Sydney, Monday 13 May 2024: What is ‘liberal education’? What distinguishes it from vocational education, and even programs of study adopted in many modern liberal arts programs?
Can an education focused on ‘knowledge for its own sake’ rather than for professional pursuits and industry careers, hold appeal among current and future generations of scholars?
And why is there a resurgence in liberal education movements in the West, in an era where STEM reigns supreme and artificial intelligence holds promise to do our thinking for us?
To help explain liberal education (also known as classical education) and delve into its state and prospects, the Centre is delighted to announce that one of the world’s foremost classical education experts, and leader of the burgeoning classical education movement in the US, Andrew Kern, will deliver our third Ramsay Lecture for 2024.
In this must-see lecture, ‘Liberal Education in the 21st Century’, Mr Kern, founder, and president of the CiRCE Institute in the US (Center for Independent Research on Classical Education) will explore the challenges and opportunities facing the liberal arts not only in the US, but around the world.
He will take the audience on a compelling journey through the liberal arts’ historical foundations, stressing their enduring value in shaping well-rounded individuals capable of critical thinking and responsible citizenship. He will also address the evolving landscape of education, considering the impact of technology, cultural shifts, and intellectual and political challenges to traditional notions of learning.
Finally, Mr Kern will offer insights into the practical applications of liberal education, providing a roadmap for educators, parents, and policymakers to foster a life-long love of learning that transcends narrow imperatives. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the significance of liberal education in contributing not only to academic success but also character and civic responsibility.
Andrew Kern is the founder and president of the CiRCE Institute, a ‘leading provider of inspiration, information, and insight to classical educators throughout the US and Canada’. He has been researching, speaking, teaching, and consulting for classical renewal since 1993; has been instrumental in the founding of three schools, and has consulted with well over 100 schools, cottage schools, co-ops, and other formats. He has served as Director of Classical Instruction, Academic Dean, Headmaster, and board member. Andrew speaks regularly at home school and classical education conferences in the US and around the world.
In addition, he is the co-author with Dr. Gene Edward Veith of Classical Education, The Movement Sweeping America and, with Andrea Lipinski, of The CiRCE Guide to Reading. He also led the development of CiRCE’s classical rhetoric program, The Lost Tools of Writing.
Mr Kern loves Homer, Shakespeare, Anne of Green Gables, and Endeavour. He recently completed (4/2024) a yet-to-be titled volume on the foundations of education. Like Shakespeare, he knows a little Latin and less Greek. ‘’Except a lot less than Shakespeare.”
Join us on Thursday, 6 June 2024 in the Gallery Room at the State Library of NSW, Macquarie Street, Sydney from 5:30-7:30pm. To attend RSVP directly to: ramsayevents@ramsaycentre.org by Thursday, 23 May 2024.
Media contact: Sarah Switzer 0407 816 098 / sarah.switzer@ramsaycentre.org