大学の理念

現在の大学には５つ問題があると著者は言う、１）学生数も大学数も必要以上に多く、２）それゆえ過当競争で教育は商品化され、３）授業科目が欧米の倍あり教育が浅く、教員は忙し過ぎて学生の時間が取れず、４）トップ大学でもグローバル化できず、５）デジタル化が遅れている。これは聞けばどこの大学もそうであろう。しかしこれはある意味表面的な問題で根源的な問題は大学に理念がないと言うことのようである。国家も宗教も超えて世界や宇宙を描く高邁な哲学である。なんていうとだから大学は蛸壺だと言われそうだが、でも僕は著者を支持する。建築も高邁な哲学なのだと思う。頭でっかちはいらないと社会は言うのだろうが、長い目で見たら理念を作れる人が会社を支えるはずである。

According to the author, there are five problems with today’s universities.

  1. the number of students and universities is much larger than necessary,
  2. education is therefore commoditized due to over-competition,
  3. the number of courses is twice as large as in Europe and the U.S., and education is shallow, and faculty members are too busy to spend time with students,
  4. even the top universities are not able to globalize, and
  5. Digitalization is lagging.

This is probably true of all Universities if you ask me. However, this is a simple problem somehow, and the fundamental problem seems to be that universities do not have a philosophy. It is a high-minded philosophy that transcends nations and religions to envision the world and the universe. One might say that this is why universities are octopus pots, but I support the author. I think that architecture is a high-minded philosophy as well. Society may say that we don’t need a big-headed person, but a company should be supported by people who can create a philosophy in the long run.