On 5 September 2025, Boston College hosted a symposium exploring the role of moral formation in higher education, bringing together eight leading scholars to contribute to a forthcoming special issue of the Journal of Moral Education. Prof Edward Brooks, Executive Director of the Oxford Character Project, presented at the symposium and discussed why colleges and universities should prioritise character education.
Organised by the Department of Formative Education (DFE) with support from Boston College’s Provost’s Office, the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, and the Institute for Liberal Arts, the event highlighted the growing recognition that universities must nurture not only intellectual achievement but also the virtues and principles essential for ethical leadership.
In his talk, Prof Edward Brooks outlined ten reasons why preparing students to confront contemporary challenges requires universities to go beyond academics, shaping graduates who are wise thinkers and good leaders. He argued that developing character is intrinsically valuable, supports research and education, strengthens career preparation, promotes student wellbeing, and is central to cultivating future leaders.
Other invited scholars included:
- David Blacker, Professor of Philosophy of Education and Legal Studies, University of Delaware
- Verónica Fernández, Professor, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Francisco de Vitoria University; Director, Virtues and Values Education Centre
- Jennifer Herdt, Gilbert L. Stark Professor of Christian Ethics and Senior Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs, Yale Divinity School
- Michael Lamb, F. M. Kirby Foundation Chair of Leadership and Character, Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Humanities, and Executive Director of the Program for Leadership and Character, Wake Forest University
- Dan Lapsley, ACE College Professor of Psychology, Senior Academic Advisor in the Alliance for Catholic Education, and Director of the Moral and Adolescent Psychology Lab, University of Notre Dame
- Anna Moreland, Anne Quinn Welsh Endowed Chair and Director of the University Honors Program, and Professor, Department of Humanities, Villanova University
- Amy Shuffelton, Professor of Philosophy, Loyola University Chicago; Editor-in-Chief, Studies in Philosophy and Education
The symposium and special issue were co-organised with a team of seven DFE doctoral students, who served as respondents in the workshops and acted as guest editors for the journal issue.
We are excited to be part of these discussions and are always open to new collaborations, conversations, and opportunities to grow this work. If you’re curious to connect, we’d love to hear from you.