U15 universities maintain a truly global network. They have partnerships with leading universities from America to Europe, from the Indo-Pacific region to Africa. Never has this been more important than today. To successfully tackle the immense challenges facing our society and the world at large, from climate change to the growing influence of AI to the transformation of the economy, transnational cooperation is more crucial than ever. We are convinced that the global collaboration of research-intensive universities can make a significant contribution to securing a democratic and livable future. This includes engaging in science diplomacy, advocating for scientific freedom worldwide, and providing protection for scientists and students in need. Internationalization is also a key priority for German U15 as an association. We advocate for the best possible framework conditions for international cooperation in science. We work closely with our partner organisations which bring together leading universities from all over the world. For our members, we analyze trends in internationalization. On all these topics, we advise politicians at the federal, state, and European levels.