‘Liberal arts infuse critical thinking, solving capabilities’

Speakers stress liberal arts equip students to become useful individuals

LAHORE: Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) Chairperson Dr Nizamuddin has said that it was high time to promote liberal arts education in Pakistan as liberal arts equip students to become well-rounded individuals who would become future leaders.



He expressed these views on Wednesday while speaking at a symposium on “Liberal Arts Education; Grooming the Youth” organised in collaboration with the Forman Christian College University (FCCU) Lahore held at its campus. While speaking on the occasion, Dr Nizam was of the view that the entire education system needed an overhauling. “There is a need to establish a reform commission to fix the quality issues.” He proposed a national-level conference for the promotion of liberal arts in Pakistan.

“All of our focus has been on rote learning of concepts in our colleges and universities. We need to include other subjects, which trigger thought processes and develop critical capacities among the students,” he said.

Speakers stressed the need for liberal arts education in Pakistan and outlined its history in the Muslim world, saying that students need to develop critical and problem solving capabilities.

National and international speakers, including FCCU Rector Dr James Tebbe, Government College University (GCU) Lahore Vice Chancellor Dr Hassan Amir Shah and Dr Richard Detweiler addressed the symposium. Dr Richard Detweiler, President of the Great Lakes Colleges Association, USA and an expert in psychology, intercultural relations, higher education and values of liberal arts was the keynote speaker at the symposium.

Dr Detweiler emphasised the need for the liberal arts education in universities and discussed at length about the prospects of liberal arts. He gave a chronological development of liberal arts in western and Islamic world and termed the Islamic era from 750AD-1150AD as Golden Age for liberal arts.

“Caliph Al-Mansoor in Baghdad established a centre of knowledge ‘The House of Wisdom’ to promote liberal arts where there were around 17 translators entrusted to translate the books from various languages of the west into Arabic,” he highlighted.

He emphasised the exigency of liberal arts universities in Pakistan for the development of mental faculties among students.



“There are a total of 238 liberal arts colleges in the US, whereas 17 colleges of liberal arts are non-US. Dedicated universities of liberal arts, as that of other specialised fields, are to be established in Pakistan,” he said.

He concluded his address by outlining the policy implications for Pakistan in education to promote liberal arts education in the country. Liberal arts education addressed not only content but also context to accumulate full spectrum of human knowledge and address issues important to humanity, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 17^th, 2017.