Some people believe that universities are responsible for preparation of young people for employment. Others believe universities have other responsibilities. What do you think about the responsibility of the universities?

Whether academic institutions solely prepare students for the labour market or whether their duties extend far beyond that, is a debatable issue. Nobody can deny that universities play a substantial role in providing young people with all the appropriate knowledge required to enter the workforce. However, I am convinced that universities cover a much wider spectrum of responsibilities for the following reasons. First and foremost, it seems to me that academic institutions stand for a well-rounded education since students need to develop critical judgement and cultivate holistic knowledge. The variety of courses that young people are taught and the researches, the projects and the questions that the professors introduce, are tools for a balanced knowledge about virtually everything. To be precise, universities should provide academic education and research of high quality with the aim of expanding students’ horizons and reasoning skills. On the other hand, few would dispute that another major role of the academic institutes is the promotion of successful candidates for the job market. Undoubtedly, students need to receive a professional training and practice in order to gain indispensable qualifications which will help them confront the demands of the workplace. However, as our society never ceases to progress, there can be no doubt that specific knowledge and skills will constantly be changing and thus they might become obsolete. As a result, abilities like adaptation and multitasking are considered to be significant features for the job market. In conclusion, although universities have to maintain a vocational role in order to prepare young people for the workplace, I firmly believe that a round education could give students the privilege to perceive the world around them to its fullest and be open-minded personalities. This can be achieved with the universities and societies being organically linked together.