On Thomas Jefferson's Philosophy On University Development

Thomas Jefferson is the third president of the USA. As one of theoutstanding figures in the history of American education, he has his ownunderstanding of university and, out of his rich and precise ideas on operating auniversity, found the first public university in real sense throughout the USA-the University of Virginia. He tried to fulfill his philosophy that this universityshould belong to all American public: the idea had brought about many fruitfulresults when the higher education was still in its infancy as the newly foundednation was still at its social transitional stage. His philosophy on universityoperation has great impact upon the development history of American highereducation since he rationally considered and tentatively practiced with hisresourceful ideas on such basic propositions as "What is a university?", "Whatkind of students should a university bring up?"This paper gives a general survey of Jefferson's philosophy on universitydevelopment, in the meantime, explores his perspectives on the integraldevelopment of a university, especially those out of his unique conception. Thepaper points out that Jefferson's ideas on university development has its root inthe social background of the early days of the USA, as the same time, it enjoysgood prospects for it has taken much advanced experience of universities inother countries for reference. Therefore, his ideas on university developmentpaved the way for the later development and reform of the higher education andconsequently accelerated the modernization of the higher education in USA.Jefferson's ideas on university development bring us many revelations, onthe one hand, at both theoretical and empirical levels, and on the other hand, onthe development and reform of the university. Today, the social transition inChina imposes great challenges to her higher education system. How todevelop a university, how to keep pace with the development of society andhow to take the lead in the social development are all great challenges worthyof our serious contemplation. Jefferson's philosophy in operating a universitybares many insights that are useful to the development and reform of the highereducation in China.