From the monophonic university to polyphonic multiversities

Future University? This is a question on many minds today and with the onslaughts of social upheaval, economic constraint and the WWW, the question demands close attention. Seeking an alternative to 'one right way of knowing' is nothing short of a finding the modern-day equivalent of an alternative to the monastery (from which today's Universities emerged). This article seeks to explore several of the dimensions of this question and concludes that the concept of University needs to move from a monophonic one with 'one way to know' to a polyphonic one where diversity is harmonised. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.