'Liberal Arts And Sciences Create Change Agents'

Critical thinking, complex problem-solving abilities, boundless curiosity and flexibility to respond to change are some of the key facets of liberal arts and sciences education, says Sankar Krishnan, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Ashoka University, Sonepat

- Shelly Anand

There are transformations in technology, the environment, in the nature of work itself, and with them come the concomitant challenges of a degrading physical and social environment. Technical and professional education in the past has often been job-oriented, which in many ways stifled creativity, and the ability to deal with a changing environment. In future, everyone will need to live alongside constant change and diversity.

Why is there a growing demand for liberal arts and sciences today?

There is an imperative need for people to learn to nurture and improve creativity along with analytical skills, be more collaborative, be expert communicators, and be leaders to demonstrate the path forward. Those are precisely the kind of skills that a liberal arts and sciences education imparts to our students—to think critically, to move from the method of learning facts to thinking independently and asking the right set of questions. And from an examination-oriented, structured schedule to new ways of studying and working with their peers in a learning-focused, growth-oriented system that enables them to think and learn across different disciplines. It equips students with the agility and flexibility to respond and adapt to all kinds of challenges in life—social, technological or economic, and prepare them to become the leaders of tomorrow.