“A humanistic approach to education and development is the common thread that weaves together the diversity of contributions into a rich tapestry on learning. The approach is grounded in a vision of development that is economically inclusive, socially just and environmentally sustainable. A vision that acknowledges the diversity of knowledge systems, worldviews and conceptions of well-being, while reaffirming a common core of universally shared values. It is a vision that promotes an integrated approach to learning, acknowledging the multiple personal, social, civic and economic purposes of education…” Stefania Giannini
Humanistic futures of learning. Perspectives from UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks. Published in 2020 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France. © UNESCO 2020. ISBN 978-92-3-100369-1. This publication is available in Open Access under the Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO (CC-BY-SA 3.0 IGO) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/igo/). By using the content of this publication, the users accept to be bound by the terms of use of the UNESCO Open Access Repository (http://www.unesco.org/open-access/terms-use-ccbysa-en). (p. 54-57)
Humanistic and ethical values in higher education.
Sara Beatriz Guardia, UNESCO Chair in Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism University of San Martín de Porres, Peru.
The author proposes that more emphasis be placed on humanities subjects in conjunction with technology related disciplines to engender more critical and creative thinking. She argues that this humanistic focus in higher education will equip learners with global social skills for the future as well as the foresight to help resolve the inequities of unchecked globalization that threaten sustainability.
Globalization, modern capitalism and technological development have created an individualistic, competitive society in which everybody must fight to survive and little importance is given to community as a whole, producing instability, uncertainty and social and economic inequality. Further, the emphasis on industries and technology combined with the model of consumption that has become a goal in itself has led to the plunder of non-renewable resources, such as hydrobiological energy sources, for example. In light of this, the future holds various challenges that must be resolved, including intercultural, social, economic and political conflicts, climate change and the unforseen consequences of artificial intelligence. Consequently, the notion of education, its processes and methods can serve as a response to this contemporary historical period.
The mission of higher education has been corrupted by market values
The mission of higher education in this context is to produce citizens of the world and create a cosmopolitan, innovative and enterprising way of thinking that is open to the upcoming demands of the second decade of the twenty-first century. Education must then transmit knowledge and values, and contribute to finding solutions to the our social and environment needs. This entails transmitting knowledge linked to the production system through innovative ideas generated from a space where the environment and society are central values. Knowledge is an indispensable and vital means to ensure society’s sustainable development. Research practices, fuelled by universities, thus contribute to strengthening better global academic integration that benefits education networks through information and exchange. A transversal and multidisciplinary learning process can ensure the strengthening of research that targets wide-reaching goals, not only in science but also in the humanities. Unfortunately, contributing to the current education crisis, financial support for the humanities in higher education is progressively drying up (Nussbaum, 2010).
The situation is dire as the aforementioned emphasis on consumption has also spread to universities, where the focus is on goals, indicators and satisfaction levels. Even though these indicators are designed to ‘improve the quality of education’, they have become goals and values themselves as part of a race among higher education institutions to climb in the rankings and gain a better ‘position.’ Increasingly, universities are placing less value on and devoting fewer resources to building courses that fulfil the needs of people and society, and more to those of the market. This is clearly reflected in the gradual decrease in the social sciences and humanities programmes in favour of exact sciences and technology programmes.
Incorporating a humanistic culture in research
Humanistic culture has been left behind, hindering the development of critical thinking. Screens have defeated books, the Nobel laureate in literature has declared sententiously, because we have not been able to bridge the gap between images and education (Vargas Llosa, 2019). It is reading that makes further knowledge and openness possible. There are neither art nor poetry courses in universities, despite the fact that they “cultivate the inner world and nurture the capacity for emotion and imagination. Games are enlivened by a spirit of affectionate reciprocity. Dance, theatre and music promote participation and experience in different life roles” (Leuridan, 2019, p. 333).
As a pillar of vocational training, higher education must bear the responsibility of developing students’ knowledge; values such as tolerance and respect for peers, colleagues, family and the community from a multicultural perspective; and recognition for the value of coexistence. This means that higher education will have to provide ethical, socially and environmentally responsible training. There is no doubt that science and technology in particular have undergone significant and considerable development, resulting in the creation of useful tools for people. However, all the evidence points to the fact that these benefits are not available to all. This is the challenge that universities must help overcome instead of solely focusing on education for the world of work within the parameters of teaching and learning. To achieve this, the university must provide perception and understanding of the country’s social reality in an all-encompassing and multicultural way.
Thus, the future of higher education is to reach out to society, while training competent and committed professionals. The mission should be to produce new ideas to be at the service of the community, and hence meet the demand of both local and global social needs through concrete solutions in an environment of inclusion, sustainability and equal opportunities between men, women, minorities and marginalized groups.
Education must be based on intercultural respect and understanding in the context of globalization – whose main characteristic is to ‘culturally equalize,’ ignoring the importance of cultural diversity, which is the common heritage of humanity. In this scenario, this approach fulfils a fundamental role as a factor of identity and an accompaniment to vocational training that is useful for human beings and the development of society. Often, it is at school that it becomes possible to “develop interest in others, not distance ourselves from minorities, teach about other social, sexual and religious groups, foster a sense of responsibility and promote critical thinking” (Leuridan, 2019, p. 333).
Faced with an abundance of digital information, we need to know how to process it, from its selection to its organization and conversion into new knowledge. Students, who are highly exposed to images and screens and do not tend to consume literature (i.e. reading in general) could find important elements for research work in this information flow. Research is afforded particular importance at universities and the development of projects typically entails a taxing effort by teachers and students in training and investment in time and resources. For this reason, from the outset of vocational degrees, interest must be sparked in research projects that both are sustainable and contribute to finding solutions to the problems faced by the community. It is important to note that this should be a multisectoral undertaking in which the common good must be the priority. Research should promote society’s cultural development and not solely its socioeconomic development. Provoking reflection, analysis and evaluation to promote research and innovation can make a substantial contribution to a sustainable future.
Transcendence as a value
The future of education must be centred on humanistic criteria that enable transcendence. Faced with the dynamics of a constantly changing world, this can be achieved through the promotion of high standards of values (ethical and moral) that drive research and technology. We must rise to the challenge of innovation and reinvention in situations such as these when known solutions no longer work. A new humanistic education model must seek transcendence in its students to whom it not only transmits knowledge, but also contributes through its training. Higher education institutions should promote the value of entrepreneurship with high levels of scientific and technological preparation based on ethical values that serve society. These institutions should help students develop skills to confront complex situations in personal, social and professional relationships.
Thus, the academic environment requires new methods, permanent dialogue and links between resources, and must seek points of intersection with the working world, especially in students’ personal development (emotional intelligence) and its link with information technology. Institutions should place more emphasis on the importance of a higher education that promotes tolerance, creativity, cooperation, reflection and culture, as well as democratic values for peaceful cohabitation, including dialogue, civic duties and citizenship education. In addition, the model must nurture the development of critical thinking for solutions to the abstract, consequential and significant problems of humanity through disciplines such as philosophy and ethics. These are the essential elements of a higher education model strengthened by research and innovation capacities to contribute to a sustainable future.
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