Contemporary Universities – Between Autonomy, Accountability and Responsibility
Contemporary Universities – Between Autonomy, Accountability and Responsibility

Summary/Abstract: The main problems discussed in the paper are the following: 1) the changing responsibilities of the university institution in the contemporary rapidly changing society; 2) the academic freedom and university autonomy as prerequisites without which universities would not be able to function as responsible institutions; 3) the possible models of regulating the higher education system; 4) the essence, aims and functions of the public and state’s demands for accountability; 5) the existing forms of accountability; 6) the possible conflicts between the universities’ demand for autonomy on one hand and society’s demand for accountability on the other hand. The paper tries to outline the possible answers to the challenges contemporary universities have faced. It is argued that in the present rapidly changing social environment only a finely differentiated system of higher education can meet the growing variety of social needs. It is also claimed that in the modern European context the relations between government and state on one hand and higher education institutions on the other, have a hybrid character. Autonomy is not an end in itself. That is why the real question standing before every academic community is: how and to what extent should it utilize its autonomy to initiate innovative changes?

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