Liberal education as the university's mission. Bibliographical introduction to the debate on the identity of the university.

Abstract

This papers aims to contribute to the ongoing debate over the identity of the university, particularly in Europe. The first part reviews relevant bibliography about the tradition of liberal education in the United States in the past 20th century. The second part reviews some bibliography about the Christian identity of universities in the Catholic tradition. I try to show that the model of liberal education and that of the universities of Christian inspiration share most of the ends they seek to promote.