Professor Volodymyr Onyshchenko, President of National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic,” once again affirmed the University’s unwavering commitment to fundamental academic values by ceremonially signing the updated Magna Charta Universitatum 2020 for the third time within the framework of the global Magna Charta Universities Conference. This three-day intellectual forum was dedicated to rethinking the role of universities amid rapid geopolitical changes, digital transformations, and the emerging challenges of the modern world.
King’s College London brought together participants from all continents, including presidents and rectors of leading universities, heads of higher education associations, representatives of government bodies, business, student organizations, research centers, and international institutions. The global academic community jointly addressed the key challenges of a new era: safeguarding academic freedom, strengthening institutional autonomy, and enhancing universities’ responsibility to society and future generations.
Inspiring keynote addresses by Shitij Kapur, Vice-Chancellor and President of King’s College London; Giovanni Molari, President of the Magna Charta Observatory and Rector of Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna; and Sjur Bergan, former Head of the Education Department of the Council of Europe, served as intellectual reference points for the global university community.
Established in 1988 on the initiative of the University of Bologna and the United Kingdom, Magna Charta Universitatum was updated in 2020. While preserving its fundamental essence, it acquired an even more global, flexible, and relevant character in response to contemporary challenges. Today, Magna Charta unites more than 1,000 universities from 94 countries worldwide, and on November 13, the symbolic accession of the thousandth signatory was solemnly marked within the walls of King’s College London.
Poltava Polytechnic joined Magna Charta Universitatum on September 16, 2011, becoming the first university in Poltava and one of ten leading universities in Ukraine to become part of this elite academic community within the walls of the world’s oldest university – University of Bologna. In 2021, Rector Volodymyr Onyshchenko signed the updated MCU 2020 for the first time, and today the University has ceremonially reaffirmed its mission for the third time.
The signing of Magna Charta Universitatum 2020 is far more than a ceremonial act. It is a conscious reaffirmation of commitment to the core principles of university life: autonomy, academic freedom, intellectual integrity, and global responsibility.
This represents a clear and consistent position of Poltava Polytechnic in defending the values that form the foundation of civilizational development. Magna Charta serves as a living mechanism for supporting academic freedoms, providing for rigorous selection of new signatories, monitoring compliance with its principles, dissemination of best university practices, and fostering a global culture of mutual learning.
Sincere gratitude is extended to the innovative team of the Magna Charta Observatory – Professor Patrick Deane, President of the Governing Council; Professor David J. Lock, Secretary General; and Carla Pazzaglia, Administrator and Events Coordinator – for days of deep reflection, meaningful discussions, and powerful intellectual dialogue within the walls of King’s College London.
Academic freedom and institutional autonomy are values that must be safeguarded and nurtured. The signing of Magna Charta Universitatum 2020 is not an end point but a new beginning and, at the same time, a commitment of Poltava Polytechnic to strengthen the role of universities in protecting the planet, advancing healthcare, promoting well-being, and fostering enlightenment for humanity. We reaffirm our mission – to create knowledge, shape values, and lead the world toward a sustainable future.
