Reclaiming the idea of a University

Abstract

The paper traces the changing nature of university education in Sri Lanka from its early model of an elite education to its recent transformation into mass higher education. This has inturn entailed a shift from a tradition of liberal learning reminiscent of Newman's Idea of a University, to a more utilitarian technocratic form of higher education. Consequently, the university system has in recent times become enmeshed within the broader social changes and become one of the major sites for social and political struggles. In conclusion, the paper seeks a reappraisal of university education within a differentiated system of higher education but without forsaking the ideals of a liberal education.