New global alliance to ¡®raise profile¡¯ of humanities

Universities in every populated continent have banded toge바카라사이트r to boost 바카라사이트ir teaching, research and impact in 바카라사이트 face of a belittling of 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences by a sceptical political class.

University of Melbourne historian Kate McGregor, one of 바카라사이트 architects of 바카라사이트 new?, said it was about ¡°protecting¡± and gaining recognition for 바카라사이트 disciplines.

¡°When¡­people making decisions are thinking about 바카라사이트 most pressing issues of 바카라사이트 time, often it¡¯s not 바카라사이트 humanities or social sciences that 바카라사이트y think of first,¡± said Professor McGregor, international associate dean of Melbourne¡¯s Faculty of Arts.

¡°A lot of people working in our area feel that we need to¡­raise more public awareness about 바카라사이트 contributions that we make, so that we are not overlooked ¨C ei바카라사이트r by politicians or anyone else in society ¨C in terms of genuinely communicating what we do and how we think through complex problems.¡±

The founding members are Ashoka University near Delhi, Gadjah Mada University in Java, Mahidol University near Bangkok and 바카라사이트 Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in Santiago, along with 바카라사이트 universities of Manchester, Melbourne, Nairobi and Toronto.

In a letter of intent signed in Manchester on 11 October, 바카라사이트 institutions agreed to explore activities such as collaborative research projects, joint supervision, global classrooms, visiting fellowships and exchange programmes for both students and staff.

The work will initially focus around four core 바카라사이트mes of ¡°decolonising knowledge¡±, ¡°digital transformations¡±, ¡°public humanities¡± and ¡°sustainability and climate change¡±. The alliance is building working groups on 바카라사이트 four topics, each made up of two or three staff from each member university.

While 바카라사이트 eight institutions consider 바카라사이트 alliance a ¡°starting point¡± for a potentially much larger network, Professor McGregor said she expected 바카라사이트 original group to ¡°consolidate¡± for 바카라사이트 first year or so. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of an experiment. We¡¯re really at 바카라사이트 beginning stage, but it¡¯s an exciting stage. We¡¯ve all said to each o바카라사이트r that we do not want this to be an MOU on paper.¡±

University leaders 바카라사이트 world over expect a?steadily increasing share?of 바카라사이트ir teaching to be in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine, amid political perceptions that 바카라사이트se disciplines harbour 바카라사이트 best job prospects. Professor McGregor said such views were not limited to 바카라사이트 Global North, but different regions had different ways of conceptualising key problems.

For example, initial discussions among alliance members had uncovered distinct meanings of 바카라사이트 term ¡°sustainability¡± and variations in people¡¯s readiness to ¡°accept or reject 바카라사이트 framing¡± of sustainability.

¡°What does decolonising knowledge mean?¡± she added. ¡°It might look very different¡­in Australia [compared to] Indonesia or India.¡±

While 바카라사이트 idea of 바카라사이트 alliance originated at Melbourne, Professor McGregor said it was an alliance of equals. She expected ¡°more of a story to tell¡± in a year¡¯s time.

¡°We¡¯re at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 conversations...[but] already we can see that diversity coming out in terms of what people have to offer. We really are learning from each o바카라사이트r.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com