On April 11-12, 2024, the sixth annual Presidential Summit of the U7+ Alliance of World Universities was held at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy. President Teiji Tominaga participated in the event remotely, with Executive Vice President Toshiya Ueki attending the event in-person.
The U7+ Alliance, of which Tohoku University became a member in 2024, is an association of universities from around the world. It was established to facilitate direct lines of communication between university presidents in order to contribute to solving shared, global issues. The alliance works together to make recommendations to the Group of Seven (G7) member states and other organizations.
The alliance’s Presidential Summit, which is held once every year, serves as an important opportunity for the presidents of member universities to gather and discuss topical issues in various sessions.
At one session, President Tominaga shared some remarks and expressed his gratitude for the U7+ Alliance welcoming Tohoku University as a new member.
This year’s summit was attended by about ninety representatives, who participated both in-person and online. The theme was ‘Inclusive Education for Inclusive Societies’, and sessions on global access to higher education, climate change and sustainability, and human-centered AI facilitated productive discussions.
The Italian Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, was present and gave a keynote speech at the summit. At the opening ceremony, Meric Gertler, the president of the University of Toronto and chair of the U7+ Alliance Presidential Steering Committee, and Francesco Billari, the rector of Bocconi University, presented her with the ‘2024 U7+ Statement on Global Access to Higher Education’.
The statement calls for G7 member states’ continued efforts to develop high-quality and inclusive education systems from primary through to higher education. It is scheduled to be shared at the G7 Science and Technology Ministers’ Meeting, which will be held in Italy this year.
A group photo of participants (Photograph courtesy of Bocconi University)
President Teiji Tominaga participates remotely in the 6th Annual U7+ Presidential Summit
For additional information, please see below:
Press release published by Bocconi University (English-language)
2024 U7+ Statement on Global Access to Higher Education (English-language)
Contact:
Global Engagement Division, Tohoku University
Tel: 022-217-6182 / 5578
Email: kokusai-k@grp.tohoku.ac.jp