What Should the Public Role of Universities in an Unequal Society Be?

Scottish universities do not have systematic and articulated programmes for community engagement. In spite of some valuable experiences, Scotland still faces the challenge to mobilise their universities to do more in relation to inequalities and social justice. These challenges inevitably involve a reflection upon the way institutions engage with the social justice agenda. This is particularly relevant for the universities as they are institutions addressing research and teaching and, ultimately, the formation of professionals. In times of instrumentalisation of learning, universities’ agendas for social justice should involve the responsibility of educating students to perform a morally responsible political authority (Giroux, Educar Curitiba 37:25–38, 2010).