The Unity of Teaching and Research: Humboldt's Educational Revolution

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Date

2002-09

Authors

McNeely, Ian F.

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Oregon Council for the Humanities

Abstract

Before Wilhelm von Humboldt founded the University of Berlin in 1810, it was by no means clear that the university would become the modern world’s dominant intellectual institution. After Humboldt’s reforms, teaching and research came to be seen as its twin, even inseparable, missions. Today, we hear a lot about the difficulties universities face in reconciling their research and teaching obligations. What many see as an unresolvable tension between specialized research and teaching for the masses, Humboldt would have viewed as a false dichotomy. Recapturing the novelty of Humboldt’s revolution promises to help redeem an educational philosophy embattled in many quarters today.

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Keywords

Humboldt, Wilhelm von, Universities and colleges -- History

Citation

Oregon Humanities (Fall 2002): 32-35