As higher education faces public scrutiny over the value of college in today’s increasingly complex society, Vanderbilt University will co-host an inaugural summit to explore the value of liberal arts education and how to transform its delivery to align with a quickly evolving digital world.
The 2024 Liberal Arts Summit is scheduled for Nov. 18–20 in Nashville on the Vanderbilt campus, with a theme of “Liberal Arts and Innovation in the Digital Age.” Higher education leaders from across the globe will gather to share perspectives on how to meaningfully express the value of the liberal arts to engage students; discuss practical strategies for harnessing AI and big data; hear how other institutions are bridging the gap between disciplines to radically collaborate; and explore best practices for successful funding initiatives and cross-sector partnerships.
“Vanderbilt University is at the forefront of global discourse, setting the stage for critical conversations on liberal arts with prominent education leaders worldwide,” Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. “The summit will provide an opportunity to explore global perspectives on how we should approach rebranding liberal arts education to meaningfully engage all students, society and industry and ensure how it can be fit for the future. We look forward to seeing how these conversations unfold.”
The summit is designed for leaders of liberal arts programs to gain knowledge on several emerging issues. Sessions will allow those in attendance to delve into what successful funding initiatives look like and best practices for galvanizing cross-sector partnerships for liberal arts programs; offer practical strategies to harness the digital revolution and embed innovation into liberal arts teaching and learning; and learn from peers about how other institutions have been bridging the knowledge gap between disciplines and discovering the importance of liberal arts in accelerating developments in STEM.
Vanderbilt is partnering with Times Higher Education to host the summit, which is part of the organization’s broader World Summit Series. A detailed agenda and registration information will be shared as the event approaches.