(WASHINGTON) — PEN America, in collaboration with the Magna Charta Observatory, will co-sponsor an international convening at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, DC, from 10 AM to 12 PM ET on October 23, 2024. The event, titled Universities, Governments, and Democracy: International Challenges, Lessons Learned, and Future Strategy, will bring together academic leaders from across the globe to discuss the urgent challenges facing universities in the United States and across the world.
Amid increasing government-sponsored threats worldwide to academic freedom and university autonomy, especially in the Western hemisphere, this event will explore the critical role universities play in safeguarding democracy, intellectual freedom, and societal progress. The discussions will focus on how universities can respond to political, economic, and social pressures while maintaining intellectual and moral autonomy—the bedrock of democratic societies and academic excellence.
Universities, Governments, and Democracy is the first major international convening to focus on government attacks on academic freedom in the United States since those attacks increased in 2021, and the first event held by the nearly 25-year-old Magna Charta Observatory in the United States. It is also the first major public event to frame those attacks in terms of university autonomy from government ideological control – a key focus of the Magna Charta Universitatum, which has been signed by nearly 1,000 universities across the globe. In preparation for the conference, PEN America has also endorsed the Magna Charta Universitatum.
“As universities worldwide face mounting pressures from governments seeking to curb their autonomy, it’s critical that we come together to defend the values of academic freedom and institutional independence, said David John Lock, Secretary General of the Magna Charta Observatory. “This convening represents a vital step in our collective efforts to ensure that universities continue to foster free inquiry and serve as pillars of democratic society.”
Speakers at the event will include:
- Ron Daniels, President, Johns Hopkins University
- Patrick Deane, Rector, Queen’s University (CA), and President, Magna Charta Observatory Governing Council
- Lynn Pasquerella, President, American Association of Colleges and Universities
- David Julien, CEO, Conference of the Americas on International Education
- Liviu Matei, Head, King’s School of Education, Communication & Society, Kings College London, and former Provost, Central European University
- Martina Darmanin, former President, European Students’ Union
- Amy Binder, Acting Director, SNF Agora Institute, Johns Hopkins University
- Jeremy C. Young, Freedom to Learn Program Director, PEN America
- Moderators: Emma Pettit, Senior Reporter, Chronicle of Higher Education; Catharine Stimpson, Professor of English and University Professor, New York University
“It is PEN America’s great pleasure to partner with the Magna Charta Observatory on bringing this important conversation to the United States,” said Jeremy C. Young, Freedom to Learn Program Director. “As American higher education faces unprecedented political restrictions and threats of censorship, we need the support of the world in defending the freedom to learn at our colleges and universities.”
Registration Information: In-person attendance for this event is now at capacity, except for media representatives, who can register using this form. Virtual attendance by media or members of the public is free. To register or learn more, please visit https://pen.org/event/universities-governments-and-democracy-international-challenges-lessons/
About PEN America:
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights, dedicated to protecting free expression worldwide. Founded in 1922, PEN America unites writers and their allies to defend the liberties that make creative expression possible. Its work encompasses advocacy for academic freedom, freedom of speech, and the rights of writers and journalists under threat.
About Magna Charta Observatory:
Established in 2000, the Magna Charta Observatory advocates for the autonomy of universities and the moral and intellectual independence of teaching and research institutions worldwide. It works with over 970 universities from 94 countries, guided by the principles outlined in the Magna Charta Universitatum 2020.
For media inquiries, please contact Malka Margolies at [email protected], 347-843-8210