The 2026 U7+ Presidential Summit took place in Paris during 14–15 April, 2026, as an official G7 France side event under the central theme of the Social Role of Universities. 

Hosted by Sciences Po, Université Paris Cité and École Polytechnique, the Summit brought together 85 university leaders, from 37 Universities representing 14 countries, to engage in discussions structured around the Alliance’s three core pillars: robust democracies, planetary priorities, and multilateral engagement. 

The pivotal moments that marked the Summit included:

▪️Presentation of the U7+ 2026 Communiqué to the French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palais de Élysée by the extended U7+ Presidential Steering Committee. The Communiqué signed by 37 U7+ Presidents invites G7 governments to partner with universities to better face global challenges.

▪️Introductory remarks from the French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space Philippe Baptiste at the Gala dinner.

▪️Keynote from Nobel Prize Winner Professeur Jean Tirole.

On behalf of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Prof. Shireesh Kedare, Director, IIT Bombay and Prof. Milind Atrey, Deputy Director, IIT Bombay attended the Summit to mark its consistent support and commitment towards the objectives and goals set by the U7+ alliance.

Further, Prof. Kedare chaired the session titled 'Coexisting with AI: a focus on AI and Business' forming the part of Summit scheduled on 15th April, 2026. During the session, he invited panelists to express their views on what concrete measures can be introduced to integrate philosophy, economics and law into our curricula to prepare future business leaders for the ethical challenges of AI? and as AI moves from the lab into the business world, how can universities ensure that this technology is not only productive but also trustworthy and adapted to local realities?

The summit successfully laid the groundwork for future cooperation.