probably a good idea but not sure

It seems very reasonable to me that University students should have some requirement / expectation to:
a) broaden their outlook, not just be there for vocational reasons
b) use their knowledge to help the disadvantaged of this world

Macquarie University has developed such a programme:

ALL students at a leading university will have to undertake volunteer work and study subjects from the arts and sciences under an overhaul of its curriculum designed to provide a broader education and more socially aware graduates.

In a first for an Australian university, Macquarie University vice-chancellor Steven Schwartz today will announce a partnership with Australia Volunteers International that will create a mini peace corps, giving undergraduate students the opportunity to do volunteer work overseas.

Called the Global Futures Program, it will develop programs with local communities throughout Australia, the South Pacific and Southeast Asia. Some form of community work will be compulsory for all undergraduate students at Macquarie under the new curriculum, to start in 2010.

In addition, the university will require all undergraduate students to study subjects from the humanities, social sciences and sciences so that arts students must take science subjects and science students must take arts subjects.
- top uni's peace corp subject

I realise also that this is being done to the students from above, the problem of "political correctness". When I went to University in the late 60s, early 70s many of us worked out these issues for ourselves; there was no need for the University to introduce courses in support of the Vietnamese revolution.