Lars Strannegård: The classic bildningstanken needs to be brought out

Universities and higher education is facing something of a crisis of identity. The whole training from world famous universities, to be given now across the web. Many of today's professions will disappear or omstöpas in the foundation. Artificial intelligence and robotics means that many professions will be carried out by machines. The digital techprofeterna claim that the university model is uttjänad. The issue is urgent: what is a university today and how should higher education be carried out?

Kunskapsfilosofin and Ingemar Hedenius has a possible answer. In ”Faith and knowledge” from 1949 says that the educated man is the one who is free and alive in relation to the uncertain. The well-educated take on the world and its lack of order, with humility and curiosity. Hedenius would certainly write in to our world today is characterised by uncertainty. The geopolitical balance of power, national political landscapes and the ongoing climate change are all examples of the prevailing uncertainties.

Stockholm public library, Photo: Hasse Holmberg/TT

the world increases the need to more clearly articulate the purpose of higher education. There is vulgärdefinitioner of the goal of ”employability” as something that would make graduates to avintellektualiserade instruments adapted for samhällsmaskineriet and corporate profit maximization. However, employability can also be seen as the individual's release, an opening of doors to a livelihood, and self-actualization. To have multi-faceted students who think freely and critically or preparing for the future of the labour market are not two conflicting objectives. At the same time being independent-minded, analytical, critical, interested in earning money and to contribute to the development of society is actually possible.

Knowledge and youll look different in the day compared to just a few years ago. There is a wide demand for analytical, humble, discerning and independent-minded people; which is in line with the classic bildningstanken. Higher training centres, perhaps the most important overall role is therefore, in our connected world, to teach that which cannot googlas. Who does not stipulate what should be thought and seem, but that increases the thinking and the tendency to ask the question why.

such A mission requires a at the same time färdighetsmässigt, evidence-based and scientific approach. We should not be fooled to believe that the analysis and critical thinking can take place in a baskunskapsmässigt vacuum. If not the economist to know what are the figures which should be placed in the balance sheet, if not art expert sees the difference in baroque and classicism, and if the doctor does not know their anatomy missing knowledge of the facts to break the preconceptions or new ideas against. The facts are the base.

that the fundamentals are in place. And in a world of alternative facts, where companies like Cambridge Analytica shapes our world views become the scientific and critical approach more central than ever. There is a growing epistemological sensitivity, on the ability to evaluate kunskapsanspråk. But to think that this requirement makes the artisanal and basic knowledge redundant is a cognitive trap. No deep analysis or insightful criticism without knowledge. The simultaneous practical and theoretical knowledge is now more important than ever.

With this view of knowledge becomes the reflection and the own självkännedomen central: to understand the forces that shape the perceptions and choices in life. These are areas that not all higher education institutions are accustomed to operating within. But an economist, engineer, journalist or researchers who are not given the means to understand themselves and their motivations can be a dangerous person in the professional life.

So our digitized time requires that we better understand ourselves, but perhaps even more importantly, we become better at understanding others. The empathic ability to see the world from the other's perspective is key to not only humanism, but also a better work experience. An empathetic person will be a better doctor, government official or manager. So far, people are infinitely better at being people than what the machines are. A well-developed empathy strengthens our competitiveness. And the way there goes through cultural sensitivity. Therefore to become culture – art, literature, film, music, theatre – is so important. The aesthetic communication speaks to our minds and make us see the world in other ways than the strictly factual.

Lars Strannegård Photo: Elin Åberg

us in other state of mind than we can take to us of its own power, and motivate us to gain access to worlds that are not our own. The culture trains our empathy, and our self-reflection. It takes us to the places where facts and science don't reach.

Herein lies the higher education difficult task: to combine the scientific and the aesthetic kunskapsformerna. One way to approach higher education's essence is, therefore, to see culture and education as two sides of the same coin.

To increase the bildningsnivån means to our country's competitiveness is strengthened, our capacity for innovation is improving, and that democracy and free thinking are protected. Therefore, it is high time to consider the Swedish universities ' lack of independence. Should really, at a time when anti-democratic forces yearns after the governing of the country, the university deans to be commissioners, and state universities and colleges find themselves at risk of political whims?

the Swedish debate, the questioning of some research. From both the left - and högerhåll heard the voices of some of the research directions should kväsas, there may be gender studies or economics. ”What do we get for the tax money?” So sounds populismens call. How easy is it for the government that wants to change the conditions for higher education to tighten the resurskranarna? Why do we not see the events in the higher education sector in Turkey, Hungary and Poland as the red flags for the governance of the universities in our country? Should we not strive for a diversity of operating and funding arrangements in higher education? Is not too many of our universities and colleges in the same state-funded äggkorg?

Perhaps our new government modernize the old idea of a ecklesiastikdepartement that handles both culture and education. The mission would be to make the culture, research and education more free from political interests. The policy needs to actively work to create more autonomous universities and cultural institutions. Styrningsprinciperna need to be reviewed. Finansieringsmodellerna likewise. In the times we live in, we need to create better conditions for a free cultural life, freedom of research, and a protected freedom of expression. I hope that the time is ripe for the establishment of a robust infrastructure that protects democracy and free thought.