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Humanities for Life: Responding to a Crisis in the Humanities

Academics in Australia have announced Humanities for Life, a new not for profit organisation aiming to champion the value of humanities education. The founders, including Professor Simon Haines, warn that the humanities face a real crisis, marked by falling enrolments and diminishing institutional support. In the United States, the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded in […]

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Simon Haines at the 2025 Adelaide Classical Education Conference

Classical/Liberal Education Revival in Australia Australia has a growing movement to revive classical and liberal education. Education commentator Dr Kevin Donnelly has convened annual forums since 2022, bringing together educators and parents committed to an education that is “intellectually rigorous, morally grounded and spiritually enlightening”. The fourth forum, held 3 October 2025 in Adelaide, drew

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Universities Must Be a Better Model for Disagreement Than a Gun

The tragic shooting of Charlie Kirk on a university campus in the United States is a shocking reminder of the fragility of free speech, especially in institutions intended for reasoned disagreement and reflection. In his article for the Australian Financial Review, Simon Haines explores the deeper meaning of this event and the future of discourse

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Simon Haines at the 2025 Campion College Shakespeare Symposium in Sydney

The Campion College Shakespeare Symposium Campion College’s Centre for the Study of the Western Tradition (CSWT) hosted its annual Shakespeare Symposium from 5–6 September 2025 at the College’s Sydney campus. The event brought together scholars, students, and educators to explore the intersections between Shakespeare’s works and key themes in Western philosophy[1]. As part of Campion’s

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Simon Haines Defends Humanities at AFR Higher Education Summit 2025

Critique of Humanities’ Marginalization At the Australian Financial Review Higher Education Summit in August 2025, Simon Haines, former head of ANU’s School of Humanities and now an adjunct professor at ACU, delivered a strong defense of the humanities[1]. Haines praised Australian universities for doing “brilliantly” in professional training and research, but warned that their “third

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Simon Haines at the 2025 ANZSA Shakespeare Conference in Brisbane

The Australia and New Zealand Shakespeare Association (ANZSA) Established in 1990, the Australian and New Zealand Shakespeare Association (ANZSA) is a non-profit professional organization dedicated to fostering Shakespeare scholarship and performance in the region[1]. It offers a forum to showcase national and international research in Shakespeare studies, bringing together academics and theatre practitioners[1][2]. ANZSA is

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Simon Haines at the 2025 Humanities for Leadership Workshop, St Andrew’s College, Sydney

The Humanities for Leadership Program at St Andrew’s College St Andrew’s College at the University of Sydney has launched a unique initiative blending ethical reflection with liberal education. The Humanities for Leadership program offers undergraduates an opportunity to engage with deep questions through philosophy, literature, and the arts[1]. Rather than training students in managerial technique,

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I Have Seen the Future of Universities  And It Works

In Austin, Texas, an ambitious experiment in higher education is taking shape  and, as Simon Haines reports, it is already delivering remarkable results. The University of Austin (UA), barely a year into its life, occupies a single floor of a heritage building overlooking Congress Avenue. With just 92 students, a compact faculty and daily proximity

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