Classical Education in Contemporary U.S. Universities: A Case Study of Classical Education in Harvard's GE Reform

Harvard has helped to shape the American system of higher education, which is magnificent in its independence, sweep, and diversity. The General Education system that came into operation in 2019 has made great effort to prepare students for civic engagement, to develop students' understanding of the ethical dimensions of what they say and do, to enable students to respond critically and constructively to change, and to teach students to understand themselves as products of, and participants in, traditions of art, ideas, and values, in the process of which, the classical education is provided in different forms, embodying and defending three essential values Harvard represents:veritas, excellence and opportunity. The exploration of the forms of classical education and its features, based on an observation of the GE system at Harvard University, may bring about some inspiration for China.