The Magna Charta Universitatum (Great Charter of Universities) is a two-page document produced by the
University of Bologna
The University of Bologna (, abbreviated Unibo) is a Public university, public research university in Bologna, Italy. Teaching began around 1088, with the university becoming organised as guilds of students () by the late 12th century. It is the ...
and the
European Rectors' Conference (now called the European University Association) in 1988 in
Bologna
Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...
,
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. It identifies key principles that are asserted to be essential for the operation of universities, including
academic freedom
Academic freedom is the right of a teacher to instruct and the right of a student to learn in an academic setting unhampered by outside interference. It may also include the right of academics to engage in social and political criticism.
Academic ...
and
institutional autonomy.
Initially signed by the rectors of 388 higher education institutions, the number of signatories has subsequently grown to about 1000, with the aim to recognize and celebrate
university
A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
traditions and to encourage cooperation among
European universities.
The document is intended to serve as a universal inspiration and is as such open to universities throughout the world and not only those located in Europe.
History
The ''Magna Charta Universitatum Europaeum'' was formally signed by 388 university
rectors on 18 September 18 1988 at
Piazza Maggiore in
Bologna
Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...
, to commemorate the 900th anniversary of the founding of the University of Bologna.
The final text of the document was drafted in January 1988 in
Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
.
The ''Observatory Magna Charta Universitatum'' was established in 1998 and incorporated in 2000. It organised the first convention in 2001.
[ 73 universities signed the charter at the annual convention on 18 September 2018, bringing the total to 889, with 13 more having been accepted in 2019.][ it has been signed by 975 universities from 94 countries.]
See also
* European University Association
The European University Association (EUA) represents more than 800 institutions of higher education in 48 countries, providing them with a forum for cooperation and the exchange of information on higher education and research policies. Members of ...
* Bologna declaration
* Memorandum of understanding
References
External links
Document textObservatory Magna Charta Universitatum
{{Wikisource, Magna Charta Universitatum
Educational policies and initiatives of the European Union
1988 works