Prague Appeal signed at Charles University












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            Prague, October 25, 2018


            On the occasion of Rectors’ Conference “University and the Republic: 100 years of Czechosl
            Republic”, Charles University, Prague, 24-25 October 2018


            Coimbra Group, EUROPAEUM, LERU, UNICA and Charles University






            Joint declaration:


            As European organisations of universities, we express our concern regarding recent politic
            and discussions, potentially leading to a division of the existing European Education, Res
            Innovation landscape and its associated EU funding schemes.\


            We want to stress that the European Education and Research Areas can only develop and flou
            remaining open to cross-border and international cooperation, regardless of the local poli

            and constraints. This includes the mobility of students, teachers, researchers, academic s
            families, as one of the crucial elements of open and excellent European Education and Rese


            We call on the EU decision makers to ensure that the future European programmes, Erasmus a
            Europe, will continue to allow, and even further develop, Education and Research agreement
            countries. In particular, a "Europe First" approach is genuinely undesirable.


            We believe that open European Education and Research Areas are the only solution to addres
            and global challenges to the benefit of citizens and democratic societies.



            Prof. Ludovic Thilly,

            Chair Coimbra Group

            Prof. Luciano Saso

            President UNICA

            Dr. Hartmut Mayer

            Director EUROPAEUM

            Prof. Kurt Deketelaere

            Secretary General LERU

            Prof. Tomáš Zima

            Rector of Charles University