Comunidad del pacífico en perspectiva - Volumen 2

THE 'ROL.E OF THE UNlVERSITIES IN THE PACIFJC COMMUNITY cient communíties. But the impact of western colonisation has meant dra· matic and sometimes traumatic changes in the character and life styles of our pleoples' The people of the Pacific Community must provide the lead. The small islands themselves will find it difficult to survíve the rat-race in the realities of the world today. It is therefore necessa– ry to require from the Pacific Community more realistic regional effort supported by individual independent natíonal action ~so that the basic human needs for the people of the regíon are satisfied and are cared for. This does not mean that the Pacific Communi– ty should be. inward looking. The Community must take a positi– ve role in the total progress and development of mankind and in helping to shape the world for the interest of all. Therefore, our national and regional efforts must be combined with internado– nal cooperation and understanding for the betterment of mankind in general. However, before one gets to this level or relationships lhe island peoples must search for themselves. They must know who they are, what they are, and where they are going. The is– landers must choose and determine their own future. The Role 01 the Universities in the Pacilic Basin must be examined against the above general background. 2. WHAT IS THE UNIVERSITY ANYWAY? The university is an educational institution which has been with human societies for more than 600 years. Therefore, it has some. very strong established traditions like the concepts of University Autonomy and Academic Freedom. The most commonly known functions of an university can be listed as follows: to preserve an old faith, to proselitize a new one, .to train skilled workers, to raise the standards of professions, to expand the frontiers of knowledge, and 'John Momis, "Unity in Diversity", in The Pacific Way, p. 81; 209