In a rapidly changing world, we have to prepare ourselves for challenges that will confront us every day. This requires a liberally educated citizenry. To indicate the importance of liberal education to a democratic society, let me quote David Kearns, former CEO of Xerox Corporation.
"The only education that prepares us for change is a liberal education. In periods of change, narrow specialisation condemns us to inflexibility - precisely what we do not need. We need the flexible intellectual tools to be problem solvers, to be able to continue learning over time."
The need for a liberal education has never been more acute than now. A consensus among educators worldwide is emerging that to be successful in this knowledge-intensive century, we need to prepare graduates at all levels of academic achievement to confront challenges that we, as humanity, face with intellectual curiosity and rigour.
It is not a mystery that a nation's economic competitiveness depends on the capabilities of its college graduates. Specialised skills that were an essential part of the 20th century have to be complemented with a wide range of transferable skills that allow for the realities of the 21st century.
Investing in liberal education will pay off, not only for students, but also for the community. For students, focusing on long-term professional goals rather than the salary they might receive in their first job is essential to their own success. For the community, or the nation as a whole, having a workforce that is able to respond to changing economic demands is also essential.
Liberal education prepares students to understand the implications of our global interdependence, and to grasp complex problems and find innovative solutions. At a time of increasing competition between nations, these skills can give a country an economic edge.