How Central Is the 'Principal Mission' of the University Today?

The author describes the distinct mission and situation of university education in England from his own students days to the present, arguing that the changing ways that students are perceived and treated today, in the United Kingdom and other countries, are becoming more similar due to the “globalization” of political economy and the “internationalization” of higher education. The focus on teaching and learning was then seen as more important than ‘impact’ such as graduate employment or the university’s standing in international league tables. The author concludes that universities continue providing a moral compass for society, and that university engagement with the community should not be understood as a “third mission” but rather a integrative thread of research and teaching.