The U7+ Alliance of World Universities convened in Paris for its annual Presidential Summit on April 14–15, 2026. Hosted by Sciences Po, Université Paris Cité, and École Polytechnique, Keio’s delegation was led by President Kohei Itoh, who currently serves as Chair of the U7+ Alliance, and Professor Motohiro Tsuchiya, the Vice-President for Global Engagement.
Established at the initiative of President Emmanuel Macron in 2019, the U7+ Alliance has grown to include 48 universities from 19 countries. At this year’s summit, the Alliance was officially recognized as a G7 Engagement Group, a significant milestone in the organization’s ongoing efforts.
On April 14, President Itoh met President Macron at the Palais de l’Élysée, where he formally presented the U7+ 2026 Communiqué in his role as Alliance chair. Titled “The Social Role of Universities in a Divided World,” the document defines universities as “guardians and pillars of democratic societies” and calls upon G7 governments to engage universities as key strategic partners in addressing the complex global challenges of our time.
President Macron reaffirmed his steadfast commitment to supporting “free and independent science and academic freedom.” He praised the public role of universities in countering the misinformation and digital manipulation prevalent in the media and on social networks with evidence-based reasoning and scientific fact.
During a thematic panel discussion on dual-use research in universities held at the summit, President Itoh led a dialogue on the ways universities can balance their contributions to international trust and global security with the preservation of scientific independence.