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In today’s Trouw, James Kennedy, Dean of ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� College Utrecht, writes about the indispensable value of Liberal Arts and Sciences for society.

A product of a Liberal Arts and Sciences college himself, he acknowledges the personal gains of such an education as well.

“In the first place, society benefits from students who have learned to think analytically, who are able to cross the boundaries of disciplines and who master self-expression, both in speech and writing. Not so as to prepare themselves for a particular job (that may not exist over a couple of years anymore), but for the labour market as such.”

It is allrounders who are wanted by employers today, Kennedy continues. It matters little in which subject a job candidate has graduated. But, he emphasizes, “a university study is more than preparation for a profession”. It is preparation for life.

“In the long run, I think that society benefits most if the university develops a broad vision on its educational task instead of producing only technically skilled professionals. But that is likely to happen only if Dutch society and politics will re-evaluate the value of higher education.”

(in Dutch).

James Kennedy has a bi-weekly column in Trouw on a personal title. In today’s column he delves into Liberal Arts and Sciences in the context of ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� College Utrecht’s 4th Lustrum that closes today with a festival open for all.