Responsiobility and the future missions of the university, exploration of sustainable core strategiesand competences

​For a sample of ten international and nine German universities it is explored whether they have the necessary strategies and competences to meet contemporary challenges and pursue the development of up-to-date universities. Three important elements of mechanisms for implementing the concept of the contemporary University are investigated: mission statements; structure and development plans; leadership models and competences. The study shows that the strategies of the sample universities are rather differentiated and organised, though only a minority of the 23 identified core missions is represented in the strategy documents of all sample universities. Regarding values and (future) visions, the universities are rather reserved and reluctant, particularly values are usually only implicitly represented in the strategic documents. The relations between mission statements and development plans as well as the competences of top leadership could be better adapted to the multiple-hybrid character and the future responsibilities of the universities.