Date: May 5, 2026
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Location: Auditorium between Buildings 4 and 5
The Office of Sustainability invites you to a seminar that explores the evolving role of universities in addressing global challenges, and how higher education institutions can redefine their purpose to better serve society in a rapidly changing world.
In this seminar, Jonathan Grant explores how institutions can move beyond traditional models to become more engaged, participatory, and impact-driven. Drawing on the concept of the “New Power University,” the session highlights how research, education, and societal engagement can be better aligned to remain relevant in a complex global landscape.
Abstract
This talk explores the evolving social purpose of universities in the 21st century, drawing on the concept of the “New Power University.” It situates higher education within a long historical arc—from the confessional university, through the multiversity, to today’s civic and globally engaged institution—and argues that we are currently in an “in-between time”: a period of uncertainty shaped by technological change, geopolitical instability, and shifting societal expectations.
Against this backdrop, the talk introduces the idea of “new power”—a participatory, distributed, and peer-driven form of influence—as a defining force shaping universities’ future roles. It highlights how emerging student values, particularly among Gen Z, alongside pressures such as climate change, lifelong learning, and the politicization of knowledge, are challenging traditional academic models. Universities must therefore rethink their core missions across research, education, and social responsibility.
Central to the argument is the need to place social purpose at the heart of institutional strategy. This involves achieving parity of esteem between teaching, research, and societal engagement, and embedding social responsibility into everyday academic practice—from research impact and interdisciplinary collaboration to ethical procurement and community partnerships. The talk emphasizes that such a shift is not only morally compelling but also strategically necessary for maintaining universities’ legitimacy and relevance.
The session concludes by reflecting on leadership in this context. Drawing on insights from social movements and community organizing, it argues for a more outward-facing, values-driven approach to academic leadership—one grounded in listening, storytelling, and active engagement with society. Ultimately, the “New Power University” is framed as an institution that not only generates knowledge but also mobilizes it for public good, renewing its social contract and reaffirming its role as a foundational pillar of societal progress.
About the speaker
Jonathan Grant is the Vice President for Strategy at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. In this newly established role, he helps advance KAUST’s strategic vision to accelerate impact by strengthening its leadership in global and Saudi Arabian higher education. His efforts focus on transformative academic programming, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and cultivating strategic partnerships. In addition to spearheading these initiatives, Jonathan collaborates with senior leadership to align and progress the university’s broader strategic goals.
Before joining KAUST, Jonathan founded Different Angles Ltd, a consultancy dedicated to maximising the social impact of universities and research. He also served as a professor of public policy at King’s College London. Joining in 2014, he established the Policy Institute and served as its director until 2017. He then ‘held the pen’ in crafting King’s strategic vision, Vision 2029. Subsequently, he became Vice President & Vice Principal (Service), overseeing the university’s pioneering commitment to social responsibility.
Earlier in his career, he served as President of RAND Europe and Head of Policy at the Wellcome Trust. Before joining RAND, he served as Head of Policy at the Wellcome Trust. He is the author of The New Power University: The Social Purpose of Higher Education in the 21st Century.
* This seminar is presented in collaboration with Students for Sustainability and the Office of Student Life, strengthening student engagement in campus sustainability initiatives.
