Liberal arts education through a Confucian lens: contextualization and indigenization

Originating in Greco-Roman philosophy and embedded in American higher education, Liberal Arts Education (LAE) has evolved into a global model of undergraduate education. Despite its Western origins, LAE is gaining prominence in diverse contexts, particularly in East Asia. While previous research has explored this global trend, regional variations, and specific cases of LAE, it remains unclear how to understand its adaptation in non-Western contexts without reducing it to a mere decoupling process. Using three case studies and drawing on data from university documents and interviews with faculty members and administrators, this study explores the contextualization and indigenization of LAE in three societies – mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan – that share a common Confucian heritage. The findings reveal that, in these societies, LAE incorporates values and educational thoughts rooted in Confucian traditions in the concept and goals. LAE is referred to as Boya Jiaoyu in Chinese and emphasizes the concept of ‘person-making’ (zuoren) drawing on whole person development in Confucian tradition, an egalitarian approach to education, and education as a long-term continuous project. This study demonstrates that the core understanding and values of LAE in East Asian contexts diverge from their Western counterparts by emphasizing Confucian educational philosophy rather than Western democratic tradition. This research holds significant implications for the adaptation of LAE in non-Western societies and contributes to the decolonization and indigenization of higher education reforms by uncovering and embracing their distinct social traditions and cultural values.