The paper reflects whether it is too much to ask for a 'compassionate' university. It is an opinion piece as a response about how to make a shift against narratives that oppress, and how to respond positively to the 'compelling need for compassionate academic leadership in our universities' (Waddington, 2018, p.87). The authors draw on writers from more demanding educational circumstances -- from the socially charged environments of late twentieth century Brazil and the emergence of post-apartheid South Africa -- to provide inspiration that demonstrates change is possible in the academy.