What is higher education?

Authors

John Owens, University of Nebraska–Lincoln,Follow

Date of this Version

10-9-2001

Comments

Delivered October 9, 2001 for AgLEC 134.

Abstract

"The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the level of thinking we were at when we created them." - Albert Einstein

What is higher education? It is a key tool to our gaining the level of thinking Einstein describes - the level of thinking needed to solve the problems that exist in the world today. I am not saying higher education is the only thing that prepares people to think - far from it. But higher education, if it does what it is meant to do, prepares us with a solid base of skills to think critically and analytically to deal successfully with an ever-changing world. It instills in us the desire and ability to be lifelong learners, able to grow and participate as members of both local and global communities. Learning skills, critical analysis skills, skills that allow us to deal with and be successful in the ever-changing world around us are the skills higher education must provide.