While moral formation has historically been one of the university's central purposes, universities in the modern era have become shy of intentionally shaping the character of their students, even while they do it in practice. Recent scandals and ethical failures in government, politics, banking, business, journalism, and health care invite us to consider whether universities should recover an intentional focus on moral education and, if so, how they should cultivate virtue in an increasingly global, multicultural, and ideologically plural age.
This two-day conference will bring together distinguished scholars and practitioners to explore the role of character development in higher education.
