Dear Students,
Welcome to the world of Liberal Arts that teaches you to think freely and help you become the person you want to be.
Let me begin with a thought provoking and inspiring quote by the great thinker Plutarch, “The mind is not a vessel that needs filling, but wood that needs igniting.” This has gained overwhelming relevance in the present world, which is characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, commonly understood as VUCA. The macro-environment is progressively getting globalized, automatized, virtualized, networked and flexible. The formal learning is shifting from ‘degrees’ to the ‘education’, which prepares the students for life in a complex, rapidly changing world. The students need to learn to think laterally and critically, and communicate clearly.
Effective teamwork, a significant attribute to imbibe and cultivate leadership qualities that sets them apart from others, is critical for the leaders of the future.
They need to learn how to synthesize multiple perspectives, inspired by the diversity of the human experience, by applying creativity, innovation and ethics to problem solving in all areas of life. Hence Liberal Arts, which inculcates among the students, the new skill and competencies that will become more important such as non-linear thinking, social and intercultural skills, self-management and self-competence.
Long-term success means being flexible, adaptable, and intellectually curious. Employers need globally conscious graduates who are clear communicators, strong analytical thinkers, and consummate researchers who know how to formulate good questions and then go out and find the answers. These are all skills that studying the Liberal Arts develops. But there’s more to life than work.
A strong foundation in the Liberal Arts develops patterns of thinking and doing that support intellectual growth over the course of a lifetime, whether that comes in the form of travel, supporting reading good books, having meaningful discussions with friends, or picking up a new hobby that brings fulfilment outside of working hours. In other words, studying the Liberal Arts enhances your overall quality of life, now and in the future.
Our programs encompass traditional fields of study such as history, literature, poetry, language, philosophy, and sociology, but also unique and professional disciplines such as economics, public policy, political science, international affairs and security, environmental policy, computational and digital media, and languages for business and technology.
Let me end my note with quotes from two STEVES, Stave Case and Steve Jobs, which captures the essence of Liberal Arts at our University.
Steve Case, one of the most ignited minds, an American entrepreneur, investor, and businessman best known as the former chief executive officer and chairman of America Online (AOL), and he says, “I do think that a general liberal arts education, with strong foundation and vertical specialisation, is very important, particularly in an uncertain and changing world”.
Steve Jobs states, “Its technology married with liberal arts, married with humanities that yields us the results that make our hearts sing”
I invite you to the challenging and exciting intellectual environment at School of Liberal Arts and Management Studies, P. P. Savani University, and a journey that helps YOU define yourselves today and shape YOUR future.