Ministers of Education, university leaders and representatives of the European institutions met on Thursday, May 7, in Florence, where they adopted the “Florence Declaration on Universities and the Future of Europe”.
The event took place within a Ministerial Summit organized on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the European University Institute (EUI).
Mihai Dimian, Minister of Education, Remus Pricopie, rector of SNSPA and president of the Superior Council of the EUI and Roxana Mînzatu, vice-president of the European Commission, participated on behalf of Romania.
The discussions concerned both the balance sheet of EUI’s contribution in the last five decades, and the reform directions for European universities in a context marked by geopolitical tensions, democratic crises, climate change and accelerated technological transformations, writes Edupedu.
Mihai Dimian reaffirmed at the Florence meeting Romania’s support for the mission and values of the European University Institute, highlighting its role in promoting relevant research for the development of the European Union.
In the Declaration adopted at the end of the meeting, the participating states emphasized the importance of universities for democracy, critical thinking, innovation and the resilience of European societies, also approving the launch of a European debate on the future of universities.
The document states that “Europe will be as strong as its universities are free, open and trustworthy.”
According to the working document that guided the interventions of the ministers, the European debate will have three major directions:
- a new social contract for universities;
- building an integrated European area of higher education and research;
- strengthening a governance based on integrity, quality and public trust.
SNSPA points out that the Florence Declaration on Universities and the Future of Europe was signed by ministers and representatives of EUI member states.
The declaration invites governments, European institutions, academia, the private sector and civil society to get involved in this joint reflection, with a view to the Ministerial conference of the Bologna Process, which will be hosted in Iasi and Chisinau, in May 2027.
The European University Institute, founded in 1976, is one of the most important European research and higher education centers, bringing together 24 member states. The institution organizes master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral programs and contributes to the development of European Union policies.
The EUI operates on the basis of an international treaty and is financed by the Member States and the European Commission. Romania became a member in 2009 and has two representatives in the Superior Council of the Institute.
