How is the public mission of universities to change in the face of today’s global challenges? How is the 21st Century university to balance its long-standing traditions and its commitment to teaching, research and commercialization with rapidly changing social needs and conditions worldwide? And how does the newly defined public role of the university reflect on changes to non-profit organizations in general? Amalya Oliver-Lumerman and Gili S. Drori offer a new model of academic commitment and leadership in response to questions about the new public role of the university.