1. Independent thinking is the first educational principle of Harvard University. The environment of Harvard University not only allows but also encourages people to find pleasure in their own maverick. The main direction of universities is to make students become people who participate in discovering, explaining and creating new knowledge or forming new ideas.
2. Strict academic norms are an important guarantee for scientific argumentation of independent thoughts. Plagiarism, plagiarism and transplant in a new guise are taboos in Harvard's teaching, research and study.
Although Harvard University is a comprehensive university, it attaches great importance to humanistic education and humanistic quality training. In Harvard's world-famous "general education" core column, each Harvard undergraduate must complete 32 core courses, covering 8 disciplines and divided into 7 categories.
4. While emphasizing the importance of academic and research work, Harvard University pays special attention to the importance of all kinds of excellent teaching for the mission of the university.
Extended data:
First, the teaching characteristics
Until the19th century, Harvard College, which was founded a century and a half ago, still took Oxford University and Cambridge University in England as the model, aimed at training priests, lawyers and officials, and paid attention to humanities, so students could not choose courses freely.
/kloc-At the beginning of the 0/9th century, the horn of higher education curriculum reform sounded in Harvard, advocating "academic freedom" and "lecture freedom". The stereotype of "fixed academic year" and "fixed curriculum" has been impacted, and the system of free elective courses has gradually emerged.
From 65438 to the 1960s, a "civil war" broke out in the United States. The civil war paved the way for the development of American capitalism. The productivity is advancing by leaps and bounds, and the status of scientific and technological workers is gradually improving. Engineers, natural scientists and industrial technicians can keep pace with lawyers and officials. The change of the situation is very beneficial to the curriculum reform in colleges and universities, and the elective system has risen again, and Harvard has once again taken the lead in reform.
1869, Eliot became the president of Harvard University at the age of 35. After that, he served as president for 40 years, and he was the main commander of the electoral system. Under his leadership and promotion, Harvard University fully implemented the elective system. By 1895, only English and modern foreign languages are compulsory courses, and others are optional courses. Many colleges and universities in the United States have followed the footsteps of Harvard University, reducing or canceling compulsory courses and increasing elective courses.
According to the requirements of the free elective system, students can take 16 courses to pursue their degrees. As long as you meet the requirements, you can get the corresponding degree. This method breaks the fixed four-year academic system, and those with excellent grades can get corresponding degrees within three years, which can be called "eclectic talent reduction".
Second, the development of school motto
1, early school motto
The original motto of Harvard University in the United States was "Truth", namely Veritas, which appeared in 1643. ?
2. Christian school motto
Shortly after the above motto was put forward, Harvard University changed its motto. 1650 was changed to "Glory to Christ", and 1692 was "Christ and the Church". The early seal of Harvard shows three open books, two facing up and one facing down, symbolizing the dynamic relationship between reason and revelation.
One of Harvard's earliest documents, 1642, wrote in the College Law: "Let every student seriously consider knowing God and Jesus Christ as the source of eternal life as his main goal in life and study, and therefore regard Christ as the only basis for all orthodox knowledge and study. Seeing the wisdom given by God, all people should sincerely seek his wisdom through prayer in secret places. "
3. The restoration of the early school motto
After the founding of the United States, the religious autocracy of Christianity was eliminated and the freedom of religious belief was realized, and then the cause of pursuing truth and developing scientific and cultural education gradually flourished. The motto of Harvard University was restored to the earliest "Veritas", and the word was printed on the label of Harvard University.
Baidu encyclopedia-Harvard university
Baidu encyclopedia-Harvard motto