The final plenary session, moderated by Andrew Deeks, the 16th President of IAU and Vice Chancellor and President at Murdoch University in Australia, addressed the topic of “Fostering Equity, Human Dignity, and a Culture of Peace through Higher Education.” Session members were David Quigley, Provost and Dean of Faculties at Boston College; Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Abuja in Nigeria; Aisha Khurram, Afghan Youth Representative to the UN and student at the Hertie School of Governance in Germany; and Borhene Chakroun, Director of the Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems Division at UNESCO, by recorded video message. Chakroun stated, “Higher education needs to be anchored at the core of an active commitment to peace.” He urged univer-sities globally to adopt the UNESCO Global Convention on Higher Education that facilitates student and researcher mobil-ity and recognizes and better serves displaced individuals and refugees affected by wars and conflicts.Khurram was one of the students who was both fortunate and courageous enough to carry on her studies after the tragic loss of many of her classmates in the terrorist attack on her university in Afghanistan. Khurram shared her experience of returning to the classroom where her classmates had been shot to death, fleeing the coun-try after the Taliban regained control over Afghanistan in 2021, and continuing her education in her home country and abroad. She emphasized that education is the “most powerful weapon against the forces of darkness and violence.” She urged universities, serving as centers of learning and also as guardians of human dignity around the globe, to open their Sophia University President Yoshiaki Terumichi, who serves as the IAU board member representing the Asia-Pacific region, ex-pressed his gratitude to all those involved in the event. He also congratulated the organizers on the success of the event, stating that this truly international conference will continue to pave the way for further global collaborations in academia. “For Japanese universities to actively participate in international consortia and collaborate with institutions worldwide is crucial for maintaining and enhancing the global presence of Japan’s higher education sector. Additionally, IAU highlighted the significance of having over 100 university presidents in attendance and the first-ever formal session dedicated to university presidents. As the host in-stitution, we are delighted that this conference served as a valu-able opportunity to explore new possibilities for international collaboration and partnerships,” he said. doors to the growing number of students displaced by conflicts and wars. “Education cannot become a lifeline to students in crises unless universities stand up to take on a humanitarian mission,” she said.She also noted that remote learning has become a powerful tool for youth access to education. “I have made it my mission to advocate for accredited online degree programs to prepare Afghan girls to rebuild a democratic and peaceful Afghanistan,” she said. The three-day Conference concluded at Sophia University’s Auditorium with the announcement, in the presence of Rwanda’s Ambassador Marie Claire Mukasine, that the University of Rwanda in Kigali, Rwanda was to be the IAU 2025 International Conference venue. Participants applauded the esteemed panelists, the host Sophia University, and the IAU staff for the valuable insights gained from the stimulating discussions that will assist them to chart their own paths as they embrace University Values in a Changing World.13Higher Education’s Role as Guardian of Human Dignity
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