Prof. Hans Weder, President of the University of Zurich

By Hans Weder

If one looks at the Greek roots of the word “pedagogy”, it becomes clear that education has something to do with direction, with motivating children. Direction involves power : When teaching their students, the Greek paidagogoi exercised their power in a rather physical way. We have largely abolished the corporal form, but nevertheless power comes into play in our classrooms on a mental level and sometimes cleverly disguised. Being aware of the fact that power plays a role in education we expect a lot from those who teach – we expect them to adopt a humane approach to the power invested in them in their roles as educators. I will give you just some comments on these expectations.

Education in its most effective form influences personal development. Most of us are grateful for schooling because it contributed to our personal development. Whoever influences the personal development of others should have an idea of the goal that the process aims to achieve. He or she should be aware of that image of a human being that is worth aspiring to and worth educating towards. Does this image exist ? Is there even consensus about it?

We try to help out with formal concepts like “self-reliant individual” and “self-determined development”. But this begs the question: Is human life ever self-reliant ? Certainly, people have freedom to steer their own course. But are they not dependent on the earth that gives them somewhere to move around? Of course, people have the freedom to live in a self-contained way without relationships. But are relationships not the true wealth in life? They must be received as gifts; we do not control them. People do not necessarily need others to tell them something, but as beings endowed with language, zoon logon echon, are they not dependent on songs penned by others, on texts they have not created themselves?

Great Expectations

For the sake of clarity, I would like to point out that the image of a self-reliant and free individual is precisely the pedagogical point of departure out of our self-inflicted dependency. My concern is that this self-inflicted dependency may have turned into self-inflicted independence, an abstract notion meaning independence that has abstracted itself, cut itself off from life. Education focused on this objective would detach students from reality.

But perhaps there is a third way, one that goes beyond both dependence and independence. Perhaps this way might be man’s dependency on other people as well as on the other givens of life, in contrast to abstract life. This would be life in the context of nature and culture. If teachers focus on this image of a free yet dependent individual, they influence students on the basis of their voluntary agreement. An unforced “yes” is possible where leeway exists for people to hold their heads up and confidently say “no”. This places high expectations upon teachers.

The big issue

Those who aspire to educate, however, must have the courage to influence other peoples’ development. Students are not helped if they are confronted with an empty void or with arbitrary ideas. Those who strive for voluntary agreement must have the courage to speak out for what they themselves consider reasonable. They must have the courage to challenge their students, especially when the primary goal is to help them develop. This again places a huge demand on teachers. They have to make their convictions plain. They have to work for what they believe to be meaningful and correct while at the same time accepting the fact that the self-same meaningful and correct ideas may be rejected.

Those who influence the development of others are required to respect the dignity of others. This means refraining from exercising the power invested in them, even in situations where power may be justified by the very best of ends. This great expectation can only be fulfilled by the educated.

	Professor Hans Weder President of the University of Zurich. Born in 1946 in Diepoldsau (SG), Switzerland
	High School in St Gallen, Switzerland
	1966-1972 Studies of Theology, University of Zurich, Switzerland Bachelor Degree in Philosophy, University of Saint Andrews, Scotland
	1977 PhD (on the parables of Jesus), University of Zurich, Switzerland Habilitation (on Pauline theology of the cross), University of Zurich, Switzerland
	1980 Elected to the chair for New Testament, University of Zurich, Switzerland; focus of academic work : hermeneutics
	2000 President of the University of Zurich, Switzerland