Strategic priorities
Robust democracy
U7+ members are committed to working together to foster robust and democratic civil societies, by promoting :
- Freedom of speech
- Academic freedom at the institutional and individual levels
- Understanding of and solutions to the impact of AI on societies, including both opportunities and risks
Planetary priorities
The U7+ Alliance is addressing planetary priorities and championing the interests of future generations, including :
- Access to education
- Climate change and sustainability
- Universities’ contributions to peace and security
Multilateral engagement
The U7+ is deepening its multilateral engagement and influence through:
- G7 engagement with a priority focus on the above topics
- Engagement through COP by sharing scientific expertise with policymakers and working with other university networks to increase the visibility of universities as partners to mitigate climate change.
These strategic priorities, adopted in 2022, are built on the founding U7+ Principles and Commitments, adopted in 2019.
Multilateral Engagement
The U7+ Presidential Summit is a unique opportunity for university leaders from a wide variety of nations to discuss a common agenda and establish a framework for university actions in today’s global landscape. Rather than being designed as a scientific colloquium, the U7+ Presidential Summit creates a space for debate and reflection on the concrete actions that universities can take as engaged global actors, and it provides university leaders an opportunity to weigh in on issues and tackle global challenges to be addressed at the G7 Summit.
G7
The U7+ Alliance was established to inform public policymakers in G7 countries by leveraging the scientific expertise and insights of the world’s leading universities. Its mission is to positively influence the G7 agenda by contributing knowledge-driven recommendations.
As a pivotal moment for engagement, the annual G7 Summits—hosted in rotation by each member country—provide the U7+ Alliance with a platform to address pressing global challenges. In ongoing dialogue with G7 sherpas and governments, member universities align their research and reflections to shape meaningful contributions. To formalize its input, the Alliance’s working groups produce Communiqués, which are officially submitted to the G7 host government prior to the G7 Summit.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
In addition to its engagement with the G7, the U7+ Alliance actively collaborates with other international bodies, particularly the United Nations through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Through its Climate Change and Sustainability Working Group, U7+ is committed to driving specific actions in alignment with its founding principles, which recognize that our universities have a major role to play in addressing the environmental issues and challenges to sustainability such as climate change, biodiversity, and energy transition.
In that purpose and with the leadership of member institutions closely engaged with UNFCCC, the U7+ Alliance has been actively engaged in the COP over the past few years, reinforcing the essential role of universities in addressing climate challenges. Over the years, U7+ has coordinated the participation of numerous member institutions at COP, organized official UNFCCC side events, and contributed through researchers speaking on panels in both the Green and Blue Zones. U7+ is also involved every year in the SB sessions in Bonn, ensuring in this negotiation arena as well that universities are recognized as key partners in shaping climate policies.
The Subsidiary Bodies (SBs) consist of two bodies: the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA). These bodies support the work of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). They meet twice a year in Bonn and at the COP, and provide technical expertise and recommendations that shape the negotiations and outcomes of COP.
The Alliance’s commitment to climate action and sustainability is part of its broader strategic priorities, which include “Robust Democracy, Planetary Priorities and Multilateral Engagement”. In this regard, the Alliance is committed to influence the global policy agenda, including through joint projects and engagement with the G7, UN and other multilateral organizational processes. It engages with the member institutions’ respective student communities, recognizing that they will bear a disproportionate share of the burden and consequences of climate change.