a Civil Society University: the debate

This page is designed to encourage debate about the possibilities and, indeed, the basic need for a civil society university.

As a starter for the debate here are some questions that you might consider

We look forward to hearing your ideas and opinions – on these and on any new themes you propose - so please contact us to contribute to the debate.

What are its purpose and aims?

At heart of the idea of creating a civil society university are three themes:

• Building skills
• Developing values
• Raising standards

Which of these creates the greatest value and where do you think the priorities are?

How independent could and should the CSU be?

You can find out more about this part of the debate in a thought provoking piece written by Martin Albrow - Is a university the answer for the third sector? and also in an editorial by Stephen Cook published in Third Sector Magazine in April 2008 following the PrimeTimers debate 'Is a university the solution for the third sector?'

How practical is the idea?

Who’s it intended for?

• Who are potential customer organisations and individuals?
• Who are potential partners and stakeholders?

What will it do?

• What tangible products could the CSU offer – diplomas, degrees, courses, research, other teaching, accreditation….?
• How could it build on provisions that already exist?

How will it do it?

• Options for delivering content
• What kind of infrastructure is needed?
• What kind of governance model is appropriate?

How will it be financed?

• What types of business model are possible?
• What sources of income, grants & other funding are possible/

Learning from the experience of other organisations is a good place to start.

The Open University (OU) was perhaps the first radically new institution created in recent history in the UK and it has been a real success. As it describes itself, it was founded on an ideal - breaking the insidious link between exclusivity and excellence – and it attracted considerable opposition as well as support in its early days. Understanding the history of the OU from its genesis as an aspiration to the present day is very relevant to the possible development of a CSU....read more

By contrast, the creation of other “universities” has not always been so successful. In the example of the short-lived National Health Service University, there are lessons to be learned about the challenges of establishing a new civil society university…..read more

Does the idea have wider appeal than just the UK?

Civil society and the third sector appear in a wide variety of shapes and forms in different societies. Common to all third sector activity is boundary crossing that potentially gives the idea global connectivity and universality of concerns. Could a civil society university in one country attract participation from other countries?

Values or skills - which would shape a university of civil society?

Following the PrimeTimers debate 'Is a university the solution for the third sector?', Third Sector Magazine published an editorial by Stephen Cook in April 2008.