Chinese, European, and American Universities - Challenges for the 21st Century

This essay discusses the recent and rapid growth in Chinese higher education, and seeks to view it in the light of earlier systems of learning in China and other international revolutions in higher education, particularly in Europe and North America. It argues that Chinese, European and American universities share many common objectives and common problems. It focuses on efforts to revitalize undergraduate education, and the often-contested role of the humanities as part of the "general education" of undergraduates at leading universities, seeking to educate individuals with the capacity for critical leadership, rather than students trained in skills that will become obsolete in their lifetimes.

About the author

William C. Kirby is the Geisinger Professor of History, Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor, Director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, and former Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University.

Product details

• Authors: William Kirby, William C Kirby, William C. Kirby
• Assisted by: Römer (Editor), Römer (Editor), Susann Weigelin-Schwiedrzik (Editor), Susanne Weigelin-Schwiedrzik (Editor)
• Publisher: V&R unipress
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 11.02.2008
• EAN: 9783899714494
• ISBN: 978-3-89971-449-4
• No. of pages: 36
• Weight: 80 g
• Series: Fakultätsvorträge der philologisch-kulturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität Wien; Fakultätsvorträge der Philologisch-Kulturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät d.Uni Wien; Fakultätsvorträge der philologisch-kulturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität Wien; Fakultätsvorträge der Philologisch-Kulturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät d.Uni Wien; Fakulttsvortrge der Philologisch-Kulturwissenschaftlichen Fakultt der Universitt Wien
• Subject: Humanities, art, music > Humanities (general)