HIGHER EDUCATION, HIGHER EDUCATION, INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE AND INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE AND

SOCIAL DIMENSIONSOCIAL DIMENSION

Sjur BerganSjur Bergan

Council of EuropeCouncil of Europe

Nicosia, April 4, 2008Nicosia, April 4, 2008

LIVING IN THE AGE OF THE LIVING IN THE AGE OF THE ECONOMY?ECONOMY?

EmploymentEmployment CompetitivenessCompetitiveness Use of resourcesUse of resources Purchasing power as a political issuePurchasing power as a political issue Economic performanceEconomic performance

ONLY THE ECONOMY?ONLY THE ECONOMY?

Four events end 2007:Four events end 2007:– PakistanPakistan– KenyaKenya– Hand over of EU Presidency from Portugal to SloveniaHand over of EU Presidency from Portugal to Slovenia– Nobel Peace Prize to Al Gore and the International Nobel Peace Prize to Al Gore and the International

Panel on Climate ChangePanel on Climate Change

And one on April 4:And one on April 4:– Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King 40 years agoAssassination of Dr. Martin Luther King 40 years ago

SO IT IS NOT SO IT IS NOT JUSTJUST THE THE ECONOMYECONOMY

Environmental sustainabilityEnvironmental sustainability– Climate changeClimate change– ““An inconvenient truth”An inconvenient truth”

Coping with diversityCoping with diversity– CulturalCultural– LinguisticLinguistic– ReligiousReligious– Living conditionsLiving conditions

Social cohesionSocial cohesion

HIGHER EDUCATIONHIGHER EDUCATION

Fundamental to developing democratic Fundamental to developing democratic cultureculture

Not a once in a lifetime experienceNot a once in a lifetime experience Provides individuals with opportunitiesProvides individuals with opportunities Allows societies to make the best possible Allows societies to make the best possible

use of the potential of its membersuse of the potential of its members The contribution of HE to the economy is The contribution of HE to the economy is

important, but does not exist in a vacuumimportant, but does not exist in a vacuum

MAJOR PURPOSES OF HIGHER MAJOR PURPOSES OF HIGHER EDUCATIONEDUCATION

Labor marketLabor market Democratic citizenshipDemocratic citizenship Personal developmentPersonal development Knowledge baseKnowledge base

HIGHER EDUCATION ON HIGHER EDUCATION ON CAMPUSCAMPUS

Higher education is international…Higher education is international… .. but is this reflected on campus?.. but is this reflected on campus? A community of many nationalities or A community of many nationalities or

many national communities?many national communities?

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONINTERNATIONAL INSTITUTION

Students and staff of all nationalities and Students and staff of all nationalities and cultural backgrounds interact easilycultural backgrounds interact easily

Your background does not determine your Your background does not determine your social life social life

Cultural differences are fully respectedCultural differences are fully respected– By the institutionBy the institution– By its membersBy its members

Campus: a venue of dialogueCampus: a venue of dialogue

HIGHER EDCUATION IN HIGHER EDCUATION IN BROADER SOCIETYBROADER SOCIETY

Provide learners with a set of competences Provide learners with a set of competences – must include ability and willingness to engage in must include ability and willingness to engage in

intercultural dialogue intercultural dialogue

Develop attitudes and abilitiesDevelop attitudes and abilities Show good practice Show good practice

– ““Practice what you preach”Practice what you preach”

Actors in broader society: societal Actors in broader society: societal responsibilityresponsibility

INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE AND DEMOCRATIC CULTUREAND DEMOCRATIC CULTURE

Require open minds…Require open minds… ……but also convictionsbut also convictions Willingness to question our own ideas, Willingness to question our own ideas,

opinions and behavior…opinions and behavior… ……but also those of others but also those of others Intellectual curiosityIntellectual curiosity

ULTIMATE QUESTIONULTIMATE QUESTION

Education: for what? =Education: for what? =

What kind of society do we want?What kind of society do we want?

– Cf. Cf. Eugenio Eugenio Tironi: Tironi: El sueño chileno. Comunidad, El sueño chileno. Comunidad,

familia y nación en el familia y nación en el BicentenarioBicentenario