge (dynamic and evolving, mirroring the complexity of the socioeconomic environment, definitely internationalised...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Editura ASE
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Amfiteatru Economic |
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| Online Access: | https://www.amfiteatrueconomic.ro/temp/Article_2939.pdf |
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| author | Adrian Curaj Mihai Păunică Andreea Popa Cosmin Holeab Octavian-Dragomir Jora |
| author_facet | Adrian Curaj Mihai Păunică Andreea Popa Cosmin Holeab Octavian-Dragomir Jora |
| author_sort | Adrian Curaj |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The sustainability of a university can be questioned from the perspective of three functional
goals, henceforth setting the analytical framework: (i) the development of suited knowledge
(dynamic and evolving, mirroring the complexity of the socioeconomic environment,
definitely internationalised and future-oriented), (ii) the development of students’ skills, as
future workforce (valuing the knowledge) and (iii) the development of institutional
capacities, in agile constructions (adequate to face the first two challenges). Such a vision
of sustainability in higher education treats change as the very “fuel” of sustainability, not as
a threat, an ordeal, or a risk factor; it also transfers the notion of “being sustainable” from
an attribute of a state to that of a process; and at the same time, it is precisely a process that
does not simply “happen”, but is purposefully driven by action, and it comprises a multilevel and polyvalent reality, where prognosis is to be accompanied by proactivity, forecast
by foresight, and piecemeal approaches by systemic ones. This essay thoroughly
contextualizes such a conceptualization of the sustainable university. It aims to identify
some problems that higher education encounters in the managerial, teaching and research
processes, that is in the creation and transfer of knowledge, within the current international
institutional setup. It also seeks to explain how a culture of collaboration can be developed
in such a way that good practices and knowledge are to be shared, obstacles are to be
overcome, and efforts are to be capitalized upon in this context. It is essential to understand
how teachers, students and graduates can all become prepared to muster and master such
change, instead of being led by it or becoming its victims, governing both normalcy and
disruptions. It also outlines a strategic understanding and a performance “kit” with
innovative approaches, tools and other resources for universities aspiring to carry out
plenary sustainability; thence, even if this logic might (not) have been tried out within
present-day Romanian higher education, it should be part of its future tense. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bae6d98d613e49e49c82b3971cde1bf9 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1582-9146 2247-9104 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | Editura ASE |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Amfiteatru Economic |
| spelling | doaj-art-bae6d98d613e49e49c82b3971cde1bf92025-08-20T03:23:23ZengEditura ASEAmfiteatru Economic1582-91462247-91042020-08-01225590591910.24818/EA/2020/55/905Sustainability Through Directed Change in the Visionary University: From Predicting to Producing the FutureAdrian Curaj0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0461-9332Mihai Păunică1Andreea Popa2Cosmin Holeab3 Octavian-Dragomir Jora4The UNESCO Chair on Science and Innovation Policies, National School of Political Studies and Public Administration, Bucharest, RomaniaThe Bucharest University of Economic Studies, RomaniaThe Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI), Bucharest, RomaniaThe UNESCO Chair on Science and Innovation Policies, National School of Political Studies and Public Administration, Bucharest, RomaniaThe Bucharest University of Economic Studies, RomaniaThe sustainability of a university can be questioned from the perspective of three functional goals, henceforth setting the analytical framework: (i) the development of suited knowledge (dynamic and evolving, mirroring the complexity of the socioeconomic environment, definitely internationalised and future-oriented), (ii) the development of students’ skills, as future workforce (valuing the knowledge) and (iii) the development of institutional capacities, in agile constructions (adequate to face the first two challenges). Such a vision of sustainability in higher education treats change as the very “fuel” of sustainability, not as a threat, an ordeal, or a risk factor; it also transfers the notion of “being sustainable” from an attribute of a state to that of a process; and at the same time, it is precisely a process that does not simply “happen”, but is purposefully driven by action, and it comprises a multilevel and polyvalent reality, where prognosis is to be accompanied by proactivity, forecast by foresight, and piecemeal approaches by systemic ones. This essay thoroughly contextualizes such a conceptualization of the sustainable university. It aims to identify some problems that higher education encounters in the managerial, teaching and research processes, that is in the creation and transfer of knowledge, within the current international institutional setup. It also seeks to explain how a culture of collaboration can be developed in such a way that good practices and knowledge are to be shared, obstacles are to be overcome, and efforts are to be capitalized upon in this context. It is essential to understand how teachers, students and graduates can all become prepared to muster and master such change, instead of being led by it or becoming its victims, governing both normalcy and disruptions. It also outlines a strategic understanding and a performance “kit” with innovative approaches, tools and other resources for universities aspiring to carry out plenary sustainability; thence, even if this logic might (not) have been tried out within present-day Romanian higher education, it should be part of its future tense.https://www.amfiteatrueconomic.ro/temp/Article_2939.pdfhigher educationsustainable developmentglobalizationchangetechnologymanagementleadership |
| spellingShingle | Adrian Curaj Mihai Păunică Andreea Popa Cosmin Holeab Octavian-Dragomir Jora Sustainability Through Directed Change in the Visionary University: From Predicting to Producing the Future Amfiteatru Economic higher education sustainable development globalization change technology management leadership |
| title | Sustainability Through Directed Change in the Visionary University: From Predicting to Producing the Future |
| title_full | Sustainability Through Directed Change in the Visionary University: From Predicting to Producing the Future |
| title_fullStr | Sustainability Through Directed Change in the Visionary University: From Predicting to Producing the Future |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sustainability Through Directed Change in the Visionary University: From Predicting to Producing the Future |
| title_short | Sustainability Through Directed Change in the Visionary University: From Predicting to Producing the Future |
| title_sort | sustainability through directed change in the visionary university from predicting to producing the future |
| topic | higher education sustainable development globalization change technology management leadership |
| url | https://www.amfiteatrueconomic.ro/temp/Article_2939.pdf |
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