EVANSTON, Ill. — The U7+ Alliance today issued a statement asking G7 leaders to take into account the interests of future generations as the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and seeks to mitigate the effects of climate change.
The Alliance, a group of universities spanning six continents and representing all of the G7 nations as well as 10 other nations, urged world leaders to harness opportunities for equitable resource-sharing across generations and recognize universities’ role as primary global actors.
“As an alliance of universities, we sit at the crossroads of generations—in a space where knowledge is generated and new, bolder visions for the future are imagined—and have committed to serving as platforms for open intergenerational dialogue,” the statement reads.
The G7 leaders are set to arrive today in the UK with coronavirus recovery topping the agenda. Resilience against future pandemics, the Alliance statement says, hinges on the education of citizens. “The preparation of the next generation of leaders must be a paramount concern,” the statement reads.
On climate, the Alliance emphasized the commitment of its members to addressing environmental issues through providing access to related courses, facilitating intergenerational dialogues and actively working to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions from by 2030.
The Alliance also urged the G7 to incorporate the intergenerational lens as they advocate for the values of democracy, human rights and free speech. It also called on world leaders to promote access to higher education for youth from marginalized backgrounds.
The U7+ Alliance is the first international coalition of university presidents aimed at structuring and advancing the role of universities as global actors across the multilateral agenda. Alliance members meet annually to establish a common agenda and identify key areas for coordinated action. Sciences Po hosted the first Summit in Paris in July 2019 under the high patronage of French President Emmanuel Macron.
In 2020, Northwestern was the first U.S. university to host the U7+ Summit, bringing together nearly 100 university leaders from 48 institutions across 17 countries who unanimously voted to prioritize intergenerational justice.
This year, Northwestern University has been elected to serve as the first Secretariat of the Alliance, which will be housed at the Roberta Buffett Institute for Global Affairs and led by Annelise Riles, Executive Director of the Buffett Institute and Associate Provost for Global Affairs at Northwestern. As Secretariat, Northwestern will convene a series of intergenerational roundtables, which will bring together students, faculty and administrators from across the U7+ network for discussion and debate on critical global challenges. Northwestern leaders and faculty will also play a role in each of the U7+ Alliance’s working groups dedicated to taking concrete actions toward fulfilling commitments ranging from improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to developing students’ inclusive leadership and global citizenship capacities.
Please find the statement attached
MEDIA CONTACT: Marie Frocrain : marie.frocrain@sciencespo.fr / 01 49 54 37 71
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30.09.2024
LUIS VASSY APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF SCIENCES PO
Paris, September 30, 2024 – The decree of the President of the Republic, issued on the report of the Minister of Higher Education and Research and on the recommendation of the Board of the Institut d'études politiques (IEP), confirming the appointment of Luis Vassy as Director of the IEP, was published on September 28, 2024, in the Journal officiel de la République française.
Luis Vassy was also appointed Administrator of the Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques (FNSP) by an order issued on September 28, 2024 by the Minister of Higher Education and Research, on the recommendation of the Board of the FNSP.
As part of the procedure for appointing the new Director of Sciences Po, the Boards of IEP and FNSP both voted in favor of Luis Vassy, following their evaluation of the candidates' proposals on September 19 and 20.
Chief of staff to Europe and Foreign Affairs ministers Catherine Colonna and Stéphane Séjourné, former French ambassador to the Netherlands, Sciences Po graduate and alumnus of the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan (Social Sciences department) and the Ecole Nationale d'Administration, Luis Vassy takes up his duties this Tuesday, October 1, 2024.
“I am deeply honored to be the new Director of Sciences Po, a world-class academic institution that contributes to France's influence. As a former student, I am strongly committed to its mission of promoting social diversity through excellence. At a time of multiplying crises and upheavals in France and around the world, our country needs an institution capable of dealing with them using knowledge, rather than fear and withdrawal.” Luis Vassy, Director of Sciences Po.
About Sciences Po
Since 1872, Sciences Po's mission has been to shape free minds capable of understanding the world, in order to transform it. It places academic excellence and social inclusion at the heart of its values. Its unique academic objectives are defined by a multidisciplinary approach rooted in the humanities and social sciences, a strong international perspective, and the ability to combine fundamental knowledge with professional expertise thanks to its 280 research professors and 4,600 part-time lecturers.
A world-class research university with 11 research centers, Sciences Po takes social responsibility seriously, proposing solutions to major contemporary issues including environmental and digital transformations, changes in public policy, and the fight against inequality and discrimination. The defense of academic freedom – an essential condition for democracy and social progress – is also at the heart of our academic project.
Each year, Sciences Po trains 15,000 students, 50% of whom are international, on seven campuses (Dijon, Le Havre, Menton, Nancy, Paris, Poitiers, Reims) within the Undergraduate College, and in seven schools at Master's level (international affairs, public affairs, law, journalism, management, research, urban planning). 3,500 professionals also receive continued professional training.
Media contacts
Romain Becker & Katell Fagon : media@sciencespo.fr / 01 45 49 50 79
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