Date:
Type: Magna Charta Anniversaries
PRESENTATION
The theme of the conference was Reducing social inequalities: the role of universities. It was addressed by some very experienced and distinguished speakers including Felipe González, Chair of USP Cathedra José Bonifácio 2016 and former Prime Minister of Spain and Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former President of Brazil.
The proceedings started on the evening of 20 October with a formal dinner and continued on 21 October with the conference. The events dreaw on South American experience but featured international elements. There were good opportunities for participants to network and widen their experience.
Sessions on university citizenship and gender equality were streamed live from the University of Bologna, allowing a direct and interactive connection between two parts of the world.
For the first time ever the ceremony of the signing of the Magna Charta was celebrated outside of Europe. On 21 October, the Magna Charta Observatory, the University of São Paulo and the University of Bologna hosted the Ceremony for the Signing of the Magna Charta by universities committed to the principles of the Universitatum.
The conference was attended by university leaders and their representatives, higher education professionals and students, policy-makers and higher education stakeholders from all sectors. Its purpose was to enable them to respond more effectively to the challenges which they face and anticipate and strengthen their universities’ capability to uphold fundamental values for the benefit of their students, society and their university communities.
