UNICA joins 'International Partnership in Academia - an Ethical Challenge?' Conference in Oslo

Are there academic values common to all the cultures? Is it possible to incorporate an ethical standard into an international cooperation agreement? If so, how should this matter be approached?

These and many other questions were discussed during the International Partnership in Academia - an Ethical Challenge? Conference organised by the University of Oslo, 12-13 November 2015. The meeting was organised by Scholars at Risk - Norway Section, Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education (SIU) and Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions (UHR) and supported by the Fritt Ord Foundation and the Norwegian UNESCO Committee.

The meeting also addressed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Higher Education Values proposed by Scholars at Risk to be applied on voluntary basis in all international partnerships between higher education institutions. The memorandum puts an emphasis on equitable access, accountability, academic freedom, institutional autonomy and social responsibility.

Visit the Conference's page for further details and programme

On 12 November 2015, a meeting of representatives of UNICA member universities involved or willing to become involved in the Scholars At Risk activities was held at the University of Oslo as a pre-event to the Conference.

The meeting discussed:

• Cooperation on SAR activities within the UNICA network - partner network of SAR
• Involvement of academic leadership in SAR activities
• Contribution to the development of the Memorandum of Understaning on values in international cooperation
• Joint actions of European universities to address the refugee crisis

Please find here the programme of the UNICA event.