Learning How To Learn, Think And Master

In recent years, liberal arts programmes have become extremely popular…

- Meghaa Aggarwal

What do HBO Chairman and CEO Richard Plepler, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and Chairman of the Mahindra group Anand Mahindra have in common? They all give great credit to their liberal arts background!

What is liberal arts?

More than a degree, the liberal arts are a form of education distinguished by a wide variety of subject choices drawn from social sciences, natural sciences as well as humanities, and an emphasis on critical thinking and communication.

Speaking in her personal capacity, Vishakha Desai, Senior Advisor for Global Affairs to the President of Columbia University, USA and a member of the Board and Academic Council of KREA University in India, says, “… liberal arts education is a comprehensive approach to think creatively and deliberately about all aspects of life involving both arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences. It is less about learning a particular skill (in a rapidly changing and automating work environment, any particular skill learnt today will become obsolete in a decade), and more about learning how to learn, think and master any skill for the future.”

Tracing liberal arts in India

The concept of liberal arts is not new to India. Traditional Indian universities like Nalanda also encouraged this form of education. However, the onset of colonial education and a growing emphasis on professional courses, especially in the decades since independence, led to disintegration in it. However, Desai says, “In recent years, there is a resurgent interest in establishing new liberal arts institutions that are comparable to good universities in the U. S. and Europe.”