Cultural inheritance and innovation: high mission of the university

The mission of universities in society is considered in a broad Historical context. It is noted that this topic has been discussed in depth and in different ways by prominent thinkers of the past and present. It is shown that with all the variety of functions of universities in different eras, their main purpose was and remains the continuous development of culture, knowledge of nature and society, training and education of highly educated people, the implementation of innovations. The author reveals the peculiar features of universities in China, their relationship with traditional culture and morality. The phenomenon of cognitive dissonance is characterized when the high mission of universities and their utilitarian tasks come into conflict. Based on the Historical experience of China, the author argues for the priority of national identity and traditional morality as prerequisites for the implementation of the mission of universities as centers of cultural inheritance and innovation.