12/04/2019

Rector Xavier Gil, a speaker at the annual conference of the European University Associaton

The rector of UIC Barcelona, Xavier Gil, was an invited speakerat the annual conference of the European University Associaton (EUA), which began last Wednesday and ends today in Paris. On the first day the rector participated in a round table on leadership and university values. The conference brought together more than 100 rectors from universities all over Europe.

During the round table, entitled “Leadership: shaping university values”, a discussion was held on university values. The rector of UIC Barcelona was joined at the table by Dr Rolf Tarrach, president of the EUA; Michael Murphy, from University College Cork (Ireland); Michale Jäckel, from Trier University (Germany), and Astrid Söderbergh-Widding (Sweden).

During his talk, the rector talked about the values set out in the Bologna Magna Charta Universitatum, to which many universities adhere. Specifically,  Xavier Gil mentioned the values at UIC Barcelona: “The individual, social commitment, good honest work done well and the search for Truth”.

At the round table issues were explored in-depth, such as competences in universities, or how to avoid universities becoming political instruments to achieve aims that are not those of the institution itself.

The European University Association represents more than 800 universities and national conferences of rectors  in 48 countries around Europe. This organisation plays a crucial role in the Bologna Process, and has an impact on European higher education, research and innovation policies.

Throughout the three-day conference issues such s leadership, innovation, artificial intelligence and relationships with business were discussed, from the point of view of universities.