Universities are increasingly called to the task to define their role in and for society, in and for the world of work. Discourse has it that they are to equip students with the right ‘skills’ needed by industry, and businesses at large. This is too narrow a perception of how universities contribute to society and how they prepare students to become the critical thinkers required to address the issues of today and capacitated to shape the future we want. This session will present various ways in which universities do contribute to the above.