"Poitiers Agreement": University and Municipality work together to promote Padua in Europe
25.11.2019
The University and Municipality of Padua work together to promote Padua in Europe.
Rector Rosario Rizzuto of the University of Padua, and mayor of Padua, Sergio Giordani, have signed the Poitiers Declaration which is a formal commitment of cooperation between the Universities of the Coimbra Group and their respective municipalities. The aim of the declaration is to develop local and regional communities through ten comprehensive goals. The ten goals focus on the education of citizens through access of culture, the transfer of technology from research laboratories to the socio-economic world, as well as the integration of the university campus in relation to urban policies.
The ten goals of the agreement include:
- Joint initiatives of local governance with other institutional and social actors of Cities and Universities.
- Sharing the benefits and impact of Research and Education with the broader regional, national and European stakeholders.
- Incentives to Knowledge and Culture-based entertainment events, as a positive element of University and City life and engagement with the broader public.
- Internationalization of the activities of Universities and Cities.
- Support for the expansion of youth entrepreneurship directly linked to Research.
- Development of policies to attract companies as well as medical, social and cultural services and activities.
- Development of a joint University-City policy on protection, enhancement and guarantee of sustainability of University buildings.
- Development of welcoming and affordable residential policies.
- Rethinking of public transport and urban mobility, with attention to the needs of the student population.
- Promotion of sport among students and all citizens, both as an amateur and professional activity, as well as a way to overcome disabilities.
Founded in 1985, the Coimbra Group is a network of 39 European multidisciplinary universities from 23 European countries, including the University of Padua, which aims to create academic and cultural links by promoting internationalization and academic collaboration.
The network implements actions in favour of a European policy in the field of higher education through the mutual exchange of information and the development of academic collaborations.
In 2016, the members of the Group issued the Poitiers Declaration, reaffirming the central role of Universities in the development of Cities and the importance of Cities as catalysts for the development of Universities, and outlines a set of objectives and accompanying initiatives to be pursued in the coming years.
