Between November 23rd and 25th, the University of Łódź hosted the Magna Charta Observatory Anniversary Conference. This year, the main topic of the prestigious event was “Universities and the Reconstruction of Cities: The Role of Research and Education.”
Universities have “a responsibility to engage with and respond to the aspirations and challenges of the world.” So says the Magna Charta Universitatum (MCU) 2020. The conference focused on this responsibility in a very practical way.
The overall theme of the conference covered the transformation of cities, be it necessary due to destruction from war, as is the case in Ukraine, to the disappearance of traditional industries, to climate change, or social transformations. It explored the contributions of both research and teaching to reconstruction.
During the conference, on October 25, the formal Magna Charta Universitatum signing ceremony took place. Collegium Civitas was accepted to join Magna Charta in 2022. During the conference in Łódź, our Rector, Professor Mocek, joined other esteemed signatories in a significant ceremony to sign the Magna Charta Universitatum 2020. This momentous event was dedicated to universities committed to the principles of the Magna Charta.
The Signing Ceremony was also attended by prominent guests, including Giovanni Molari, Rector of the Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna and President of the Magna Charta Observatory, Patrick Deane, President of the Magna Charta Observatory Council, and Herman Van Rompuy, Former President of the European Council.
The Magna Charta Universitatum is a document that was originally signed by 388 rectors and heads of universities from all over Europe and beyond on September 18, 1988, the 900th anniversary of the University of Bologna. It contains principles of academic freedom and institutional autonomy as a guideline for good governance and self-understanding of universities in the future. In 2018, a multi-national group was formed to review the Magna Charta Universitatum in the context of changes to universities and the environments in which they operated, which had occurred since 1988. This was informed by a broad consultation and was adopted by the Governing Council of the MCO in July 2020.
The new Magna Charta Universitatum builds upon the foundational values that universities have embraced over the years. It aims to address contemporary challenges and concerns while recognizing the global nature of universities’ work and their crucial role in the community. This event symbolizes a substantial commitment to upholding the enduring principles and values cherished by universities. It also provides an opportunity to celebrate the ongoing mission of academic institutions and their valuable contributions to society.
The Magna Charta Observatory is a signatories’ association independent of political organizations or interest groups. The signatory universities – through their rectors, presidents, and vice-chancellors, who act on behalf of their institutions – are connected to the organization by their commitment, present and future, to comply with the principles of the Magna Charta Universitatum. The Observatory undertakes its work to ensure the integrity of intellectual and scientific work in Institutions and society, thus reinforcing trust in the relationship between universities and their communities, be they local, regional, national, or global.
Learn more about Magna Charta Universitatum: http://www.magna-charta.org
Photos: Bartosz Kałużny (CKiPR UŁ)