Featured Projects

Liberal Learning from a Comparative Perspective

Run Date: Winter 2009 through Summer 2010

Background

Much of the comparative research on higher education worldwide is focused on funding models, the mobility of students, the co-existence of public and private institutions, and the impact of globalization. To date, very little attention has been given to the content of higher education, particularly the role of the liberal arts and ideas surrounding the exposure of students to a broad canon of thought in the arts, humanities and social sciences before they move to specialization in a single field of study.

To understand the place of the liberal arts on an international scale, research is needed to examine a number of issues—how curricular content is decided, whether breadth of exposure to subject matter is considered, and to what extent there is a desire to see one of higher education’s key responsibilities as preparing the student for more than specialized knowledge.

In order to address these issues, the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) is embarking on a new research project, “Liberal Learning from a Comparative Perspective,” sponsored by the Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation and directed by Patti McGill Peterson, Ph.D., IHEP senior associate. The project will consist of region and country-specific case studies that examine the role of liberal arts and related general education in higher education curricula. In addition, the studies will offer an analysis of larger trends in what students are studying, how their educational programs are being structured and what kind of innovations are being considered. Concrete examples of creative experiments with the liberal arts, as well as best practices and policy recommendations will also be included.

The countries and regions to be included in the project are Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, and the Middle East. IHEP is assembling an international team of authors for the project, which will consist of higher education experts with significant research experience in curricular content, reform, and innovation, as well as substantial in-country experience and a deep understanding of the cultural and political issues surrounding education in the target countries.

With an expected publication release date of Summer 2010, the Liberal Learning from a Comparative Perspective project is a starting point for robust and ongoing dialogue about the liberal arts among scholars, government and institutional leaders, funding organizations, and other stakeholders in the global higher education enterprise. More broadly, however, project strives to create a network and community of scholars worldwide who are committed to understanding liberal education from a variety of perspectives.

As part of its vision, IHEP works to create a world where all people can reach their full potential by participating and succeeding in postsecondary education. The organization's belief is that better educated citizens create a society in which all people can contribute to global economic competitiveness, social stability, and cultural richness. This project is intended to serve as a springboard for IHEP's future research efforts.

Project Manager: Patti McGill Peterson, Ph.D.

Funding Partner: Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation