The International USR Summit 2026, a flagship event of the University Social Responsibility Network (USRN), was successfully held at Sichuan University, Chengdu, on 22 October 2026. The Summit brought together more than 200 university leaders, scholars, practitioners, students, and representatives of international organisations to explore how higher education can respond collectively to increasingly complex global challenges.

Hosted by Sichuan University under the theme “University Social Responsibility: Global Challenges and Collective Action”, the Summit provided an important platform for dialogue on the role of universities in advancing sustainable development, strengthening disaster resilience, promoting public health, and generating meaningful societal impact through teaching, research, and community engagement.

The Summit commenced with an opening ceremony featuring welcome remarks by Professor Ye Ling, Vice President of Sichuan University; Professor Ben Young, Chair of the USRN Executive Committee and Vice President (Student and Global Affairs) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU); Mr Dylan Lu, Chief Mainland Representative of the Institute of Philanthropy; and Dr Camila Philbert Lajolo, Team Lead for Emergency Medical Teams at the World Health Organization (WHO). The speakers jointly welcomed participants and marked the official opening of the Summit, reflecting the shared commitment of the host university, the USRN and partner organisations to addressing global challenges through collaboration and collective action.

Reflecting on the USRN’s mission as the Network enters its second decade, Professor Young called for university social responsibility to be embedded across institutional strategies, education, research, partnerships and operations. He highlighted PolyU’s mandatory, credit-bearing Service-Learning programme as an example of translating knowledge into community impact, and reflected on PolyU’s longstanding partnership with Sichuan University through the Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction (IDMR), which has grown from their collaborative response to the Wenchuan Earthquake into a lasting platform for knowledge exchange, capacity building and societal impact.

A key highlight of the Summit was the USRN Roundtable, “University Social Responsibility in an Era of Global Challenges: Advancing Societal Impact through Collective Action.” Moderated by Professor Young, the session brought together distinguished speakers with academic, institutional and operational expertise:

• Professor Fengshi Wu, Professor in Politics and International Relations, UNSW Sydney;
• Dr Phillipa Evans, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Arts, Design and Architecture, UNSW Sydney;
• Mr Sean Casey, Programme Area Manager for Emergency Operations at the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific; and
• Professor Jan Dietrich Reinhardt, Professor and Director of Health Sciences, Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction (IDMR), Sichuan University and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

The discussion examined how universities can embed social responsibility within institutional strategies, strengthen the translation of research into policy and practice, and build effective partnerships with governments, international organisations, NGOs, and communities.

Drawing on UNSW Sydney’s experience, Professor Wu and Dr Evans discussed how institutional support, community-engaged learning and international partnerships can strengthen universities’ contributions to society. They highlighted the importance of fostering a university culture that values engagement with real-world challenges, interdisciplinary collaboration and sustained relationships with external partners.

Representing the WHO, Mr Casey underscored the critical role of evidence-informed decision-making in emergency preparedness and response. He called for closer collaboration between universities and international organisations in operational research, capacity building, and disaster response, particularly through research undertaken with and for low- and middle-income countries.

Professor Reinhardt highlighted the value of participatory research, engagement with communities and policymakers, and institutional support that enable academics and students to address pressing societal challenges. He noted that effective knowledge transfer begins with asking relevant questions and involving stakeholders throughout the research process.

During the question-and-answer session, participants from different regions exchanged perspectives on disaster risk reduction, local and traditional knowledge, public health and international cooperation. The discussion reaffirmed the importance of cross-sector partnerships and identified opportunities for networks such as the USRN to connect expertise and facilitate collaborative initiatives with lasting societal impact.

As a flagship biennial event of the USRN, the International USR Summit continues to provide an important platform for universities and their partners to exchange ideas, share good practices and develop collaborative responses to global challenges.

The USRN extends its sincere appreciation to Sichuan University, IDMR, the speakers, partner organisations and all participants for contributing to the success of the Summit. The Network looks forward to building on the discussions and partnerships developed in Chengdu to advance university social responsibility and collective action worldwide.