What is the Future of the Humanities? Panel presentation and networking

Join us for a chaired panel discussion exploring the current state, and possible futures, of the humanities in universities.

Across universities worldwide, the humanities are in a moment of real change. If you are studying the humanities now, you’re already studying in the middle of that shift, where questions about funding, employability, public value, artificial intelligence, the purpose of higher education and the value of critical thinking are actively reshaping what university education looks like.

The Humanities Network brings you this event as an opportunity to bring those conversations into the open, and welcome in student voices!

Join us for a chaired panel discussion exploring the current state, and possible futures, of the humanities in universities. Featuring three guest speakers and a chaired discussion, we will explore questions like:

• Why do the humanities matter in 2026, and who decides this?
• How has studying an arts degree changed compared to previous generations?
• Why are humanities disciplines increasingly under pressure?
• What role do critical thinking, creativity, and public debate play in a world shaped by AI and misinformation?
• What does it actually mean to be a humanities student right now?

This is not a one-way conversation. Audience participation is central to the event! When you register, you’ll be invited to submit questions in advance, and these will directly shape the panel discussion. There will also be a live Q&A on the night.

Whether you’re studying humanities, social sciences, or are simply curious about where universities are heading, this event is an opportunity to step into a conversation that is already shaping your degree, your discipline, and the world you’re studying in.

Please join us in X502 on Level 5 of NUSpace, in the University of Newcastle's City Campus.