Professor Dame Sally Mapstone on the role of the arts and humanities in global higher education

As an arts graduate myself, I couldn’t agree more with Professor Dame Sally Mapstone’s reflections on the essential role of the arts and humanities in shaping global higher education. These disciplines remain the foundation of critical thinking, empathy, and cultural understanding, qualities that are more vital than ever in a world defined by rapid technological change and complex global challenges.

In my own career, I’ve seen how graduates grounded in the arts bring creativity, communication, and perspective to every field, from business and design to policy and education. Their ability to connect ideas and people is what drives innovation with purpose.

It’s heartening to see continued advocacy for the arts and humanities as core, not peripheral, to the university mission. Their value is not only intrinsic but transformative, both for individuals and for the societies they help to shape.