Effort to Safeguard University Independence Expands

Scranton joined the Magna Charta Universitatum Observatory of Fundamental University Values and Rights.

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Scranton joined the Magna Charta Universitatum Observatory of Fundamental University Values and Rights, an alliance of more than 800 universities worldwide committed to serving as guardians for the fundamental values of independence, academic freedom and integrity.

“Joining the observatory expresses the inherent mission of Scranton as a Jesuit university, fully committed to seeking truth and providing our students with a global perspective in their discipline and in their understanding of the diverse needs confronted by the people of the world today,” said University President Scott R. Pilarz, S.J.

Universities from 85 countries have signed the statement of fundamental values outlined in the Magna Charta Universitatum, which was first ratified in 1988 by rectors of European universities who assembled at the University of Bologna. The fundamental principles agreed upon include the recognition of the autonomy of a university and the role it plays “at the heart of societies.”

The document attests that in order for uni-versities to fulfill their purpose, “research and teaching must be morally and intellectually independent of all political and economic power.”

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