June 6, 2006 :: No. 270

Cal State Fullerton President Milton A. Gordon has been invited to participate in the June 22-23 Council of Europe Higher Education Forum in Strasbourg, France.

“Higher Education and Democratic Culture: Citizenship, Human Rights and Civic Responsibility” is the focus of the two-day forum, which will bring together some 300 policymakers from universities and public agencies from around the world.

The forum’s purpose is to explore higher education’s responsibility for democracy and to invite participants to commit to undertake activities on their campuses and with local communities in this area.

The forum is organized in cooperation with the U.S. Steering Committee of the International Consortium for Higher Education, Civic Responsibility and Democracy. Consortium member organizations are the American Council on Education, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and Campus Compact.

As a designee of AAC&U, Gordon will participate in a global dialogue to advance higher education’s contribution to democracy. Caryn McTighe Musil, AAC&U senior vice president, described Gordon as “a president who would be especially effective representing United States’ higher education” and likely to use his “influence to help underscore the importance of educating students to be informed, empowered, and responsible local and global citizens after they graduate.”

Discussion at the forum will be geared around three issues of global concern: fostering democratic culture, promoting human rights and building sustainable democratic communities.

“These topics couldn’t be more timely and appropriate,” said Gordon, noting, “I’ve always considered myself an internationalist. … It’s appropriate for university presidents to be involved in such discussions.”

« back to News Front