We have come a long way since the establishment of three universities in India—in  Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras—in 1857. Universities play a crucial role in shaping  intellectual and social life, yet there is an appalling lack of reflective discussion on the idea of universities in our policies. The University Grants Commission (UGC) is frequently at the center of criticism due to irregularities in its policies.

Our contemporary universities inherit the structure of the Western model. Therefore, understanding the intellectual history of universities in the West is crucial for developing effective policies. Medieval Europe birthed the university, a term that means “whole.” It began as a guild formed by monks for the pursuit of learning, which later evolved into instructing the children of the ruling class and transforming them into gentlemen. The pursuit of knowledge and the cultivation of the self remained central to the idea of the university.

Later, the university was conceived as a research institute. However, the goal was not to produce patents but to focus on “Bildung,” the idea of self-cultivation and education. It was assumed that, along with roads and hospitals, universities were necessary for living a good life. Over the last 800 years, the practice of universities has undergone significant changes.

I believe that understanding how people in the past thought can help us create better policies for the future. In an age where AI is reshaping knowledge, the notion of Bildung becomes even more important. If we envision the university as a space for diverse voices to converse, our interdisciplinary centers—whether in science or the humanities—will truly begin to engage with one another.