What is expected of a graduate of the 21st century (0)

What is expected of a graduate of the 21st century and how does the university play a role in contributing to a succesful outcome?
Kaisa Kamenik
In Mike Nichols 1967 cult film „The Graduate“, Dustin Hoffman character Benjamin Braddock, who has just graduated from college, is facing basically same questions as posed in the title of this essay . Everyone is asking what is he going to do with his life now, but he is very uncomfortable aswering them and at that point he doesn’t care as well. Being a third year history student in University of Tartu, I am wondering over the same questions and find myself often thinking what is expected of me after graduating and how has university played a role in my development for almost three years now.
When asked what is the main purpose of university, most people would say that it is preparing students for different proffessions, which would later be the driving force of the country . But I think it is more complicated than that. Going to university is a logical step to a ambitious young high school graduate and some even don’t consider other possibilities. On the other hand, universities are getting a lot of critic because some say that the goal of universities are to produce as many diploma graduates as possible. I think that universities are places where young people who doesn’t know yet what they want from life, can use this time to discover their true interests. Im sure that many young high school graduates who start study in university are at first not very passionate about their speciality because they dont know what to expect and if their choice is right. There is no quarantee and this is where university comes in play – objective is not only to educate students about their chosen subject but to expand one’s horizon and to develop logical thinking. One could argue that there are too many graduates in some specialities but there can’t never be too much critically thinking people. Thats exactly what I have learned so far in university – I feel I am smarter citizen now and belong to a society which I comprehend better than after high school. It all comes down to this: university are one huge step in young people life and it should not focus so much only on producing experts on various professions but rather helping students to find their way and encourage them to be independent and self aware.
It is fact that university diploma is not the same in the 21th century that it was in for example in 18th century. Main difference is that nowadays it is available for more people. Therefore expectations for university graduates are changed. I think question posed in title should be changed a bit. College graduates should ask themselves what they expect not what country or society expects them. This means that the pressure should be on university so that students could fulfill their goals and expectations. There should be no pressure form outside environment to students what they should do after graduating. It is their own choice and they don’t need immediately start looking their place under the sun. University should make the decision easier but not to set high standards. Of course I don’t mean that there should be no pressure at all because it is good and inspiring when students know that something is expected from them. It gives them some insurance that they are in university for a reason and need to work hard .
Swiss developmental psychologist Jean Piaget once said that the principal goal of education is to create men who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done . I think that applies to university graduates very well and what should be expected from them. University can open a door for you but you must enter yourself. This saying also means that universities has to be modern and always develop new learning methods. I think that one very good addition to university education nowadays is problem based learning. This method brings students so much closer to real life situations like playing out courtroom scenes etc. These type of solutions should be the face of 21th century university – it is vital for students to get some practise and not only learn theoretical aspects. Lots of practise in studying days also ensures many advantages and experience for future jobs. What I primarly mean in this paragraph is that universities should be creative and let the students feel like they are part of the process rather than observers and as result they are hopefully capable of doing new things.
In conclusion, university plays definitely a big part in students life because time there offers so much and ideally should provide most things that you need becoming succesful in life. But as I said in second paragraph, most important thing that should be expected out of univerisity graduates are broad horizon and critical thinking which are irreplaceable becoming a valuable part of society. Maybe when you embrace these values , then you are not in trouble answering questions about future in your graduation party like Benjamin Braddock was.
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