by Oxford University Studying a humanities degree at university gives young people vital skills which benefit them throughout their careers and prepare them for changes and uncertainty in the labour market, according to new research by Oxford University. Photograph: Tetiana Shyshkina via Unsplash The report, called ‘The Value of the Humanities’, used an innovative methodology to understand how humanities graduates have fared over their whole careers – not just at a fixed point in time after graduation.  In the largest study of its kind, the report followed the career destinations of over ..read more

5 Questions with the director of FIU’s Center for the Humanities in an Urban Environment “…The humanities are about understanding, celebrating and studying what it means to be human. That includes the forms of ‘production’ that we make through our cultures, the way we set up our societies, the way we talk to each other, the way we think. And the way we tell stories about ourselves and our world. It’s us. It’s people. “ Read the interview here ..read more

A new AAMC report says most medical schools offer arts and humanities, but it urges more integration into curricula and better evaluation of how those experiences make better doctors. Read more here ..read more

The newly-elected President of the Australian Academy of the Humanities, Professor Lesley Head FASSA FAHA, believes the humanities will play as significant a role as the sciences in addressing the biggest global challenge of our time, the earth’s warming. Read more here ..read more

Previously part of the Australian Academy of the Humanities, A New Approach is set to become an independent body after December. Previously operating under the aegis of the Australian Academy of the Humanities, arts and culture think tank A New Approach (ANA) has announced it will become an entity in its own right at the end of 2020. Together with Newgate Communications (a communications firm with close ties to government agencies and the corporate sector) the Australian Academy of the Humanities was selected as the lead delivery partner for A New Approach when the $1.65 million project was a ..read more

…Afraid that the traditional humanities disciplines are increasingly regarded as relics that have lost their salience, as Eurocentric vestiges of an obsolete and disreputable past with no little obvious traction in the job market, it is not surprising that many humanists seek a new currency. Fears for the future of the humanities are well warranted, evident in a marked decline in the number of majors in traditional humanities disciplines even at the most selective colleges. The sharpest drops in majors occurred in the core humanities departments: art history, English, history and philosop ..read more

“…Perhaps your favourite teacher at school did an arts or humanities degree, especially if they taught in one of those subjects….An under-discussed aspect of the government’s proposal is it risks pushing many would-be teachers in these fields away from undergraduate humanities training, potentially at the expense of their future students.” Read full article here ..read more

…“According to the OECD, "globally competent individuals can examine local, global and intercultural issues, understand and appreciate different perspectives and world views, interact successfully and respectfully with others, and take responsible action toward sustainability and collective well-being." The OECD believes "educating for global competence can boost employability," and also believes that all subjects can introduce global competence. It seems to us learning history and other humanities disciplines are effective ways to foster the elements of global competence outlined in their des ..read more

The Empress Theodora with her entourage pictured in a mosaic at the Basilique San Vitale, Ravenna. Picture: Roger Culos/Wikimedia Commons A terrible onslaught of bubonic plague in the sixth century abruptly ended Emperor Justinian’s dream of reunifying the Roman empire and caused massive geopolitical upheaval Associate Professor Frederik Vervaet, University of Melbourne chronicles the ‘management’ of this historically significant plague by the Emperor Justinian.  Like many leaders today during our current coid-19 pandemic, he also received ‘mixed reviews’. Read more here ..read more

Photo Credit: Antan O/Wikimedia Commons “The number of STEM majors is exponentially increasing. As fewer graduates walk away with degrees in English, foreign languages, and history, fewer graduates walk away with the critical-thinking and social skills harnessed by these disciplines as well.”  Alaina Joby, a first-year student from Los Angeles, CA looks at the current global pandemic and the urgent need for a humanities-based response.  Read more here ..read more