GUNi Newsletter - December 2014

The “Glocal” University
Francesc Xavier Grau, the new Non-Executive Director of GUNi, shares his views about the need for engaged universities, both at regional and global level. The vision of a university as an "inescapable social force for good" makes engagement with the immediate needs of our local societies and engagement with the global challenges of the world, of our global society, compatible. This is the real challenge of many universities around the world that may be able to take on the responsibility of being a glocal university.

Presentation of the 5th GUNi Report in Barcelona
The presentation of the report Higher Education in the World 5 Knowledge, Engagement and Higher Education contributing to social change took place on October 14 in Barcelona. The event, held in the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site, where GUNi's headquarters are located, gathered around 150 participants among university presidents and vice-presidents, politicians, academics, professionals of higher education, policy-makers and representatives of civil society.

One hundred participants discussed the role of Higher Education in the Post-2015 Agenda
On 11 December, GUNi organized the seminar “The world beyond 2015: is higher education ready? The role of higher education institutions for the Sustainable Development Goals and the Post-2015 Development Agenda” at the Art Nouveau Site of Sant Pau. The seminar, related to the campaign “The world beyond 2015: is higher education ready?” was promoted by the Association of Commonwealth Universities with the collaboration and support of the City of Barcelona as well as the International Association of Universities.

GUNi Report global impact: 38 events in 25 countries
During 2014, 38 events were held in 25 countries to launch the GUNi Report. Among them, the regional presentation in the Arab States, held in Jordan, the regional presentation in Asia and the Pacific, held in South Korea, and presentations in India, Hong Kong, South Africa, Ghana, Australia, Mexico Argentina, Italy, Denmark, United Kingdom, Canada and Uganda should be highlighted.

Find 30% of the GUNi Report in Open Content
Find online up to 30% of the articles published in Higher Education in the World 5 and download them for free.

Jimma University, a pioneer in community-based education
Jimma University, in Ethiopia, maintains for five years its leading position in community based education.

Course in Developing Community University Partnerships
The Community University Partnership Programme (Cupp) at the University of Brighton organizes a course in Developing Community University Partnerships from April 30 to September 15, 2015, adressed to those professionals that want to develop their skills in that field.

Roberto Fernández, GUNi and ACUP President
In this interview Roberto Fernández talks about the new stage of the network after ACUP assumed its secretariat and presidency on May 2014.

Rome Declaration on Responsible Research and Innovation
From 19 – 21 November last, in the framework of the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the SIS-RRI – Sciences, Innovation and Society: Achieving Responsible Research and Innovation Conference was held in Rome. The main goal of this meeting was to debate the concept of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI).

The Talloires Network Leaders Conference (TLNC): “Live Engagement, Transform Lives” took place in Cape Town, South Africa from the 2 to 4 December 2014
The TNLC gathered leaders of universities from around the world to chart the next stage of the global movement of higher education, civic engagement and social responsibility. During this event the authors of the Sub-Saharan Africa presented the GUNi Report.

Participants of a workshop in Makerere University discussed on the main ideas of the GUNi Report and concluded that African Universities need to regain Social Change status
The 5th GUNi Report was presented to rectors and vice-rectors of African Universities in a half-day workshop where participants proposed Community Based Research and Community University Engagement as the most viable strategies for African Universities to salvage their much coveted position as agents of social change in society.