What Is the Third Mission and Why Does HSE Need It?

HSE was the first university in Russia to issue a report on the university's third mission. HSE Life tells you what this mission means and why it is important for the university and society as a whole.

What is the third mission of the university?

This term represents the contribution of universities to social development. The first and second missions of universities are education and research. Nowadays any modern university tends to expand the boundaries of academic, research and other projects so that they contribute to the well-being of society. Some researchers reduce the third mission merely to the social activities of the university, but in a broader sense, the third mission can be considered as a multidimensional phenomenon that equally encompasses social, cultural, research and academic dimensions.

When and where did this term appear?

The term has been actively used by academic communities in the United States and Europe since the 1990s. However, this topic is relatively new in Russian discourse. HSE was the first university to issue reports on the third mission. We have also initiated a number of discussions and degree programmes for partner universities in this area.

Why do universities need another mission?

Over the centuries, the mission of universities has been transformed by external challenges. Modern challenges make it impossible to work only on two main focuses— academic and research —without the active participation of the university in everyday life. This is induced by the new information and communication technologies, social structure and public demands. At the same time, the quality and scale of the university’s third mission is determined by the quality of its academic and degree programmes, i.e. the first and second missions. Thus, the third mission is a natural and necessary way to develop the university today.

What areas are usually included in the concept of the ‘third mission’?

The third mission as a concept has not fully been established yet. Each university chooses its own areas where it interacts with the world. Researchers of best practices point to three main aspects of activity: transfer of technologies and innovations, continuing education, and social participation.

What projects can be attributed to the third mission of the HSE?

The report on the third mission includes 180 projects in 12 areas in which the university acts as an initiator or partner. In total, these projects include about 1,300 online and offline events, with more than 5 million participants.

How does HSE University’s structure change with the introduction of the third mission?

HSE University's Third Mission Centre has been established at HSE University, and will perform analytical and methodological functions. HSE’s website will feature a section dedicated to the third mission and, in addition, a mobile application will be created to involve HSE staff in various projects within the third mission. In their personal accounts, employees will be encouraged to actively share information about their activity in this area. This activity should reflect the corporate brand and also the personal characteristics of each participant. The ‘University third mission’ internship for partner universities has been launched, with the aim of broadcasting HSE’s vision of the third mission throughout the wider academic community.

December 08, 2020