The University of Michigan has accepted an invitation to join the U7+ Alliance of World Universities, an international alliance of university presidents who work together to address pressing global challenges.

“We are so pleased to be joining the U7+ Alliance,” said U-M President Santa J. Ono. “It is a tremendous opportunity to join the incredible strengths of the University of Michigan in discovery, excellence and innovation with other universities in having a local, regional and global impact.”

The U7+ Alliance is the first alliance of university presidents aimed at structuring and advancing their role as global actors across a multilateral agenda. Launched in 2019, the alliance brings together university leaders from around the world who are committed to academic freedom and scholarly values to engage in discussions that lead to actions to address pressing global challenges.

Areas of focus include climate change and sustainability, economic inequality, ethical applications of artificial intelligence and more.

The U7+ Alliance is made up of more than 100 presidents and top leaders from universities in more than 20 countries.

In accepting the invitation from Meric Gertler, president of the University of Toronto and chair of the U7+ Presidential Steering Committee, U-M becomes the fifth U.S. institution to join the alliance, alongside Columbia University, Georgetown University, Northwestern University and University of California, Berkeley.