Franci Pivec je po izobrazbi filozof in sociolog ter magister informacijskih znanosti, izvoljen pa je v naziv višjega predavatelja za družboslovno metodologijo in informatiko. Sicer se je večino delovne dobe ukvarjal z visokim šolstvom, predvsem v organizacijskem smislu pri pripravi ustanovitve mariborske univerze, kot njen glavni tajnik ter kot "šolski minister" v drugi polovici osemdesetih let. Po sili razmer se je v začetku devetdesetih preusmeril in prešolal na področje informacijskih znanosti in v IZUMU sodeloval pri razvoju knjižničnega sistema COBISS, kjer je še vedno aktiven v mednarodnih projektih. Zadnja leta se vključuje v razvoj mariborske DOBE.
Tema: Visoko šolstvo v Evropi znanja 2020
Povzetek
Družba znanja zveni samoumevno, vendar nosi v sebi veliko pomenov že na podlagi raznorodnosti konceptov znanja, poleg tega pa se povezuje še z najrazličnejšimi ideologijami kot so postmodernizem, neoliberalizem, "tretjepotništvo" ipd.. Z družbo znanja se izza visokošolskih zidov – pogosto na začudenje univerzitetnikov - v družbeno okolje razširjajo konfrontacije, izvirajoče iz napetosti med poučevanjem in raziskovanjem, med masovnostjo in demokratičnostjo, med učinkovitostjo in smiselnostjo, med upravljanjem in vodenjem, med mnenjem in znanjem, med znanostjo in tehnologijo.
Ob splošnem prepričanju, da je Humboldtov koncept visokega šolstva preživet, je iz dneva v dan bolj očitna potreba po njegovi "Bildung" kot protiuteži vsesplošni "odprtosti". Izobraževanje je treba kot stvar kulture varovati pred banalnim trženjem, zaradi česar je treba zdržati očitke na račun njegove "utopičnosti". Pospešen razvoj na številnih področjih zahteva od visokega šolstva temeljit premislek o univerzalnosti in disciplinarnosti, o "strokah", o institucijah, o etičnem kodeksu in o drugih elementih, ki sestavljajo zaupanja vreden izobraževalni sistem. Univerze morajo biti arhitekti lastnega razvoja, kar pa ne pomeni zgolj zunanje (politične) avtonomije, ampak tudi notranjo strukturalno avtonomijo, ki ji nalaga polno odgovornost za duhovno integriteto časa in sveta (Zeitgeist). Ključni problemi človeštva kot so okolje, energija, zdravje.. narekujejo transdisciplinarno obravnavo in to ne šele pri reševanju "preostalih" vprašanj, ki posamično disciplino ne zanimajo, ampak pri začetnem koncipiranju pristopov – interdisciplinarnost ni izhod v sili, ampak temeljna metoda univerze. Lahko naredimo toliko univerz, kolikor imamo okolij, kjer so podani pogoji univerzalnosti, transdisciplinarnosti, identitete v pluralnosti ter kakovosti. Za dobro visoko šolstvo sta potrebni tako konkurenca kot sodelovalnost, kar je videti nezdružljivo in kar dejansko zmorejo le intelektualci. Kjer takih ni, tudi kakovostnega visokega šolstva ni – vse pa se začne z medsebojnim priznavanjem resničnih dosežkov uma.
Humboldtova univerza ne more biti vzor evropskega visokega šolstva v letu 2020., še zmeraj pa bo imel prav v tem, da je za intelektualce skrb in delovanje za univerzo dolžnost, ne privilegij.
Ključne besede: družba znanja, Humboldtov koncept, interdisciplinarnost, avtonomija
Theme: Higher education in the Europe of Knowledge 2020
Abstract
The term Knowledge Society seems self-explanatory, however, it has many hidden meanings not only because of versatile concepts of knowledge but because it is related to a number of ideologies, such as postmodernism, neoliberalism, "third wayism", etc. From behind the higher educational institution walls contradictions spread to a social environment along with the knowledge society – much to the surprise of academic faculty. These contradictions result from tensions between teaching and research, between efficiency and scholarship, between massification and democratisation, between management and leadership, between opinion and knowledge, and between science and technology.
Despite a general belief that Humboldt's concept of higher education is outdated, it becomes more and more evident that his "Bildung" is needed to balance out the universal "openness". Education as part of culture must be protected from trivial marketing, and in order to achieve that one must withstand the reproaches because of its "utopian nature". Progressive development in a number of areas demands of higher education a serious reflection on the universality and disciplinarity, on "professions", on institutions, on ethical codex and on other elements constituting a reputable educational system. Universities must be architects of their own development. It is essential that they build the autonomy not just towards the external (political) autonomy, but also internally, as structural autonomy that imposes full responsibility for the spiritual integrity of time and world (Zeitgeist = "the spirit of the age" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeitgeist - cite_note-0#cite_note-0). Most urgent human problems, such as environment, energy, health, etc., dictate transdisciplinarity at the point of initial approach and not only after "the rest of" the issues, which single disciplines are not interested in, are being tackled. Interdisciplinarity should not be regarded as a "fix", it should be thought of as an elementary university method. We can establish as many universities as there are environments where universality, transdisciplinarity, identity in plurality and quality are assured. Quality education is shaped by both competition and cooperation; their relation seems incompatible and only intellectuals are capable of dealing with both. Where there are no such intellectuals, also good quality higher education does not exist – as it all begins by mutually recognising real intellectual achievements.
Humboldt's University cannot be regarded as a model of the European higher education in 2020, but Wilhelm von Humboldt is still correct. To care and work for the university is the responsibility of intellectuals, and not their privilege.
Keywords: knowledge society, Humboldt's concept, interdisciplinarity, autonomy