An ideal university: A Student Growth Incubator

Abstract

ABSTRACT Too often, the student voice on their needs and expectations from a higher education experience is underrepresented. In response to that, by applying a Weberian ideal-type methodological procedure, this work synthesises the students’ vision of an ideal university (IU). The model was constructed inductively through a qualitative study using focus groups with Polish bachelor students at a public university. The findings from the IU study reveal up-to-date insights expressed by the students in the third decade of the 21st century, which has been marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and increased digitalisation. According to students the ideal university is characterised by human-centredness, student agency, active teaching and learning methods, flexible studying pathways, and a supportive learning environment. The findings reveal that students’ key expectation from an ideal university is that it professionally incubates their growth. They wish to be offered a rich and individualised university experience that positively transforms them. They appreciate the role of teachers in this process and turn to them for guidance, support, inspiration, transformational leadership, expert knowledge, and they look up to them as role models. The results of the study enrich the body of knowledge, especially in the search for ideal types in higher education and provide a reference point for comparisons with reality.