Meet our Members: University of York
Meet our Members: The University of York showcased a distinctive worldview when it, with others, formed the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) in 2000. At a time when research excellence was becoming global, York’s vision extended beyond international partnerships to create a small, trusted alliance of research-intensive institutions, capable of tackling problems no single university could solve alone.
This vision remains at the heart of WUN 26 years later, with its 23 members choosing to create a critical mass of outstanding researchers from across continents and cultures, opting for collaboration over competition and focused on global challenges.
Outgoing Vice-Chancellor Professor Charlie Jeffery, who concludes seven years with York at the end of this month, says the intimate, focused network has been the catalyst for varied and deep research and educational collaborations with WUN members including Maastricht University in the Netherlands, Mahidol University in Thailand and Uganda’s Makerere University.
The Valuing Voices for Equitable and Responsible Research was a collaborative initiative between York and Mahidol Universities, funded by Wellcome. It aimed to dismantle institutional hierarchies in research and co-create an outline framework to help design equitable, inclusive projects. An online tool is now available to do this. The Voices project has expanded and now offers funding to support its goals.
Professor Jeffery is a strong advocate for the ways in which higher education and research can serve the public good. “Strengthening links between universities, government, industry and communities promotes inclusive economic development, widens access to opportunities and amplifies our research. International engagement pushes the pursuit of public good beyond national boundaries.”
WUN’s 2026-2029 Vision and Strategic Plan aims to strengthen these links through fewer, higher-impact collaborations, supported by institutional commitment, connections with government, global organisations and business, external income and measurable outcomes.
WUN thanks Professor Jeffery for his dedication to the Network and the opportunities it offers members to collaborate. We wish him a rewarding move to the University of Southampton.