OsloMet Signs the Magna Charta Declaration
OsloMet has signed the international foundation Magna Charta Observatory's declaration of freedom for universities.
The Magna Charta Observatory is an organization established by The European University Association, with the mission to promote, protect, and strengthen key university values such as academic freedom and institutional autonomy.
The document "Magna Charta Universitatum" (MCU) summarizes the core values of its member universities and was developed in 1988 after the University of Bologna proposed the idea of a common declaration.
Prorector Signs
The University of Lodz in Poland hosted the annual conference for member universities organized by the Magna Charta Observatory (MCO) on October 25.
Carl Thodesen, the Prorector for Social Impact and Collaboration at OsloMet, was present and signed the declaration on behalf of OsloMet.
"I am pleased that OsloMet is now a Magna Charta university. It is only natural that we align ourselves with the important principles of independence and academic freedom," said Thodesen.
"It is also important to establish strong connections among universities across borders and to signal that we operate based on the same values and goals of contributing to a better society," he added.
Three Fundamental Principles
The document Magna Charta Universitatum highlights three important principles to which the signing universities commit:
- Research and education must be morally and scientifically independent of all political influence and economic interests.
- Research and education, should be inextricably linked, ensuring that education remains relevant and responsive to the development and needs of society.
- The university should be a place for free exploration and debate, characterized by openness to dialogue and rejection of intolerance.
