The Function of Universities in Supporting Democracy

Lawrence Bacow, President of Harvard University, shares how he sees the future of education and the values he leads by at Harvard. Learn the role of universities in a democracy, the importance of teaching students to think critically and why he believes the value of a liberal education is higher than ever. 

“I owe my life to higher education. I think it’s been an engine of opportunity for so many.”

Lawrence Bacow is the former President of Tufts University and past Chancellor and Chair of the Faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). 

He was raised in Pontiac, Michigan, by parents who were both immigrants. He earned his undergraduate degree from MIT and three graduate degrees from Harvard