Anniversary Event of the Magna Charta Universitatum Held in Vilnius for the First Time 

From 14 to 16 October, the anniversary event of the Magna Charta Universitatum took place in Lithuania for the first time. During the event, new members joining the Charter signed it at Vilnius University (VU). 

This year’s conference theme was ‘Beyond Resilience: Universities as Active Value-Driven Agents in a Changing World’. Participants explored how universities could do more than simply adapt to change. The programme also gave considerable attention to academic freedom and institutional autonomy, the role of universities in strengthening democracy, security challenges, artificial intelligence, student engagement, international cooperation, and how higher education can shape the future of society. 

New members signed the Magna Charta Universitatum 

On 16 October, VU hosted a formal ceremony at which new signatory universities and the European Women Rectors Association (EWORA) signed the Magna Charta Universitatum. The signatories of the Charter committed to upholding the principles of academic freedom, institutional autonomy and universities’ responsibility to society. 

The ceremony was opened by VU Rector Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas. He called on universities to do more to safeguard freedom, advance sustainability, and promote peace worldwide. 

‘In these challenging times, it is clear that universities must take on greater responsibility for a free, sustainable, and peaceful future. The Magna Charta Universitatum means, first and foremost, that our institutions share a common vision of universities – one based on knowledge, openness, and cooperation. It means that we are united by our shared mission – to uphold the independence and authority of universities so that the voice of scholarship is heard,’ said the VU Rector. 

European Commissioner Andrius Kubilius: universities need an ‘intellectual Big Bang’ 

The special guest and speaker at the event was Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space. According to the Commissioner, the 21st century is characterised not only by an unprecedented pace but also by breakthroughs that are reshaping the limits of what is possible. 

‘The 21st century is the century of speed and of Big Bangs,’ said European Commissioner Kubilius. ‘The speed and Big Bang of artificial intelligence are changing our future on Earth. The Big Bang in space is expanding our frontiers beyond it. To preserve peace on the European continent, we need a Big Bang in defence.’ 

The Commissioner emphasised that technological and material breakthroughs require an intellectual foundation. ‘All the ‘material Big Bangs’ we are witnessing now also demand an ‘intellectual Big Bang’, and ‘material Big Bangs’ are the consequence and product of ‘intellectual Big Bangs’ 

‘Universities are the source and the driving force behind this ‘intellectual Big Bang’. Sometimes we forget this. We must understand as quickly as possible – there will be no Big Bang in defence readiness or in space if there is no Big Bang in our universities,’ emphasised Kubilius. 

The discussions in Vilnius and the insights they generated, covering academic freedom, institutional autonomy, artificial intelligence, security, and the role of students, will help strengthen universities’ role in and contribution to shaping the future of the world.