"The genuine idea of university must be understood as linked to innovation seriously understood. And the environment in which the capacity for innovation in research and training emerges with strength is none other than that of freedom staff and community". These were the words of Alejandro Llano, Full Professor of Metaphysics and former President of the University of Navarra, during the session 'The university in a time of change', which he gave at the II Ethics and Society Forum of the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS).

For Prof. Llano, the crux of the matter is whether a university institution "knows how to raise and manage the new", because, he said, "the difficult thing is to maintain its stature and vitality over the years".

"What has saved authentic universities from the dialectic between inertial conservatism and change at all costs has been a humanistic and Christian inspiration," he said.

In this regard, the Full Professor stressed that "the concept of the human person is the decisive factor in any university reform", since, in his opinion, a person-centered approach "is more radical than focusing on curricula, new careers or systems for regulating academic life". 

Peace of mind, time and motivation to stop and think

Let's go back to the people," he said, "where all innovation comes from and where all innovation returns to. Let's try to give them peace, time, motivation and the means to stop and think. 

During the session, the scientific coordinator of the ICS, Ana Marta González, acted as discussant, stressing that "we must understand innovation as a soil nurtured by a living tradition", something "contrary to pursuing results only".

The professor of Philosophy also reflected on "the true critical spirit" and questioned how the relationship between society and the university should be understood so that both benefit.

This is the first of five sessions planned for spring within the II Ethics and Society Forum. The goal of this cycle is threefold: it aims to be a vehicle to disseminate the work of the ICS among the entire university community, to promote interdisciplinary dialogue and to encourage ICS researchers to receive feedback from other experts on the work they develop. 

Photo gallery