USJ Macao Attends the IAU 2024 International Conference – “University Values in a Changing World” in Tokyo, Japan
USJ Macao Attends the IAU 2024 International Conference – “University Values in a Changing World” in Tokyo, Japan
10
Dec
10/12/2024
The conference highlighted the crucial role of values in guiding universities’ decision-making and ethical conduct and facilitating meaningful engagement with their communities.
A delegation of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ Macao), led by the Rector, Rev. Rector Prof. Stephen Morgan and composed by the Vice-Rector for Internationalisation and Academic Affairs, Prof. Álvaro Barbosa, the Head of the Department of Media, Art and Technology, Prof. João Nuno Brochado, and Ms. Teresinha Fok from the International Affairs Office, represented USJ Macao at the IAU 2024 International Conference titled “University Values in a Changing World”.
The International Association of Universities (IAU) organised the event at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan, which took place on 22 – 24 November 2024. This marked USJ’s first on-site participation in an IAU International Conference since 2019, making this year’s event a notable return following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The conference highlighted the crucial role of values in guiding universities’ decision-making and ethical conduct and facilitating meaningful engagement with their communities, and it featured three plenary sessions including: 1) University, Diversity, and Interdependence; 2) University Values and Digital Innovation; and 3) Fostering Equity, Human Dignity, and a Culture of Peace through Higher Education
[From left: Prof. João Nuno Brochado, Prof. Álvaro Barbosa, Prof. Miki Sugimura, Prof. Sali Augustine and Rector Stephen Morgan]
The IAU Vice-President Patrick Deane also President of the Magna Charta Observatory also an organisation that USJ Macao has been a signatory of the Magna Charta Universitatum since 2018, “a document contains principles of academic freedom and institutional autonomy as a guideline for good governance and self-understanding of universities in the future, in his address he emphasised, “Human development is central to the mission of higher education, and by cultivating individuals the capacity to respond to and engage with the challenges that the world is facing, universities play a key role in building just, equitable, fulfilling and sustainable communities.”
Following each plenary session, breakout discussions were held to delve into specific topics addressing these challenges and to provide networking opportunities among institutions worldwide.
These sessions assessed how university values can be instilled to address the pressing challenges faced by societies. Speakers represented diverse countries, offering encompassing perspectives on the role of universities and their values in a rapidly changing world, thereby maximising the access for students to achieve global citizenship.
In addition to the insightful presentations, the conference outlined various aspects of global complexity and uncertainty influenced by culture, geography, and history that higher education institutions encounter today. The discussions fostered a clear-sighted dialogue on how university values along withstand tensions arising from national differences, institutional diversity, intercultural competence, and indigenous relations.
