Bocconi Among the U7+ Alliance Universities to Tackle Global Challenges

INEQUALITIES, ENVIRONMENT, TECHNOLOGY: THE UNIVERSITIES APPROVED A SERIES OF COMMITMENTS TO ACTION. BOCCONI WILL HEAD THE WORKING GROUP ADDRESSING INTERNATIONALIZATION

Under the high patronage of the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, on July 9 and 10 the first annual U7+ Alliance Summit took place in Paris, at Sciences Po, with 47 universities, Bocconi University among them, from 18 countries. The purpose was to discuss a common agenda and establish a framework for universities’ action in today’s global landscape.

The U7+ brings together universities from G7 countries and beyond, convinced of the key role of universities as global actors, to engage in discussions leading to concrete actions to address pressing global challenges – from climate change to technological transformations to inequalities in society.

Bocconi was represented by President Mario Monti and by Stefano Caselli, Dean for International Affairs.

The principles adopted are:

Principle 1. The U7+ embodies a common will to identify and address the global challenges our contemporary societies face in order to accelerate the development of solutions. The universities commit to pursuing joint action through the U7+, including meeting each year in the context of the G7 process, to weigh in the discussions and contribute to making positive change a reality.

Principle 2. Universities have a distinctive responsibility to train and nurture responsible and active citizens who will contribute to society, from the local to the global level.

As part of this Bocconi, in the person of Stefano Caselli, will head the working group dedicated to promoting internationalization – in particular the international experience and mobility of students and cultural diversity in the universities.

Principle 3. Universities have a major role to play in addressing the environmental issues and challenges to sustainability such as climate change, biodiversity and energy transition. This should include leading by example on campuses.

Principle 4. Universities have a distinctive and major responsibility in widening access to education and promoting inclusion and opportunity. Also fostering respectful and evidence-based public debate, in order to combat polarization in society. 

Principle 5. To engage with stakeholders and solve complex issues of global relevance, universities must promote interdisciplinary research and learning, in particular bridging in research and teaching between social sciences, humanities, the life sciences and STEM disciplines.

Principle 6. The U7+ has the power to serve as a lab to consolidate best practices that can be shared both within the network and more broadly with universities and similar institutions worldwide.
 
Read here the  full official declaration approved by the U7+






 

by Tomaso Eridani