Academic realities have been excluded from academic, scientific and research interests. That is why no collective academic consciousness has emerged, neither has a literature on the experiences, realities and perspectives of universities and academics in the light of the changing contexts. 17 papers in this volume expose views, experiences and analyses of the university, higher education past and present. Although only two papers deal respectively with the Palestinian and Sudanese experiences, interstections with the Tunisian experiences past and present reveal the common stakes. Will the university survive globalization, the information age and private business?

How have universities and academics played their civic-minded and citizenship roles under changing political, social and academic circumstances? Are we living the post-university knowledge age? Or will the university continue the struggle of relevance to societal needs despite the commodification of its outputs? These key and other no less important questions are addressed by the academics and researchers who have met to discuss the civic-minded university.