Universities of the World

The university is one of the greatest inventions of the present millennium: although created more than nine centuries ago, it remains one of the glories of human aspiration and one of the triumphs of the power of imagination. We, as members of its community of learning, challenge it to play a transforming role in society, and thus to transform itself. For 900 years of the present millennium, the university, as a community dedicated to those values has served society well. Its effectiveness in the new millennium will depend on its reaf rmation of those ancient values as it responds creatively to the new challenges and opportunities that confront it. This is the moment for both society and the university to reaf rm the social compact, on which the future of all our peoples will so largely depend, and for their leaders to work together towards the achievement of their common goals.