Types of Universities

(from ‘Russian higher school: on the way to new institutions’

by S.A. Smirnov in: http://www.antropolog.ru/doc/persons/smirnov/smirnov17)

There are several types of Universities that historically changed each other and were different in the way of study.

1. Industrial Shop Corporation

First European Universities originated from Industrial Shop Corporations. Sorbonne and University of Prague featured shops of masters. Pupils gathered around the master (teacher) to get the mysteries of trade from hand to hand, by the teacher in person. The teacher had a small number of pupils. Such conditions of teaching formed Associative Pedagogy. Nowadays this form of teaching disappeared as a University type, but the importance of associative pedagogy still exists. This is the way Brahmanas and Daoists have been taught now. Orthodox Cloisters keep to this educational pattern as well. This type of teaching is important to understand the role of a teacher as a model and his activity while teaching.

2. Classical Research University

^à While reading the text you'll come across borrowed words like ‘basis, crisis, phenomenon, curriculum’. Do you remember the plural forms of such nouns? To refresh your knowledge, consult Supplementary Material for Unit 2. Plural Form of Nouns Borrowed from Greek and Latin.

Gradually, with the development of sciences and education, scientific research and inquiries widely came into the university practice. The master`s figure was enriched with the figure of researcher. In the period of XVII– XVIII centuries, a new university type branched off the industrial corporation. As a result, in the beginning of XIX century Humboldt and Fichte established a new type of University that later became the model of German Classical Research University. Its fundamental practice consisted in science and art studies, classical knowledge transmission. The development of sciences was the basis^à of this university type. New sciences appeared which caused the appearance of new University disciplines.

With the growth of university numbers, the figure of the scientist was replaced with the figure of a professor and teacher, universal knowledge holder. That was the formation of a new type of teaching – a professor was seen as a scientific knowledge holder as well as a teacher who familiarizes students with the true science and art. The phenomenon of live contact still exists, but it has also gained universal character. The teacher shares not only his/her own experience, but also the universal experience of generations, estranged knowledge. This model was adopted by all the European countries and Russia as well. Moscow University established by M. Lomonosov also followed this model.

3. Factory University

Gradually by XX century, by the beginning of the intensive industrial development, Factory University had come into demand. This type of University prepared a great number of specialists to satisfy the needs of the developing economy. This is the type of University where science takes the sidelines and, instead of assimilating the scientific basics, students assimilate different systems of knowledge, packed in academic subjects. Moreover, students learn a great number of subjects (about 80-100 academic subjects). This mass model is more productive. This is a kind of an educational conveyor, following the curriculum. A new figure appears here – that of a teacher-specialist who, following the standard scheme, transfers estranged knowledge. His task was to prepare hundreds and thousands of specialists who know and can use a standard set of actions and procedures.

This model is still followed by the majority of Russian Universities. Due to the rapidly developing economy, knowledge growth and amplification (the quantity of knowledge doubles every 5 years), the boost of professional requirements, this University type is lagging behind the development and losing its positions. This is the reason why Professional Education is getting into crisis now. It needs reconsideration and university types restructuring.