The University of Toronto has joined members of the U7+ Alliance of World Universities in calling on G7 leaders to work together to eliminate barriers and increase access to education globally.
As the G7 prepares to convene in Apulia, Italy, university leaders from 18 countries met at Bocconi University on April 11-12, 2024 for the annual U7+ Presidential Summit. The presidents of 46 universities formally committed to the 2024 U7+ Statement on Global Access to Higher Education which was delivered to Anna Maria Bernini, Italian Minister of University and Research, as a representative of the Italian government who is playing host to the Group of Nations (G7) this year.
In the statement, U7+ university presidents requested commitment from and partnership with the G7 in four key areas, including a continued focus on developing high-quality and inclusive education systems from primary education through to higher education, supporting investment in higher education in low- and middle-income countries, providing funding to support students from marginalized communities locally and globally, and by supporting and prioritizing visas for students and scholars fleeing oppressive regimes, armed conflict or threats of conflict.
The University of Toronto contributes leadership to the U7+ through President Meric Gertler who chairs the Presidential Steering Committee, and Gwen Burrows, Assistant Vice-President, International Engagement and Impact, who chairs the Alliance’s Bureau.
“Universities play a crucial role in each of our communities and around the world to foster prosperity and development. We have a responsibility to reduce barriers to higher education, in partnership with other universities and through cooperation with multilateral organizations like the G7,” said President Gertler.
—
The U7+ Presidential Summit is the annual meeting of the U7+ Alliance, the first coalition of university presidents from Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Africa and Australia dedicated to defining concrete, collective actions universities can take to address global challenges, in coordination with government leaders in G7 countries and beyond. The inaugural meeting of the Alliance was hosted by Sciences Po in Paris in 2019, with the support of French President Emmanuel Macron. The University of Toronto currently chairs the Presidential Steering Committee. Northwestern University serves as home to the Alliance Secretariat.