OREANDA-NEWS. The University of Tartu signed the Prague and the Poitiers declarations that both emphasize the importance of education and the role of academia in the current world as the haven for democratic values.

The Prague Declaration was signed by 76 universities belonging to Coimbra Group on May 13th, 2016 at a conference held on the occasion of the celebrations of the 700th birth anniversary of King of Bohemia and Roman Emperor Charles IV in the historical building of Charles University.

The Prague Declaration envisions that educated “citizens of the world” are less likely to accept simple solutions, less prone to manipulation or misuse by various kinds of ideology. Therefore, universities must provide education to prepare the young generation to the fact that there are no easy solutions to complex problems. The declaration says critical thinking of free people and free discussion remain the most precious values in spite of the dramatic changes the world has undergone since the birth of Charles IV.

The Poitiers Declaration was signed by the Coimbra Group Universities and the Municipalities on June 9th, 2016 in Poitiers City Hall.

The Poitiers Declaration defines a collaborative framework for Coimbra Group universities and their municipalities, including a set of objectives and accompanying initiatives to be pursued in the coming years. The Declaration acknowledges that strong cooperation between universities and their municipalities is a valuable contribution to the society.