The Purpose of a University

The Purpose of a University
In John Henry Newman’s, “The Idea of a University”, Newman concentrates on the purpose of a university. In fact, he categorically suggests that it is most vital to center attention to students attending the university when he claims that, “it is a great point then to enlarge the range of studies which a university professes, even for the sake of the students”(Newman 52). According to his assertion, he does not only view university as a place where people can acquire professional knowledge, but also a place where people enrich their spirits and learn techniques of seeking truth in life. I absolutely agree with his opinion on the idea of a university since a university will always act as a teaching ground for a student, not only in acquiring professional knowledge, but also in attaining some principles regarding life. Therefore, it is not just one kind of study that a student will obtain from going to a university, but a range of them.
Newman affirms that, “though they cannot pursue every subject which is open to them, they will be gainers by living among those and under those who represent the whole circle. This I conceive to be the seat of universal learning”(Newman 52). In this assertion, Newman is of the perspective that although not every student will have a chance of learning all those subjects, being just around other students that are learning a certain subject enhances their learning. This is exceedingly true since students are capable of acquiring knowledge through their peers; although a learner is not capable of studying certain subjects in class, he can learn them from other students, which is an advantage to the fellow students. Thus, the university should be viewed as an institution of universal learning since every student can learn from fellow students.
The students learn to depend on each other for any assistance in their studies and; indeed, advance in their studies and contribute to the world later. Students do not...