European Higher Education, Social Responsibility, and the Local Democratic Mission

Sjur Bergan

• Publisher: Temple University Press
• Year: 2025
• Print ISBN:
  9781439924617
  9781439924600
• eBook ISBN:
  9781439924624
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Education is about more than preparing students for the labor market; it is about preparing them to be active citizens in democratic societies, to engage in personal growth, and to develop a broad, advanced knowledge base. As Sjur Bergan emphasizes in European Higher Education, Social Responsibility, and the Local Democratic Mission, advocacy is required to ensure that higher education institutions meet these goals through cooperation with their local communities.

Bergan outlines the political and institutional complexity of European universities. He explains how history, cultural traditions, and national identities impact education across Europe. He also describes the roles of the Council of Europe and U.S. higher education in the development of a transatlantic cooperation on the democratic mission of higher education. Other chapters explore education programs for developing and maintaining democracy and human rights, pragmatic and creative ways that European universities are working with their local communities, and the development of education opportunities for refugees.

Ultimately, Bergan's book explores not only the local democratic mission of higher education as it has developed in Europe, but also how it could continue to develop, and why it is important it does so.
In the series Higher Education, Place, and Social Responsibility.

Table of contents

• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• A Note on Language
• Introduction
• 1. Europe: The Political and Educational Context
• 2. What Makes Us European and What Makes Each Country and Culture Unique?
• 3. The Council of Europe: A Pan-European Voice for Democracy, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law
• 4. The Multiple Purposes of and Public Responsibility for Higher Education
• 5. The Development of a Global Cooperation for the Democratic Mission of Higher Education
• 6. Toward a European Platform for the Local Democratic Mission of Higher Education
• 7. European Universities Working with Their Local Communities
• 8. European and Local: The European Qualifications Passport for Refugees
• 9. Conclusions and the Way Forward
• Appendix 1. European Cooperation: A Brief Glossary
• Appendix 2. Competences for Democratic Culture
• Notes
• References
• Index