The role of the university in development: some sociological and philosophical considerations

From the point of view of the practical man — whether he be politician or administrator, businessman or whatever — universities are curious institutions. On the one hand, he needs them. If he has not been to a university himself, he would like to have been; in any case, he feels that universities add an important dimension to the knowledge which he applies. On the other hand, the practical man resents universities. He has found that those who came from them had to be retrained almost from scratch in order to deal with real things; moreover, universities are a nuisance. Strange things are said in them. Students and teachers alike behave in "objectionable" ways. If only they were exposed more to the issues and concerns of real life.

A conference paper on the role of the university in social and economic development.