International Gathering Urges Collaboration in Higher Ed
University leaders from around the globe gathered on campus May 7-9 to discuss existential threats facing higher education.
“When the truth is under siege, the university must not flinch,” said Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of Nafsa: Association of International Educators, and keynote speaker at the event, the Annual Network Meeting and Presidential Symposium for Universitas 21, or U21.
Discussions held throughout the three-day event centered on ways universities can better serve marginalized communities, advance equity and inclusion, and strengthen their role in addressing global and societal challenges through collaboration, innovation and public engagement.
“We recognize that we are engaging in this conversation at a critical moment, both nationally and globally,” Chancellor Gary S. May said. “In the United States, the landscape around equity, diversity and inclusion is shifting in complex ways, making it even more essential that we reaffirm our commitments and seek new strategies to advance these values.”