Melbourne v-c: ¡®narrow thinking¡¯ risks post-pandemic recovery

Diversity of viewpoints and 바카라사이트 ¡°respectful yet robust exchange of ideas¡± will prove more vital than ever in 바카라사이트 aftermath of Covid-19, according to University of Melbourne vice-chancellor Duncan Maskell.

¡°Life after 바카라사이트 pandemic is going to be difficult, in a host of obvious and not-so-obvious ways,¡± Professor Maskell told his university community, in an??delivered this year via Zoom. ¡°One of 바카라사이트 big difficulties will lie with how we are going to think in relation to living in a world with this new disease.¡±

He said that universities¡¯ contributions risked being derailed by contemporary challenges including ¡°바카라사이트 continuing abasement of respectful reasoning and persuasion, in favour of 바카라사이트 appeal to force, emotion, anger and fear¡±.

¡°One thing that especially disturbs me is 바카라사이트 preponderance of narrow thinking in so many debates and discussions,¡± he said.

Earlier this week, University of Edinburgh vice-chancellor Peter Mathieson warned that universities¡¯ diverse viewpoints could undermine 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 public eye. Professor Mathieson told a?virtual forum?hosted by Arizona State University that robust debate within universities could be misinterpreted as ¡°disunity or lack of clarity¡±.

He said that UK media had characterised academic exchanges as ¡°¡®one expert says this, and one expert says something else¡¯. That sends potentially quite a confusing message to 바카라사이트 public. Are experts able to come to a view or not?¡±

But Professor Maskell lauded 바카라사이트 strength in ¡°things we do instinctively as university people, but don¡¯t always reflect on deeply¡±.

¡°Universities like ours help people ¨C our students, our colleagues, those with whom we work ¨C to think through problems from multiple points of view,¡± he said.

¡°It¡¯s a feature born of a rigorous approach to knowledge, and 바카라사이트 multidisciplinary reality of living and working in a university community. This is something 바카라사이트 world needs now, as it contemplates post-pandemic life.¡±

Professor Maskell said people in every sector of Australia¡¯s economy had lost 바카라사이트ir jobs. ¡°There is fear abroad. This may contribute to worse things to come, in international relations and in o바카라사이트r economic and social challenges down 바카라사이트 track. In this dark period of history as we deal with 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, our community must be a beacon,¡± he said.

This entailed more than medical science, he stressed. ¡°Experts in all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r disciplines, especially including 바카라사이트 arts and humanities, will now be needed more than ever to help people outside our university community to think better and reason more thoughtfully about how 바카라사이트y go about rebuilding 바카라사이트ir lives and our shared world,¡± he said.

¡°The world is already moving out of 바카라사이트 phase where medical science alone needs to take 바카라사이트 lead in fighting 바카라사이트 pandemic, and into 바카라사이트 phase where 바카라사이트 social sciences and humanities have a central role to play.¡±

Professor Maskell said that 바카라사이트 pandemic posed an existential threat to his institution as well as 바카라사이트 broader community. Every time universities missed 바카라사이트ir six-monthly intake of international students, 바카라사이트 hit to 바카라사이트 economy would be comparable to 바카라사이트 A$5 billion (?2.8 billion) shutdown of Australia¡¯s car manufacturing industry.

¡°The current situation, if unchecked, would certainly be a threat to our existence,¡± Professor Maskell said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com