world. She also pointed to keywords commonly found on univer-sity websites globally—integrity, respect, excellence, collabora-tion, innovation, democracy, and inclusion—reflecting a shared commitment to these values.The ideals, however, are confronting significant challenges. Geopolitical instability and trends against globalization have reduced opportunities for student mobility internationally and have made cross-border university collaboration more difficult. Professor Simon Marginson of the University of Oxford empha-sized the importance of mutual reliance in responding to the chal-lenges. “The first thing to recognize is our interdependence with nature and with each other,” he said. He argued that acknowledg-ment of our interconnectedness will inevitably lead to the accep-tance of diversity essential to progress of a global society.Patrick Deane, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University in Canada, echoed the sentiment: “The question we face today is not how we cause society to defer to universities in search of the truth, but how institutions distributed widely throughout the world can work together to demonstrate the value of free inquiry and debate, and the interdependence of teaching and research for the greater good of societies and humanity.”The session reaffirmed the critical role of universities in promot-ing knowledge, equity, and collaboration. Despite significant global challenges, universities remain instrumental to solutions that benefit society.Rajani Naidoo, Vice-President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for People and Culture at the University of Exeter in the UK, stated, “Technologies have been leveraged to facilitate the enroll-ment and success of students with disabilities in higher educa-tion, provide access to students in refugee camps, and support The first plenary session, chaired by Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, featured four insightful presentations focusing on the universal values univer-sities uphold, the challenges they face, and their strategies to maintain a shared vision in a rapidly changing world.Speakers highlighted foundational principles common to univer-sities worldwide: universality, diversity, academic freedom, inter-national mobility, social justice, and the belief that higher educa-tion serves the common good over individual self-interest. The session emphasized the resilience and unity of universities in ad-vancing these core principles in face of mounting political re-sistance movements, particularly in North America and Europe.Professor Sandra Almeida, President of the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil underscored the responsibility of univer-sities to foster diversity and equity, defining equity as the assur-ance of equal treatment for individuals in comparable circum-stances. “Equals should be treated equally, and others treated in relation to their relevant differences,” she explained.Almeida further stressed that leaders bear the responsibility of creating a just and equitable society that respects the environ-ment and human rights in an increasingly diverse and pluralistic The second plenary session, moderated by Fanta Aw, Executive Director and CEO of NAFSA, USA, featured three distinguished panelists who explored the intricate relationship between univer-sity values and digital innovation. 10SOPHIA MAGAZINE Vol. 19From CampusUniversality, Diversity and InterdependenceUniversity Values and Digital Innovation
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