THINKING ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY

The XXVIII Blanquerna Days conference for Communication and International Relations taking place on March 7, 8 and 9, will be dedicated to “thinking about the university”. We aim to focus on the historical, cultural, political and technological factors that are affecting the way this nearly one-thousand year old institution is structured and engages with the world. At a time when the university is asked to do much more than to just follow the ancient Greek ideal of pursuing truth for truth’s sake, it is important to reflect on the possibility and desirability of aligning different conceptions of its mission and nature. With the help of prestigious academics, professionals and alumni, we will reflect on topics as diverse as the “usefulness of that which is useless”, the relationship between the university and the working world, the use of new technologies in the classroom, the internationalization of curricula, as well as the accommodation of curricula to new professional profiles. We will also examine the political and cultural role of the May ‘68 student protests in Paris and compare them with those that have recently taken place in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mexico, Chile, and Sudan. We will emphasize the importance of reading, highlight the inseparable link between the university and books, and reaffirm the institution’s commitment to social justice and to the values ​​of our humanist tradition.