Higher Learning in the Post-Truth Age

What are universities’ responsibilities in an era undergoing profound technological and political change and one marked increasingly by misinformation and declining trust in major institutions?

Professor Duncan Ivison draws on his background in political philosophy, as well as extensive experience in higher education, to explore the place of universities in today’s world. Despite immense challenges—both recently and in the past—universities have proved themselves as surprisingly resilient and adaptable civic and public institutions (so far). But our social license and the very value proposition of a university education is today under pressure as never before. This lecture invites us to reflect on the purpose of universities, how they might continue to serve the public good, while renewing their intellectual and ethical foundation for the future.

The lecture will be introduced by Professor Irene Tracey, the Vice-Chancellor at the University of Oxford, who will give the vote of thanks.

The lecture will be followed by an In Conversation with Duncan Ivison and Irene Tracey. They will be joined by the editors of a new series, A Cultural History of Higher Learning (Bloomsbury Academic 2025), which explores the dynamic forces shaping higher learning over the last 2500 years, including the modern era.

Register via Eventbrite here.

Speakers

Professor Duncan Ivison, FAHA FRSN, is President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester. He previously held senior academic and leadership roles at the University of Sydney, where he worked for over twenty years, as well as positions at universities in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the US. Across his career, he has been deeply involved in shaping conversations about the future of universities, research, innovation, and economic development.

Professor Irene Tracey, CBE FRS FMedSci, is Vice-Chancellor at the University of Oxford, and Professor of Anaesthetic Neuroscience in the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences. With her multidisciplinary research team she has improved understanding of pain relief and contributed to a fundamental change in how we view pain. She has published extensively in scholarly journals, and is actively involved in public understanding of science.

Panellists

Ning de Coninck-Smith is Professor of History of Education at Aarhus University, Denmark, and Anthology Editor of A Cultural History of Higher Learning.

Julia Horne is Professor of History and University Historian at the University of Sydney, Australia, and Anthology Editor of A Cultural History of Higher Learning.

William Whyte is Professor of Social and Architectural History, University of Oxford, UK, and Anthology Editor of A Cultural History of Higher Learning.