A webinar organised by the Global Cooperation for the Democratic Mission of Higher Education

The “Global Forum on Higher Education 2025: Renewal of the Democratic and Civic Mission” took place in Prague, June 2025. In the months leading up to the Forum and those since, attacks on democracy, academic freedom, and higher education have accelerated at an alarming rate. Global collaboration, shared learning, and solidarity among the higher education community is needed to preserve and advance democracy during this critical time.

 This webinar, to take place on  9 April 2026, (9:00-10:30 AM EST / 3:00-4:30 PM CET) will extend the global dialogue on key themes and takeaways from this timely Global Forum. This includes, among other things, a focus on educating for democratic citizenship, prioritizing student voice and agency, protecting academic freedom as a right and a responsibility that upholds democratic principles, leveraging universities as democratic civic anchors in their local communities, rebuilding public trust, and restoring the social contract between higher education and society at large.

Speakers

• Moderator

  • Matjaž Gruden, Director for Democracy, Council of Europe

• Opening Remarks

  • Hilligje van’t Land, Secretary General, International Association of Universities

  • Yadira Pinilla, Senior Specialist, Department for Human Development, Education and Employment, Organization of American States

• Panelists

  • Timothy K. Eatman, Professor of Urban Education and Inaugural Dean of Honors Living-Learning Community (2016-2026), Rutgers University - Newark (New Jersey)

  • Syndia A. Nazario-Cardona, Associate Vice President of Government Affairs & Institutional Relations, Ana G. Mendez University (Puerto Rico)

  • Francis W. Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, University of Pretoria; Chair of Universities South Africa

  • Kirsten Roberts-Lyer, Professor and Chair of Human Rights Programme, Central European University

• Closing Remarks

  • Ira Harkavy, Chair of the International Consortium for Higher Education, Civic Responsibility, and Democracy; Barbara and Edward Netter Director, Netter Center for Community Partnerships at the University of Pennsylvania

Background

Organised by the Global Cooperation for the Democratic Mission of Higher Education, the Global Forum is an invitational conference on the democratic mission of higher education. The forum is designed to engage senior leaders in higher education to help build a global movement to fulfill this democratic mission.

The theme of the 2025 Global Forum on Higher Education was Renewal of the Democratic and Civic Mission. This, the 8th such global conference, was hosted by Charles University, in Prague, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, 3-4 June 2025.

The Global Cooperation for the Democratic Mission of Higher Education is comprised of the Council of Europe, the International Consortium for Higher Education, Civic Responsibility, and Democracy, the International Association of Universities (IAU), and the Organization of American States (OAS).

Learn more about the Global Forum here and read IAU reflections from the 2025 event here. The official 2025 Global Forum event webpage may be accessed here.