The University of Berlin once stood as a paragon of academic excellence, analogous to Harvard today. Since its founding, it set the precedent for institutions across America, shaping the educational landscape from Johns Hopkins to the University of Chicago, Harvard itself, and Berkeley, all modeled after its ‘Berlin model.’ This influence even extended to Stanford University, which bears the German motto “Die Luft der Freiheit weht” — “The winds of freedom are blowing.”
In this model, original research was prioritized over mere knowledge transmission. Professors enjoyed ‘Lehrfreiheit’ or freedom to teach, while students experienced ‘Lernfreiheit’ or freedom to learn across disciplines. Universities were state-supported yet maintained autonomy over their curricula and faculty appointments. It is conceivable that had university rankings existed in 1910, eight of the world’s top ten would have been German, with only Oxford and Cambridge for company.
However, by the late 1930s, the University of Berlin faced devastation from both external and internal forces, signaling a decline in Germany’s once-esteemed status as a leader in higher education. The rise of the National Socialist regime in January 1933 marked the beginning of this decline. A pivotal moment arrived on May 10 of that year, when members of the German Student Union and thousands of other attendees, including professors and Nazi party members, watched as thousands of books were burned in the streets of Berlin.
The repercussions for academic institutions were immediate and severe. The Nazi regime initiated a purge of non-Aryan faculty and students alongside political dissidents, resulting in a mass exodus of scholars from Berlin to the United States and elsewhere. The autonomy that universities once enjoyed vanished, as the primary purpose of scholarship shifted from serving truth to serving the “Volk.”
Following the Nazi period, German universities would encounter the oppressive orthodoxy under East German Communism, culminating in 1990 with the reunification of Germany and further suppression of academic freedoms, marked by repeated purges of faculty.
Fast forward to 2010 and the University of Berlin, renamed Humboldt University, celebrated its 200th anniversary. The president acknowledged the institution’s decline, admitting that it is no longer a model for universities around the world. Humboldt University no longer holds the prestigious position it once commanded.
Conversely, China experienced a rapid development of its higher education system in the early 20th century. With a mix of public and private universities, including the leading state institutions like Peking University and National Central University, the Chinese system mirrored some of the values of the Berlin model. Innovations were prominent, with Peking Union Medical College receiving funding from the Rockefeller Foundation and achieving global acclaim.
Tsinghua University, established in 1911, grew into China’s leading research university by the 1930s, promoting free inquiry. Even during Japanese occupation in 1937, Tsinghua mobilized to maintain academic operations, and its president, Mei Yiqi, became celebrated for advocating liberal education and academic freedom during wartime.
But this progress faced an upheaval with the Communist takeover in 1949. The university underwent immediate reorganization along Soviet lines, losing its original autonomy and character, relegating it to a polytechnic institution for training engineers as dictated by the state. Faculty who resisted the new regime were either dismissed or fled abroad.
The political atmosphere under Mao Zedong further deteriorated China’s universities. During the Cultural Revolution, Tsinghua University experienced violence and unrest, ultimately shutting down until 1978. It took three decades, but by 2011, Tsinghua began regaining its status as a premier research university.
Meanwhile, Harvard University has a similarly storied history, having been founded in 1636 as a public institution. Its establishment was not the work of a singular individual but a decision from the General Court of Massachusetts. Supported through taxes and community contributions, Harvard played a crucial role during the early formation of the United States. During the American Revolutionary War, its campus became a military headquarters, with notable figures like George Washington utilizing the university as a pivotal location in the fight for independence.
Through the decades, Harvard solidified its role as an educational leader, particularly during World War II, when it contributed to military efforts and intelligence. Faculty developed advanced military technology and socially-conscience curriculums aimed at preparing students for citizenship in a democratic society. However, the Vietnam War sparked internal divisions within the university, resulting in the establishment of the Kennedy School of Government aimed at cultivating public service careers.
Ultimately, Harvard has shaped the trajectory of American higher education for nearly four centuries, evolving into a premier research university that parallels the former glories of the University of Berlin. Universities across the United States aspire to replicate the success of Harvard, with institutions labeled as the “Harvard of the South,” “Harvard of the Midwest,” and “Harvard of the West.”
Yet the landscape for American higher education currently faces challenges. Harvard may now attract more admiration from international observers than from its domestic audience amidst increasing public scrutiny of U.S. universities. Financial investments into higher education have declined in at least 43 states since 2008, straining resources and destabilizing institutions.
The political climate surrounding American universities has become polarized, with the Trump administration exerting pressure on institutions like Harvard in ways reminiscent of historical authoritarian approaches to educational reform. While the current environment in the United States does not resemble the violent purges of Berlin in 1933 or the Sovietized universities of China in 1950, it nonetheless represents a grave threat to academic freedom and institutional autonomy that have been cornerstones of higher education.
The resilience of Harvard, bolstered by its rich history and resources, is vital in countering these threats. If American universities can maintain their position as global leaders, the question remains: for how long? Should universities begin to fail in this mission, they risk not only their academic integrity but also the innovation and talent they draw from around the world. Thus, the fate of American higher education hangs in the balance, with a critical need to safeguard the freedoms essential for its sustainability.
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