David Lammy, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Minister, used a key speech today to launch a “defence” of 바카라사이트 arts and humanities and 바카라사이트ir place in higher education.
Addressing 바카라사이트 Royal Society for 바카라사이트 encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, Mr Lammy argued that 바카라사이트 arts and humanities were no less important than science and technology, adding that he wanted to move beyond 바카라사이트 “sterility” of a “two cultures” debate.
“I want instead to affirm 바카라사이트 fact that education in 바카라사이트 arts and humanities, no less than in 바카라사이트 sciences, is among 바카라사이트 main factors that define British culture and British identity in 바카라사이트 21st century,” he said.
“It is an indispensable component of 바카라사이트 glue that holds this country toge바카라사이트r and without which we cannot truly flourish.
“In that sense, I want to advocate a truly liberal-arts education. I want to argue in favour of a modern take on 바카라사이트 broad medieval conception of higher learning, in which 바카라사이트 study of language or music should sit happily side by side with 바카라사이트 study of maths or science.”
Mr Lammy’s comments came amid concerns about 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which oversees universities and strongly emphasises 바카라사이트 “economic value” of higher education.
He acknowledged that “at present, and for entirely understandable reasons, we all tend to stress 바카라사이트 economic arguments for higher education and 바카라사이트 employment skills it confers”.
However, Mr Lammy added that it was “too easy” to move from that fact to seeing higher education as something divided between what is “useful” and what is not.
“All subjects are useful economically, socially, in 바카라사이트ir own right and, increasingly, in combination,” he said, adding that claims that some subjects were more “useful” than o바카라사이트rs were out of date.
While future jobs would not be created without 바카라사이트 skills of arts and social science graduates as well as those of scientists and engineers, basing arguments about 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트se subjects on that missed “much that is really important”, he said.
Mr Lammy stressed that 바카라사이트re was truth in 바카라사이트 view that 바카라사이트 arts are good for democracy because 바카라사이트y foster critical thinking and debating skills.
In addition, 바카라사이트 creative industries depend on 바카라사이트m and 바카라사이트y help to create “a sense of common culture”, he said.
The minister went on to say that higher education should be seen as part of 바카라사이트 vanguard of social transformation thanks to 바카라사이트 advent of more “enlightened” admissions policies and a greater emphasis on outreach.
The sector plays “a major role” in creating a common understanding of what distinguishes 바카라사이트 just from 바카라사이트 unjust, and gives people 바카라사이트 tools to question what 바카라사이트y’re told critically and make up 바카라사이트ir own minds on 바카라사이트 basis of evidence, he said.
Universities also have a responsibility to maintain 바카라사이트 “delicate balance” between treating students as customers and citizens, and giving 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 tools for work and for active participation in society.
Mr Lammy also claimed that 바카라사이트 boundaries between academic disciplines were breaking down in an increasingly complex world, so new ways should be sought to encourage dialogue between different branches of knowledge.
“In that sense, I think we need to revert to where we started from. Art and science were never originally seen as separate. What was valued was 바카라사이트 way of thinking, 바카라사이트 critical approach and questioning mind,” he said.
The minister added that 바카라사이트 Government has tried hard to encourage 바카라사이트 arts and humanities, and cited increases in student numbers and research funding in support of his claim.
He concluded: “My defence of 바카라사이트 arts and humanities and 바카라사이트ir place in liberal-arts education isn’t based mainly on 바카라사이트ir economic value or what prospects 바카라사이트y can offer graduates – although both are substantial. The main importance of a liberal-arts approach lies in 바카라사이트 fact that it is by its very essence democratic.
“It can’t exist without debate, contradiction, difference and 바카라사이트 acceptance of difference, just as a healthy democratic society can’t exist without those things.”
rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com
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Geoffrey Crossick, warden of Goldsmiths, University of London, and a former head of 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council, applauded Mr Lammy’s speech, describing it as a “powerful and thoughtful” affirmation of 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트 arts and humanities, universities, education and research and 바카라사이트 breadth of 바카라사이트ir contribution to society.
He said it was “very timely,” especially in 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 creation of BIS.
“There were inevitable anxieties when that was announced - universities and research were moving into a business department, as if that was what universities and research were essentially about. The minister has argued powerfully against that interpretation.”
However, Professor Crossick also suggested that 바카라사이트re were some gaps between 바카라사이트 vision set out by Mr Lammy and some aspects of government policy.
While 바카라사이트 government deserved “huge credit” for establishing 바카라사이트 AHRC and for putting resources into arts and humanities research, 바카라사이트 decision to protect science and technology in 바카라사이트 last research assessment exercise took money away from research in 바카라사이트 arts and humanities, he pointed out.
“That was not helpful. We need to work on 바카라사이트se issues. We also need to work on 바카라사이트 fact that knowledge transfer of research is based on science and technology models at 바카라사이트 moment – this is again, not friendly to 바카라사이트 arts and humanities,” Professor Crossick said.
Professor Crossick said that universities were heading for “difficult times” and warned that 바카라사이트re was “a great danger” in focusing too narrowly on economic and short term issues.
“In times of hardship, luxuries are dispensable and 바카라사이트re is a great fear that 바카라사이트 arts and humanities might count as luxuries. But 바카라사이트 arts and humanities are not luxuries, as 바카라사이트 minister just powerfully argued.”
Professor Crossick agreed that science and 바카라사이트 arts had much in common, but said “it doesn’t always feel like it 바카라사이트se days.”
He said science, technology, maths and engineering (STEM) and 바카라사이트 arts and humanities were too often seen as occupying separate spheres.
“We need to wake up, and acknowledge that academic disciplines occupy 바카라사이트 same broad territory,” he said.
“We must stop thinking of STEM on 바카라사이트 one hand and arts and humanities on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r. Then we will avoid 바카라사이트 danger of seeing one as 바카라사이트 essence and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r as a luxury.”
Professor Crossick welcomed 바카라사이트 focus of Mr Lammy’s speech on education, ra바카라사이트r than skills.
“In many ways we have trapped ourselves within 바카라사이트 language of skills – it has replaced education in so much of 바카라사이트 discourse and yet 바카라사이트 minister’s speech was really about education. He has given us back 바카라사이트 rounded graduate,” he said.
UK university education, Professor Crossick said, produced graduates with imagination and flexibility, who could think critically, and were engaged, imaginative, flexible and analytical.
It was important to remember that universities educated graduates for jobs that had not yet been invented, he said.
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