DIALOGO KULTŪRA ŠIUOLAIKINIAME UNIVERSITETE: SUPRATIMO-AIŠKINIMO ASPEKTAS [THE CULTURE OF DIALOGUE IN A CONTEMPORARY UNIVERSITY: UNDERSTANDING-INTERPRETATION ASPECT

Abstract

As the contemporary university, which is the centre of science, technology and innovation, generates new scientific knowledge and maintains close relationships with the society, it provides favourable conditions for the generation and development of the learning organization the success of which is determined by learning in partnership, generation of collective knowledge and sharing it by maintaining and constantly developing the culture of dialogue in the university space. Considering the above, the culture of dialogue in the contemporary university which both unites and enables the university communities to collaborate naturally towards the common goal was selected as the object of the study. The culture of dialogue in the contemporary university is created and developed by employing the processes of communication and collaboration. It is also developed through the relationships with the society and with other universities as well as among the members of the academic community: lecturers and administration, among lecturers themselves as well as between lecturers and students. The dialogue in the university space results in not only its evolution but also cultural, social and economic development of the country. The culture of dialogue in the contemporary university has multidimensional characteristics. The problems are determined by a variety of negative aspects, i.e. insufficient attraction of external investments while improving the university image and poor significance of scientific knowledge generated by contemporary universities in the eyes of the society, competitive relationships of the contemporary university with other higher education institutions, inefficient dialogue between members of the academic community, insufficient development of equal relationships between lecturers and students, pure lecturers’ satisfaction with their job and pure applicability of the contents of study programs in professional activities. The contemporary university shall be open, receptive of innovations, constantly altering, improving the contents of its activities, taking into account the needs of students and lecturers as well as the challenges raised by the society and the global world as well as developing the culture of dialogue in both its own space and the environment that generates the higher education. Key words: culture of dialogue, contemporary university, academic community, equal relationships.