ID018 The Pursuit of Truth

The Idea

Keele has been, and should continue to be, a pioneer in university education. Historically, Keele students completed a multidisciplinary foundation year as part of a four-year degree. In later years, Keele became known for its varied and eclectic joint and combined honours programmes, as well as its Complementary Studies Programme, which enabled students to take electives outside their core discipline.

A.D. Lindsay recognised how a country with a strong intellectual tradition could still succumb to totalitarian ideologies if its intellectuals possessed too narrow an understanding of the wider world. This proposal seeks to renew that founding vision for a contemporary context.

The Lindsay Module

All first-year students would complete a compulsory Lindsay Module introducing higher education and its purpose. The module would explore questions such as:

• What is education?
• What is a university?
• What should a university be and do?
• What is the mission and history of Keele University?

The module would then develop core skills required for success in higher education, including:

• Critical thinking and evaluation
• Academic writing and essay construction
• Copyright, academic integrity and plagiarism
• The use and limitations of artificial intelligence
• The communication, interpretation and misuse of research findings
• Responding to feedback and criticism constructively
• Challenging ideas respectfully in the "company of friends"

By making these expectations explicit, the module would help all students develop the skills needed to thrive in higher education. It would be particularly valuable for students from widening participation backgrounds by making visible the knowledge and practices that can otherwise remain part of a hidden curriculum.

The Lindsay Elective

All first-year students would complete a Lindsay Elective in a subject area outside their own faculty or disciplinary area.

This would encourage intellectual curiosity, broaden perspectives and reinforce Keele's historic commitment to interdisciplinary education.

Why This Idea Should Be Considered

Higher education is facing challenges not only as a sector but also as a concept. Universities need graduates who understand and can articulate the value of higher education to individuals, communities and society.

Students are growing up in a world rich in content but often poor in critical engagement. The rise of artificial intelligence, social media and misinformation means that the ability to assess evidence, challenge assumptions and pursue truth is increasingly important. Equipping students with these capabilities will help them succeed not only during their studies but throughout their professional and personal lives.

The skills-focused element of the Lindsay Module would make explicit many of the expectations and practices that are often assumed but not taught. This would support equity by ensuring all students have access to the same foundational knowledge, regardless of background.

By familiarising students with Keele's history, values and mission through a shared learning experience, the proposal could also strengthen belonging, participation and engagement across the student community.

How We Would Implement This Idea

All first-year students would complete a compulsory Lindsay Module focused on what it means to be an effective university student and the core skills required for success in higher education.

All first-year students would also complete a Lindsay Elective in a subject outside their own faculty or disciplinary area.

While there are already examples of skills development and interdisciplinary learning across schools, faculties and the Global Challenge Pathways programme, this proposal differs in being mandatory, shared and consistent across the institution.

During implementation, some programmes may require exemptions due to professional accreditation requirements or external regulatory constraints. These should be recognised as exceptions rather than reasons not to adopt the wider approach.

The relationship between this proposal and the Global Challenge Pathways programme would need to be considered during implementation. However, the Lindsay Module would differ significantly because every student would undertake the same shared experience rather than selecting from different pathways.

The module would combine practical and philosophical dimensions. Students would learn study and academic skills while also engaging with broader questions such as:

• What is a university?
• What is truth?
• How should knowledge be evaluated?
• What distinguishes human understanding and reasoning?

As technology continues to evolve rapidly, universities must equip students not only with the skills required today, but also with the intellectual adaptability needed to respond to future change. The Lindsay Module would provide a foundation for lifelong learning and critical engagement with an increasingly complex world.

What Success Would Look Like

For Students

• Students understand the purpose and value of higher education and its contribution to individuals and society.
• Students develop a shared sense of belonging, identity and connection to Keele's history and mission.
• Students gain exposure to subjects and perspectives beyond their specialism, creating more rounded graduates in keeping with the Lindsay vision.
• Students develop the skills and confidence to engage critically with information, ideas and the world around them.

Longer-Term Outcomes

• Students from widening participation backgrounds are better supported to develop academic skills and succeed, without being singled out for additional support.
• Improved student experience and stronger performance in the National Student Survey (NSS).
• A renewed emphasis on Keele's distinctive educational identity and historic commitment to interdisciplinary learning.
• Graduates who are exceptionally well prepared to navigate a rapidly changing and increasingly complex world.

Ultimately, success would mean that Keele graduates are recognised as among the most capable, adaptable and intellectually curious graduates in higher education, having completed a shared educational experience that goes beyond conventional graduate attribute frameworks and embodies a distinctive vision of academic excellence.