The True Purpose of a University Education

Part of a university education is the obvious training for a future career; various subjects and tests that all lead to the university degree, which brings career opportunities and higher pay. Knowledge of certain subjects and a college degree are both beneficial to have in terms of a successful future. Great emphasis is placed on this perception of what society considers success. If success is having plenty of money to buy material items, a degree can certainly prepare one for that. If success is measured in terms of the amount of knowledge acquired in certain subjects, a university education can also help one to achieve success. However, a university education goes beyond that. It is more than memorizing books and facts. It is more than a framed certificate on a wall that can be used to impress future employers. We all have identities away from our careers. If the objective of a university education is more than gaining the knowledge necessary to pass tests and get a degree, what is the true purpose of a university education?

John Henry Newman wrote about the purpose and manner in which university education should be administered in his "The Idea of a University." In Discourse 5 of this writing, Newman says that with a university education, "a habit of mind is formed which lasts through life." In view of that, a university education should be designed to last a lifetime, not just through a career. In terms of knowledge and education, they should not be regarded as just a way to get ahead in the world. Also in Discourse 5, Newman says that "any kind of knowledge, if it be really such, is its own reward." So, the pursuit of knowledge should not be looked at in terms of what it is going to do for you in the future. It should be looked at as beneficial in itself. Knowledge is something that you gain that cannot be taken away from you. It is also something that you continue to gain throughout your life.