The Critical Edge Alliance is a network comprising the following founding universities: Al Akhawayn University in Morocco, Evergreen State Collegeand The New Schoolin the USA, Pontifícia Universidade Cathólica do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Tata Institute of Social Sciencesin India, Universidad de los Andes in Colombia and Roskilde Universityin Denmark. Paris 8 University joined the alliance in June 2018.

The Critical Edge Alliance brings together universities that place a strong focus on critical thinking, social engagement, interdisciplinary teaching and research, and that adopt alternative and innovative approaches to higher education, particularly through active participation and student-centred learning.

The Alliance aims to create a new global community of learning and research, as well as promoting the following shared values:

• Democratic participation, social inclusion and social justice in order to encourage active citizenship in communities and the world at large.
• Human understanding and empathy across national, ethnic, cultural, gender/sexual and religious differences.
• Collaboration and partnerships of knowledge exploration, between university and society, across academic disciplines and among faculty and students.
• Active and mutual learning towards personal and communal development.
• Combination of practice and theory in order to encourage reflection and critical questioning to identify and address problems in the world.

Coordination

Paris 8 University’s participation in the alliance is coordinated by:

• Academic coordinator: Sophie Wauquier, Vice President of International Relations
• Administrative coordinator: Laurent Bertat, Director of the International Relations and Cooperation Office

Student coordinator:

Théo Bertrand, student in 3rd year of Bachelor degree in political science at the University Paris 8 : theo.bertrand@etud.univ-paris8.fr