In her remarks, Dr. Rassas emphasized the importance of strengthening the role of universities as pillars of stability and development, particularly in light of the growing challenges facing the region—from climate change and conflicts to digital infrastructure weaknesses and persistent gaps in achieving equitable and inclusive education.

She highlighted that the time has come for higher education institutions to position themselves as drivers of growth and transformation by modernizing their curricula to become more interdisciplinary and responsive to societal and environmental challenges; promoting applied research linked to public policy and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); expanding partnerships with civil society and local authorities; and adopting comprehensive, sustainable institutional strategies.

Dr. Rassas also underscored the importance of ensuring that higher education is recognized as an active stakeholder in the “Pact for the Mediterranean”, currently being developed through consultations led by the European Union. She called for the inclusion of clear mechanisms to support balanced academic mobility, digital education, and climate justice—empowering universities to respond effectively to crises and contribute to peacebuilding and sustainable development.

As part of efforts to expand international partnerships and strengthen the practical dimensions of academic collaboration, the meetings witnessed the signing of an agreement between UNIMED and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The agreement aims to integrate food security and environmental dimensions into university education programs. Dr. Rassas described this collaboration as a strategic step toward reinforcing the role of universities in advancing the SDGs, through aligning academic curricula with regional priorities such as food security, smart agriculture, and natural resource governance.

In her interventions, she also called for the development of a “Mediterranean Climate Action Agenda” to enhance academic and research cooperation in addressing the escalating effects of climate change in the region, in coordination with governments, civil society, and international partners.

During the session dedicated to cooperation among Euro-Mediterranean university networks, Dr. Rassas called for the creation of cross-sector academic alliances to foster academic integration and achieve tangible impact in areas such as student mobility, innovation, and academic protection in times of crisis. She affirmed that the Union of Mediterranean Universities is no longer just a network of academic institutions but has become an active movement of academic solidarity that transcends geographic and political boundaries in pursuit of a more just and integrated Mediterranean future.