The UOC reaffirms its commitment to the principles of the Magna Charta Universitatum

On the occasion of his visit to Barcelona, Sijbolt Noorda, President of the Magna Charta Observatory, met UOC President Josep A. Planell on Wednesday, 20 September, to begin the cooperation between both institutions and to explore the specific role that online universities should play in achieving the values of the charter.

The UOC is the third online university to join the Magna Charta Universitatum, which has over 800 members, and the president will formalize signature in September 2018, at the events to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the charter at the University of Salamanca.

Fundamental principles

By joining the Magna Charta, the University is making a public commitment to ensuring the following fundamental principles: institutional autonomy and moral and scientific independence with regard to any political, economic and ideological power; the inseparability of research and teaching to provide an answer to the needs of a constantly evolving society;  freedom in research, teaching and study; and the will of the University to achieve universal knowledge, ignoring any geographical or political boundary, through reciprocal knowledge and interaction between cultures.

In its commitment to building a global university with social impact, the UOC “already works under the umbrella of these principles, intrinsic to the idiosyncrasy of our University”, the UOC president stated. The promotion of open access to knowledge, the creation of grants to ensure diversity in the classroom, virtual mobility and the fostering of active participation in international networks are some of the examples of the UOC’s desire to govern itself according to these values. For the president, “by joining the charter, this commitment has been formalized, as has the development by the University of the tools needed to ensure its achievement”.

The Magna Charta Universitatum and the Magna Charta Observatory

The Magna Charta Universitatum is a document that was signed on 18 September 1988 by 388 heads of universities worldwide, as part of the events to celebrate the ninth centenary 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. Since then, the charter has become the principal reference for universities that share the same academic values and purposes.

The Magna Charta Observatory is a non-profit-making organization founded by the University of Bologna and the European University Association to monitor and advise members in fulfilling the fundamental principles of the charter. Every September, on the anniversary of the signing of the charter, it organizes an international conference where the challenges of the future are faced and new signatories are welcomed.