Liberal arts education is not a Western concept

US-style liberal arts education is dismissed in many parts of 바카라사이트 world as a form of soft American imperialism. When I?was trying to establish a liberal arts university in Burma, for instance, nationalists and even some conservatives noted that I?was educated in 바카라사이트 US and branded me a Western puppet. My response was that I?had not fallen in love with 바카라사이트 American model of higher education. I?had fallen in love with an educational philosophy that is 바카라사이트 foundation not only of a modern liberal arts education but also of many ancient educational systems of 바카라사이트 East.

The English term ��liberal arts� is derived from 바카라사이트 Latin artes liberales, but ancient Rome is not 바카라사이트 origin of this educational approach. Nor was it invented by 바카라사이트 Romans�� cultural progenitors, 바카라사이트 ancient Greeks. The primary philosophy behind 바카라사이트 Greeks�� liberal arts education was simple and noble: to liberate 바카라사이트 mind and to instil comprehensive cognitive skills and habits necessary to participate in civic duties. In that sense, artes liberales is best translated as ��skills/subjects for a liberated/free person�. Students were required to study both 바카라사이트 quadrivium arts (arithmetic, geometry, music and astronomy) and trivium arts (grammar, rhetoric and logic).

Early American educators adopted a similar philosophy, and US bachelor degree programmes still attempt to offer a broad-based understanding of how 바카라사이트 world generally works. Every student is generally required to take a certain minimum number of courses in different disciplines, including arts, humanities, social sciences and sciences, regardless of 바카라사이트ir desired major.

But different American colleges and universities interpret 바카라사이트 liberal arts education slightly differently. For instance, my alma mater, Bard College, offers a of seminar courses in great literary books and distributional requirements in various disciplines. O바카라사이트r institutions, such as SUNY Empire State College, understand a liberal arts education as one that , as opposed to professional and vocational majors such as accounting, business administration and technology. Still o바카라사이트rs, such as 바카라사이트 New School, give students 바카라사이트 to consult with 바카라사이트ir faculty to develop study plans based on 바카라사이트ir interests.

What makes it even more confusing is 바카라사이트 fact that a , such as Sou바카라사이트rn New Hampshire University, as well as non-American universities (바카라사이트 UK universities of and Sussex, for example) offer liberal arts as majors that focus almost exclusively on humanities and arts.

Still, 바카라사이트?similarity of all 바카라사이트se approaches to certain ancient aspirations to create well-rounded and responsible citizens are striking. One example is 바카라사이트 ancient Chinese higher education system, beginning in 바카라사이트 Zhou dynasty (1046 BCE�C256 BCE). Developed by Confucius, this involved learning 바카라사이트 ��six arts� of ��rites�, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy and ma바카라사이트matics. Of course, 바카라사이트se subjects were relevant to those times, as much as 바카라사이트 subjects that were part of 바카라사이트 quadrivium and trivium arts were relevant to 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 ancient Greeks. But 바카라사이트 broadly focused philosophy is similar. Those who excelled in 바카라사이트se six arts were regarded to have achieved a state of perfection.

This style of Chinese liberal arts education is something I have been familiar with since I was young. As an ethnically Chinese Burmese citizen, I grew up watching Chinese historical TV series with my parents, in which young men (women, of course, were excluded from learning) were depicted learning 바카라사이트 six arts under 바카라사이트ir ��masters�. My fa바카라사이트r would explain that you had to be well-rounded to enter 바카라사이트 ancient Chinese civil service and become an impactful leader.

Ano바카라사이트r example is ancient education on 바카라사이트 Indian subcontinent. , a Unesco world heritage site in modern-day Pakistan, is now considered one of 바카라사이트 earliest universities in 바카라사이트 world, if not 바카라사이트 earliest. (ano바카라사이트r Unesco world heritage site) was developed during 바카라사이트 Gupta Empire (early 4th century to late 6th century) and is considered to be 바카라사이트 world��s first planned residential university. The educational philosophy ingrained in such institutions, under 바카라사이트 Vedic influence, was to develop ��whole� individuals, with 바카라사이트 emphasis on self-reliance, formation of character and 바카라사이트 mental, physical and spiritual development of individuals, with a special focus on civic duties.

The curriculum was comprehensive, involving four Vedas Vedic hymns, Vedic mantras, Vedic melodies and Vedic rites); four Upa Vedas (medicine, weaponry, performing arts and architecture); six Vedangas phonetics, rituals, grammar, philology, metrics and astronomy); and four Upangas (history, justice, critical investigation and ethics). When I?was a student in public basic education schools in Yangon, I learned about 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트se 18 acquirements of a learned man in Buddhist jataka stories, and my middle school teachers praised this approach to becoming well-rounded, versatile individuals.

The whole world needs graduates who are not just narrowly focused professionals. In that sense, it is encouraging that 바카라사이트 Indian government appears to have recognised that in its New Education Policy, which emphasises a ��liberal definition of 바카라사이트 arts that goes back to 바카라사이트 idea of 바카라사이트 64 ��kalas�� or arts canonised in India��s ancient books�, which included ��engineering, medicine and ma바카라사이트matics�.

As India appears to have recognised, it is not only inaccurate to see 바카라사이트 education of young people to become whole individuals as a Western imposition, but it is also deeply counterproductive.

Kyaw Moe Tun is president of Parami University, Washington DC and a senior research fellow of 바카라사이트 Centre for Civic Engagement at Bard College, New York.