The University of Ottawa reaffirms its strong commitment toward the fundamental principles upon which the mission of universities should be based by becoming a signatory of the Magna Charta Universitatum (MCU 2020). This charter enshrines the principles of academic freedom and university autonomy.
Adopted in 1988 to mark the ninth centenary of the University of Bologna, the declaration originally sought to bring together European universities. However, since then, the number of signatories has greatly increased, the world has become interconnected, the university environment has changed considerably and the challenges universities face have become more complex. Institutes of higher education are no longer rarified places of knowledge isolated from society, but rather, carriers of culture whose reach extends beyond borders. The University of Ottawa is one of the first 10 Canadian universities to sign this international declaration.
The fundamental MCU 2020 principles reflect uOttawa’s mission. They reaffirm the independence of teaching and research from political influence and economic interests; the inseparability of teaching and research in furthering knowledge and a better understanding of the world; freedom of inquiry; academic freedom; and the freedom to learn; while rejecting intolerance and calling for the removal of geographical or political borders blocking cultural interaction.
By signing the Magna Charta Universitatum 2020, the University of Ottawa, like other universities, declares its “commitment to the original declaration and to upholding and advancing (its) Principles, Values and Responsibilities ... to strengthen the role of universities in the preservation of the planet and promoting health, prosperity, and enlightenment around the world.” Learn more and read the Magna Charta Universitatum.