The writer is assistant professor of east Asian languages and cultures at Stanford University
At a time when elite universities are facing unprecedented public scepticism — accused variously of ideological capture, cultural irrelevance and institutional arrogance — reform proposals often fixate on governance and admissions. These are urgent issues. But they are not sufficient. If higher education wants to restore its credibility, it must also rethink what happens inside the classroom.
Universities cannot take their place in society for granted. Some now argue in favour of skipping them altogether — and not just to avoid skyrocketing tuition costs. For over a decade, Peter Thiel has offered $100,000 (a figure that will double this academic year) for students who drop out and found a start-up. The pressure is only intensifying with the rapid adoption of generative AI and the perception that it will degrade the value of written work. Last year, a survey found that nearly 90 per cent of Harvard undergraduates used AI in their coursework; nearly a quarter substituted it for assigned readings.