The challenges facing universities in a new social, economic and cultural context. How to respond?

1. the challenges facing universities in a new
social, economic and cultural context
Sijbolt Noorda
former president Magna Charta Observatory
president emeritus Universiteit van Amsterdam
Seminario CUIMPB, Barcelona 2022
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how to respond?
¿Cómo transformar las instituciones universitarias
para construir sociedades democráticas, de progreso y
sostenibles?

2. how to respond?
rethinking the university
an academic community for a
social purpose
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3. changing circumstances
in view of changing circumstances,
we ought to regularly monitor our
performance and profile
as well as the dynamics of needs and
issues of the world we are serving
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4. some major trends (1)
after a longer period of
increasing international
mindedness
we are now living in times of
nationalist revivals
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5. some major trends (2)
many societies are showing
increasing signs of fragmentation
rather than cohesion
challenging our public missions
and the public good
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6. some major trends (3)
while the need to jointly find
interrelated approaches to global
challenges remains urgent
we are seeing protectionism prosper
rather than internationalism
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7. how to respond? (1)
universities should engage in
serious monitoring these changes
and their impact on universities
which should include
serious self-reflection
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8. how to respond? (2)
universities as communities of
openness and tolerance
at the same time, a good model (a
lighthouse) to the outside world
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9. how to respond? (3)
the right choice of programmes
and partnerships
made as a community, overcoming
individualistic and fragmented
career-driven practices
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10. in conclusion
universities do not exist for
themselves
they should be academic
communities, for a social purpose
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11. Magna Charta Universitatum
2020 (1)
“Universities acknowledge that
they have a responsibility to
engage with and respond to the
aspirations and challenges of the
world and to the communities they
serve, to benefit humanity and
contribute to sustainability.”
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12. Magna Charta Universitatum
2020 (2)
“Universities have a civic role and responsibility.
They are part of global, collegial networks of
scientific enquiry and scholarship, building on
shared bodies of knowledge and contributing to
their further development. They also are embedded
in local cultures and crucially relevant to their
future and enrichment. While they are immersed in
and connected with global developments, they
engage fully with and assume leading roles in local
communities and ecosystems.” 12

13. Magna Charta Universitatum
2020 (3)
“By signing the Magna Charta Universitatum
2020 universities declare their commitment
to the original declaration and to upholding
and advancing the Principles, Values and
Responsibilities stated above, to strengthen
the role of universities in the preservation of
the planet and promoting health, prosperity
and enlightenment around the world.”
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