Why social purpose, and why now?
As UAL commits to becoming a social purpose university, Chief Social Purpose Officer Polly Mackenzie shares why social purpose is more important now than ever.
From how UAL approaches teaching, to commitments around sustainability and addressing inclusivity, social purpose will drive discussions and actions across the university and beyond.
In this video and Q&A, Polly shares UAL’s plans to embed its social purpose in everything it does.
Polly, does the role of education change in a social purpose university?
One of the tools of a university, a vital one, is teaching and education. Alongside research and the many ways an institution interacts with and impacts with society, education is the activity that brings a university to life. UAL as a teaching-led university knows this as well as anyone.
In my view, we should draw a distinction between our tools and our purpose, between the how and the why. Our purpose is why we educate, why we research, why we exist as in institution. If we were a traditional business, that purpose would be clear — profit. But we are not. We are a university.
I believe passionately in the power, the potential, even the miracle of the university. In the face of all our social ills, we have this structure that passes knowledge from person to person, makes a virtue of understanding and expression, all the while transforming and equipping the lives of people of all ages.
When we talk about social purpose, we talk about why we do this in the first place, and where we should direct the energy of this wonderful civic faculty.
“Organisations like UAL who commit to becoming purpose-driven are saying we will not ignore the bigger picture; we will not wait for governments or industries to get it right.”
There have been social and environmental challenges in the world for as long as there have been universities. Why become a social purpose university now?
Universities have been brought down a certain path by the government policies and economic orthodoxies of recent decades. The incentives of a neoliberal context have led many organisations to neglect the negative social, economic and environmental consequences of their ventures.
Organisations like UAL who commit to becoming purpose-driven are saying we will not ignore the bigger picture; we will not wait for governments or industries to get it right. We will lead within our sphere of influence to create a world that is more fair and just. We will change ourselves and shape our students to create a world where everyone can thrive.
Becoming a social purpose university is not about claiming that other universities have never had anything to do with having a positive social or environmental impact. Becoming a social purpose university is about joining the movement of our time that is determined to correct the course, and to reconnect with the potential that universities have always had and often shown.
“Environmentally, socially and economically, we’re facing an emergency.”
What is the difference between a university and a social purpose university?
From one point of view, universities are already social purpose organisations. They exist to educate and enrich students. They produce and share knowledge that might help society address problems, and which allows learners to participate more fully in the economy and in their communities. But we believe that the old model is not enough.
By becoming a social purpose university, UAL is acknowledging that the context for universities has changed. Environmentally, socially and economically, we’re facing an emergency. And as socially purposed organisations, universities need to step up in a leadership role.
A social purpose university is one that harnesses a broader vision of the value of higher education in society. A social purpose university views teaching, research and operations as opportunities to push the boundaries of what a university can be, and have a positive impact on the long-term wellbeing of both people and the planet.
Universities need to be financially sustainable and will continue to have a key role in providing the skills our economy needs. They also make a huge economic contribution: UAL contributes £1billion GVA annually to the UK economy. But universities also have a broader role in society, helping us tackle our deepest challenges, like climate breakdown, social marginalisation and rising inequality.
“The civic university movement, too, shows how organisations can channel their impact towards the communities they serve.”
What inspired UAL to make this shift?
First and foremost, our staff and students have pioneered creative and critical work of tremendous social value for many decades. Our conversations with staff and students in the last year have shown that the values of creativity, diversity, the environment and prosperity for all to be the driving force of our community.
Our Vice-Chancellor, James Purnell announced UAL’s ten-year strategy, The World Needs Creativity, last year. This makes the case for creative education’s role in response to pressing global challenges. As a consequence of this, we’ve made a commitment to define our social purpose and align everything we do towards it, demonstrating the impact creativity can have.
While UAL is taking this important step, it is a step that we take alongside a broader movement of imaginative thinkers and visionary institutions. Jonathan Grant’s New Power University provides much inspiration for becoming a purpose-driven university. The civic university movement, too, shows how organisations can channel their impact towards the communities they serve.
In 10 years’ time, how would you like the student experience to reflect UAL’s social purpose?
In 10 years’ time, I would like the student experience to reflect the values that we all hold dear: students learning in diverse groups to be changemakers and disruptors in the world, being part of the solution to the climate emergency, discrimination and inequality.
We want to be a university that supports students by influencing the industries and disciplines that they will spend the rest of their working lives in and offer them an education and an institution that reflects our positive social values. We’re part of the way there, but there’s still a lot of work to do and we’re ready to take that forward.
