Abstract

The Rede Lecture is the University of Cambridge’s oldest and most prestigious special appointment and was founded by the Chief Justice to Henry VII and Henry VIII , Sir Robert Rede.

Adair Turner, who is an Honorary Fellow of Gonville and Caius College, will speak on “The purpose of the University: Knowledge and human wellbeing in the modern economy”.

In his Lecture, Lord Turner will challenge common assumptions about the importance of economic growth maximisation and about the role of universities in achieving it.

He will question the dominant propositions that the primary objective of public policy should be to enhance long-term economic growth; and that therefore a primary objective of university research and undergraduate education should be to serve the interests of national productivity, national competitiveness and growth.

Against that background, he will set out a point of view on what the role of the university should be, both in relation to STEM subjects and to the arts and humanities.