Introduction
This chapter provides a brief history of universities and outlines what a university is, how they are generally regulated and the value of a university experience, as well as the importance of gaining a degree. The chapter covers some of the sources of student support you should use and addresses some of the questions you might be asking about university life and how best to deal with the transition into this new environment. Some of the issues and concerns you may have will probably include coping with being away from home, the importance of engagement and belonging, how to work within a university culture and getting used to some of the new and different processes that you come across in a university.
This chapter discusses the importance of seeking support and getting involved in the first few weeks of your university life. Research indicates that engagement is key in good student performance and outcomes. It will also look at some recent research on specific topics and student profiles including first-generation students, flexible mode students (part-time and online) and those from ethnic and minority backgrounds. This chapter should provide reassurance and an opportunity for you to assess your own motivations, expectations and plans for university and your future career.
Finally, this chapter will help you think about why a tourism, hospitality, events or degree might be useful and valuable to you. By offering examples of other students studying similar subjects and providing stories from their college or school, this chapter should help outline why a degree is important, and so often, life-changing.
What is a university?
In Latin, the word universitas means āa wholeā where people come together. Our understanding of what a university is also comes from the Latin universitas magistrorum et scholarium, which roughly means āa community of teachers and scholarsā. The word āuniversityā has a long and detailed history and even today its definition remains highly contentious and debated (Denman, 2009). For the German philosopher Humboldt, a university was about a āwholeā community of scholars and students engaged in a common search for truth and meaning. Others see their role as teaching universal knowledge. However, if you read or watch the news, you will have noticed that universities are being discussed, debated and critiqued almost daily. The perceived role and status of universities seems to be in a constant cycle of change and this pace of change is perhaps faster than it has ever been ā whether this is about how they are funded, what fees should be charged, what their leaders (Vice Chancellors and Principals) are paid, the value of a degree, what kinds of courses and degrees they should offer, and indeed how they are regulated.
The history of universities
Aside from the origin of the word itself, another aspect people cannot agree on is which institution was the first university. It is commonly accepted that the first university in Europe was the University of Bologna, Italy which was founded in 1088 AD. This was followed by the formation of the University of Paris around 1150 AD (see Anderson, 2006). It is certainly true that these European medieval universities evolved from Catholic cathedral or monastic schools, which had been established for the clergy to offer Biblical teaching and promote the word of God.
Despite claims about their origins being in Europe, some writers suggest that the birth of the university was elsewhere, and much earlier than the twelfth century. It is claimed the Sumerians had scribal schools or Ć-Dub-ba around 3500 BC which bore close resemblance to what we would understand to be a university. According to UNESCO and the Guinness World Records, the oldest existing and continually operating educational institution in the world is the University of Karueein, also known as the Al Quaraouyine University, which was founded by Fatima al-Fihri in 859 AD in Fes, Morocco. However, whatever their history, the main thing today is to recognise the vast diversity of institutions that are now referred to with the term āuniversityā in terms of size, scope, priorities, mission and relationship to the general public and external world.
You might wonder what the difference is between a college and university. Briefly, a college educates people (often up to foundation degree level), while universities are focused on creating knowledge through research, and are committed to investigating and producing new ideas, concepts and ways of thinking. A university aims to develop and build the knowledge of those who come to learn there, but also aims to provide experience and encourages people to think and challenge their own views of the world, and indeed the views of others in an open environment, which should encourage and support free speech and free thought. Universities fundamentally promote research (thinking about thinking), followed by action and impact wherein work and thinking should make a difference to the world and to the lives of others. In addition to developing new knowledge, a university also has a role in disseminating and advancing knowledge through scholarship and research, and through its students and graduates. University research should make a difference to society and the wider world.
Types of university
There are many types of university, all with their own history, values and focus. For example, universities in the United Kingdom have a very long history and have been categorised in various ways, although all of them focus on helping students to learn and in developing knowledge through research. Oxford University is the UKās oldest higher education institution (founded in 1096 AD), followed by Cambridge University in 1209. In Scotland, the oldest universities are St. Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. There are also what are called āred brickā universities (or civic universities), which were developed during the nineteenth century and are mainly city-based institutions in old industrial cities like Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham.
A significant expansion of universities in UK Higher Education in 1992 saw previous polytechnics, further education colleges, teacher training colleges, or university colleges being granted university status. It has meant that most of UKās larger towns and cities now have more than one university and many of these newer universities have developed an excellent reputation for the quality of their courses in tourism, hospitality, events, leisure and other service sectors. More recently, a small number of privately owned institutions (i.e. places that do not receive state funding) have become universities.
There are also other ways in which UK universities are categorised, with terms such as the Russell Group (https://russellgroup.ac.uk) which represents 24 UK research-intensive universities. Its member universities range from newer universities of 50 years to Oxford and Cambridge which have almost 1,000 year histories. Founded in 1994 with the aim of ensuring its member universities āflourish and continue to make social, economic and cultural impacts through their world-leading research and teachingā, its members include Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Imperial College, London, Kingās College London, Nottingham, Queenās University, Belfast, Oxford, and Warwick.
There are also groupings such as the Million+ Group who present themselves as āthe Association for Modern Universities in the UK, and the voice of 21st-century higher educationā (www.millionplus.ac.uk). They āchampion, promote and raise awareness of the essential role played by modern universities in a world-leading higher educationā. Members include Bedfordshire, Bolton, Sunderland, Cumbria and London Metropolitan. In addition to these, the Alliance Universities (www.unialliance.ac.uk) claim to be āleaders in technical and professional education since the industrial revolution ā¦ we educate the professional workforce of the future, provide flexible and responsive R&D to businesses of all sizes and solve the problems facing society locally, nationally and across the globeā. Its members include Brighton, Central Lancashire, Coventry, Greenwich, Hertfordshire, Huddersfield and Kingston University. Finally, there is the Guild HE (www.guildhe.ac.uk) who focus on developing a more inclusive and diverse section and this association includes the universities of Falmouth, Bath Spa, Abertay and Harper Adams.
In terms of tourism, hospitality and events, some of the most highly regarded universities are those established in the last few decades and include institutions such as Lincoln, Sunderland, Bournemouth, Coventry and Surrey. However, always do your research and be wary of league tables as there are many, all using different (and sometimes questionable) metrics and changing every year. You need to choose the university that is right for you, rather than being led by the views of others. Some universities that you might not otherwise have considered might have the work placements you want, enterprise education initiatives, employer links or student experience opportunities.
The US has research-intensive universities that lead the world rankings, including institutions such as the California Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University (Times Higher Education, 2019). There are also public (state) universities that receive some government funding, and are part of a state university system housed in different locations around a state; for example, the State University System of New York (SUNY) comprises more than 60 campuses spread across the whole state of New York. There are also junior colleges ...
