Univer-cities: Combatting Existential Climate Change - Volume V

The book describes how universities can serve as stabilising anchors for society amid global uncertainty and accelerating climate change. Integrating Univer-Cities Volumes I through V, it introduces the concept of the Univer-City—a civic-collegiate compact that highlights the enduring bond between universities and the cities they inhabit.The book frames the Univer-City as a modern agora: a dynamic space of engagement and exchange where ideas are debated, knowledge is synthesised, and intellectual and social capital are translated into meaningful civic action. It further extends this idea to a network of interconnected agoras, forming the foundation of a broader Cosmopolis.Drawing on established models from the United States and Europe while engaging with the evolving aspirations of universities across Asia, the book offers a comparative and forward-looking perspective. It concludes by arguing that sustained academic and collegiate leadership is critical to enabling proactive, transdisciplinary responses in an AI-pervasive new millennium.