Video Transcript

Nick Plant:

Humanity is facing huge problems, such as health inequalities, the climate crisis, economic instability, poverty and forced population displacements. One of the barriers to the creation and delivery of effective solutions is limited access to the knowledge needed for solving global challenges. To solve that problem, we need to build a collaborative community across individuals, institutions, and nations.

Simone Buitendijk:

Universities are superbly placed to create and share knowledge, working collaboratively to tackle inequalities, benefit society and drive change.  Through the development and enactment of the global Declaration on Knowledge Equity, we will capture our collective commitment and aspirations to reduce inequalities through increased access to knowledge. This Declaration sets the intention for achieving knowledge equity through the creation of a diverse network spanning virtual and physical spaces.

Nick Plant:

The Knowledge Equity Network will foster an environment where knowledge is shared more equitably, unhindered by barriers of cost, time, geographical or national borders – we want to make it easier for those who can use the knowledge to be able to access it. By unlocking access to the latest ground-breaking research, and offering research-led, challenge-focused education at scale, will help to solve the biggest challenges facing our planet.

Simone Buitendijk:

The Knowledge Equity Network will mainstream openness – accessibly and inclusively – amongst learners, educators, researchers, institutions, and organisations that are equally committed to the fundamental principle of knowledge equity – it is about how to network, how to collaborate and how to bring the research, education and societal impact that Universities deliver, to the world.

We are inviting every party involved in Higher Education to join us – all those who can help us create the momentum and think about different perspectives, solutions, and opportunities for us to approach opening access to knowledge – for everyone, everywhere. As HEIs, we cannot continue as we are. We need to take on this radial change through relentless collaboration.

Nick Plant:

We have worked with partners around the globe to set out a challenging but realistic Declaration that will be at the heart of the Knowledge Equity Network.  Through the network, we will engage in the open exchange of best practices and strategies to achieve the goals of the Declaration, and we have set a challenging target of 2030 to achieve this.

We have been heartened by everyone who wants to be part of this movement, who wants to be part of this coalition of the willing to  change the world.  Together we have the collective power to  make this positive difference.

Simone Buitendijk:

We can only achieve the maximum positive impact in this global movement for knowledge equity by working in a partnership of engaged individuals and institutions. We are keen to engage with senior leaders from Higher Education Institutions, with policy makers, funders and publishers who share this vision for fair and equitable access to knowledge.

Please join us – we can change the world – let’s not be driven by competition, but by generosity – let’s be stronger together – let’s work together on how to truly be a globally effective network that can make the world a better place.