Soros Urges World Leaders to Back His $1-Billion Global Education Network

George Soros urged world leaders on Thursday to back his Open Society University Network, a $1-billion effort to integrate teaching and research across higher-education institutions worldwide to solve big problems.

Soros, speaking at the Davos global economic conference, in Switzerland, said he would commit $1 billion to the network. He initially announced the project last year.

A fact sheet provided by a spokeswoman for Soros says the network “will integrate learning and knowledge creation across geographic and demographic boundaries, promote civic engagement to advance open societies, and expand access of underserved communities to higher education.”

The Central European University, which Soros founded, and Bard College will team up with Arizona State University and other institutions around the globe, according to a news release.

Soros touted the network in a speech in Davos, where he cited growing problems of climate change, authoritarianism, and displaced people.

The gift will be funded through Soros’s Open Society Foundations, which says it has distributed a total of $15.2 billion since its creation.