On May 14, 2024, the University of Bucharest received the visit of professor Harris Pastides, President Emeritus of the University of South Carolina.

Organized by the Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, the visit encompassed a meeting between professor Harris Pastides, professor Marian Preda, the Rector of the University of Bucharest, and professor Carmen Chifiriuc, the Vice-rector for Research of UB, as well as the conference “The Future of Higher Education: Post-Pandemic Reality at U.S. Universities”.

We took this opportunity to do a short interview regarding the future of higher education in the light of new challenges faced by universities in the US and around the world after the pandemic, from stagnant or declining state budgets and inflation, to the changing tech environment, as well as the geopolitical turmoil and student movements.

The interview can be accessed below.

We talked about the ethical issues of using artificial and augmented intelligence within universities. Another issue debated was that of student protests, which, although can sometimes be disruptive for the academic activity, should not be restricted, as a university is supposed to be a place for democratic values such as freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of thought and diverse opinions.

The discussion also touched upon the role of universities, especially research universities, in society, both in terms of economic growth and human development.

More information about professor Harris Pastides are available here, here and here.