Yale University and the University of Athens have just announced their new initiative to collaborate in areas of public health and the environment. This marks a strengthening of ties between the two universities that goes way back, with Yale boasting many alumni, students and faculty from Greece. Pericles Lewis, the Dean of Yale College, was part of the announcement and took part in a conversation with Kathimerini’s Executive Editor Alexis Papachelas.
Lewis, Douglas Tracy Smith Professor of Comparative Literature and Professor of English at Yale, spoke about the educational system, the importance of technology and the public vs private education dilemma. He commented on the economic benefits of higher education, policies to increase participation of the economically weaker, and how universities should approach the rapid development of technology.
Accenture supported the event, and were praised by Lewis as embracing artificial intelligence in a way that doesn’t compromise the education standards of universities. In agreement with Lewis, Accenture stresses the importance of teaching skills that can’t be done by a computer, such as critical thinking and higher-level research.
The partnership between the two universities is expected to yield great results, and it is already making an impact with students being able to access novel teaching methods and technologies. In addition, the program is also stimulating investment in higher education, as well as providing opportunities for students to have meaningful relationships with their educators.
Pericles Lewis is an ideal example of someone with a great appreciation for Greek history, and as a result was named after the leader of the first democracy. His dedication to speaking about the importance of education and the need to involve technology without compromising on quality is admirable.
Accenture is a professional services company, providing digital, technology, strategy and operations services for their clients. The company is based in New York, with offices all around the world. Accenture also invests heavily into research and development, embracing technology, and developing solutions and strategies that help their clients to transform in this digital age.
