“Our humanistic approach provides a holistic vision of life. We have to be humble and recognize the legacy that was left to us by earlier generations. What the humanistic approach does is recognize that legacy, then build on it to develop new realities.”
Salvador Carmona, Rector at IE University, explained this when we asked him about the importance of studying humanities during undergraduate education. For IEU, maintaining a humanistic approach to teaching is an essential part of our core beliefs. We use innovative methodologies and a humanistic spirit to broaden the educational experience and allow students to explore different world views.
The introduction of humanities courses in all curriculums is one of the ways IE University distinguishes itself from other leading institutions. Students start taking courses in humanities in their first year, regardless of the degree they’re pursuing. Our approach to the humanities is an inclusive one, in which students from all different disciplines and backgrounds come together to discuss the humanities and their implications in modern life.
Julian Montaño, IE University Coordinator of Academic Innovation, says that “a person with training in the humanities is a person with a very rich vocabulary and a much greater conceptual range than someone without it. Such a person is able to describe reality in many more ways than others. This person is able to see further.”
The focus of IE University is to train a new generation of inventors, visionaries, and world-changers who are equipped with a thorough understanding of cultures and perspectives that are not their own. Julian Montaño explains further that “for IE University, the study of humanities is about developing the ability to constantly shake up our own mental kaleidoscope and reconfigure reality again and again. That’s what society, companies, and institutions expect of 21st-century educators.”
One of the most important initiatives that IE University as an institution has implemented to promote a humanistic spirit in our community are the IE Foundation Prizes in the Humanities. These prizes are awarded annually and aim to recognize the best written and audiovisual work carried out by our students and alumni. This event is organized by the IE Humanities Center and encourage our student body to express themselves and their artistic ability. Students compete in different categories like: short story, poem, short film, and photography. This is a great opportunity for our students to share their creativity with the IEU community.
IEU seeks students with intellectual hunger, students who wish to embark on new journeys that will help them develop their own points of view and realities. Our education methodology does not train robots. “We try to teach the individual, and not to teach the individual how to become something else. The challenges and opportunities of the future will depend on us blurring the boundaries between the disciplines. We can’t afford to be just one thing anymore,” says David Goodman, Director of Undergraduate Studies in Architecture.
Here at IEU, we will continue to encourage our students to push their boundaries. We will continue to put an emphasis on the humanities to help students develop their mental capacity while adapting to our innovative teaching methodology and the complex world we live in. We trust they will be able to embrace this challenge, and benefit from these lessons throughout their personal and professional lives.