Britain’s first Professor of Moral and Virtue Education appointed by the University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is proud to announce the appointment of Professor Randall Curren as Professor of Moral and Virtue Education to the Jubilee Centre for Character and Values, in the School of Education.
The newly created post is the first of its kind in the UK and comes just a week after Dr Anthony Seldon, Britain’s best known Headmaster and the acclaimed biographer of recent prime ministers, called for schools to offer compulsory qualifications in good manners and self control.
Prof Curren is currently at the Department of Philosophy at the University of Rochester, where he holds a Chair in Philosophy and a secondary Chair in Education. His research interests include philosophy of education, ethics, philosophy of law, and the history of philosophy. He will take up his new part-time post this summer.
The Professor of Moral and Virtue Education role is a joint appointment with the Royal Institute of Philosophy; the first that the Royal Institute has established in the UK.
Professor James Arthur, Director of the Jubilee Centre and Head of the School of Education, said: “This is a very significant appointment. The Royal Institute of Philosophy have never support such a Chair before, and we are delighted to be able to offer such a post in the School of Education. It is a very proud moment for the School and for the Jubilee Centre. We are delighted to appoint someone of the stature and standing of Prof Curren to this position. He will bring a wealth of experience to the Jubilee Centre, and help us in producing first class research.”
Prof John Haldane, Chairman of the Royal Institute of Philosophy, commented: “We are keen to forge connections which take themselves beyond London. We are very pleased to be associated with the Jubilee Centre and have high hoped of what this Chair can offer.”
Prof John Haldane can be viewed speaking about the joint Chair in the below video.
Professor Curren remarked: "The Jubilee Centre is rapidly establishing itself as a leading centre for the study of character and related issues in philosophy of education. Joining the Centre and School of Education offers exciting possibilities for collaborations productive for both fundamental research and service to the global community through the advancement of sound education."