Vassar College hosted discussions in Mumbai and Delhi to highlight the importance of liberal arts in light of the new education policy

Mumbai, 09^th January 2020: Vassar College, a premier and globally renowned institution for liberal arts, organised panel discussions in New Delhi and Mumbai on the future and importance of liberal arts education in shaping students’ careers. In attendance were eminent personalities like Professor G Raghuram, Dr Sunder Ramaswamy, Professor PV Madhusudhan Rao, Professor Sudhir Shah, Dr Pramath Raj Sinha and Ashok Trivedi in New Delhi on January 7, 2020. In Mumbai the next day, in attendance were Professor Anush Kapadia, Nina Hirji Kheraj, Professor Santosh Kumar Kudtarkar, Ramesh Mangaleswaran and Dr Ravindra Kulkarni. 

In a changing world, the most important skill is to be able to adapt, take in new information and make sense of the situation. Learning how to learn is consistent with the liberal arts approach, through which students learn across different styles, topics and paradigms. A liberal arts education is needed to impart key communication skills (writing, speaking, negotiating), expose students to multiple disciplines (arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural and information sciences), and empower students to innovate, be creative and entrepreneurial, and to chart their own paths in becoming engaged citizens and community role models. India’s recent education policy also highlights the importance of liberal arts education across schools and colleges. The conversations during both evenings highlighted the need to create awareness about liberal arts and its importance in building careers.

Elizabeth Bradley, President, Vassar College said: “I was very excited to conduct these discussions in India, especially when the government is focused on offering quality education to the youth. Vassar has been the driving force in providing a premium liberal arts education that imparts key communication skills, exposes students to various disciplines. We are glad to have hosted xx number of people across the two cities and witness great participation in the conversations.”