Dear world,
Has anyone read The Straits Times? Apparently there will be a Yale-Nus collaboration here in Singapore, where liberal arts will the the main focus of the new campus. Not a bad idea right?
However, several Yale professors believe that this collaboration comprimises Yale’s values and beliefs. The main Yale campus is situated in the United States which has a more liberal approach to freedom of expression as compared to Singapore. This does not restrict the U.S campus from educating students in an open environment. However, how will the same courses function in a completely different social context?
Well, I am not too sure. Surely not many simillar issues can be discussed or questioned as openly in Singapore as compared to the U.S. that is for sure. Liberal arts is suppose to give students a more in depth view of the world, and have many prespectives, which benefits students. Singapore also becomes a hub for education in which internation students may flock to Singapore just to persure a Yale-NUS education. Asian will eventually benefit. As this campus becomes bigger and more popular, cohorts will grow bigger over the years and the labour force will be more open to internation events.
However, is Yale on the losing end? They gain a partner when venturing into Asian teritory. They encourage more students in Asia to persue a liberal arts course. They may (or may not) be influencing the future of Asia in the economic world. But now are their beliefs really comprimise?
It may seem this way. Singapore is relatively more conservative than U.S.A. (sociology students would get upset by this statement). Thinking is slightly different, breaking our ideologies may be a challenge. However, I do not completely undertand why Yale would be disadvantaged by this. Call me biased but wouldn’t we( the asians) be disadvanged. By my understanding, some of the Yale professors have willingly agreed to teach in the new campus. What if some of their ideologies clash with the ones students have? Possible conflict may be. I doubt so. May be a heated debate. Professors are there to help with simulation of the brain. Not give answers.
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I think if they offer a theatre course, I will like to apply.
Today I went to the Tattoo convention at expo. Today was the last day of the convention and I went and I saw loads of people getting tattoos making tattoos and browsing tattoos. I am that person browsing!