How Universities Can Foster Globalization: A Conversation with Fareed Zakaria
Last November, I had the opportunity to sit down with the accomplished Indian-American journalist Fareed Zakaria, Ph.D., while he was visiting our campus. In light of our university’s 57th anniversary, we discussed globalization and the role universities can play in promoting tolerance.
Here are some key insights that Dr. Zakaria offered on the future of our increasingly international, cross-border society.
Dr. Fernando León García: At a time when technology is at the center of the economic development as you state, and the humanity is under constant attack, tell us why you believe so strongly in the virtues of the liberal arts, in particular for an institution such as CETYS or a cross-border region such as Baja California.
Dr. Fareed Zakaria: I think that the most important thing we need to understand is that the liberal arts does not exclude science and technology, it includes science and technology. So, when we think about liberal arts and when it was historically constructed it was always seen as — if you look at the original Greek idea — mathematics, astronomy, geometry, as well as literature, history, rhetoric, in those days. And, I think that the reason it’s important is because you really get more out of an individual if they have the ability to go broad as well as to go deep… The best technology companies in the world have all recognized this and I think that what you’ll find is that you’ll end up with people who are not just technologists but [who] become corporate leaders if they have that combination.
Dr. Fernando León García: You have spoken about the different manifestations or expressions of globalization throughout the centuries and you have said that the latest and most difficult trend lies in the globalization of people and the backlash to immigration as such. How should universities develop leaders that are ready to meet the difficult tasks of globalization?
Dr. Fareed Zakaria: I think universities already play a very powerful role in recognizing the globalized nature of the world. You take in foreign students, you send your students abroad, you have faculty that come and go, and I think that universities could do more to internationalize. But, they are already on the path of doing a fair amount. What I worry about, and I think one of the areas that universities in the United States and in México need to think about, is how do you also communicate with those people who feel very threatened and left behind by this process?… I think that the challenge for us right now is not as much to understand the world but as to understand our own countries.
Dr. Fernando León García: Because we are in fact beginning to see what we call the millennial generation truly unfold, so to speak. They [millennials] are characterized often as the “me” generation, what do you think would be the most significant contribution of the millennial generation and how can universities help youth achieve their fullest potential? Universities have the power and immense privilege to shape tomorrow’s leaders.
Dr. Fareed Zakaria: I’m a big fan of the millennials. I think that people unfairly criticize them… I look at them and I find them incredibly tolerant, incredibly appreciative of diversity particularly when it means diversity of background, national origin, orientation. They are not particularly tolerant of diverse views and I think that’s something they have to work on and that’s something that universities should play a very crucial role in helping them do. But I’m very optimistic about them. I think that they are more inclined to broader purposes and broader social good than previous generations.
You can watch the full interview here.
Dr. Fernando León García is President of CETYS University.
