Academia / University / Higher Education
Universities and higher education institutions more broadly have long played a significant role in society. They have an ability to act as paramount mechanisms in our society, economy and environment, at local and even international levels.
As important sites for knowledge production, research, innovation, and the education of the future workforce, these institutions have a strong role and impact on the society that we live in. In face of the 2030 Agenda, this important role of universities remains essential. But what does that mean? How can and should universities and higher education institutions help to address the world’s greatest challenges?
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as identified by the United Nations lay out a framework of transformations towards a more sustainable future for all. Higher education has the ability to support the achievement of these goals, and also in employing more systemic approaches that recognize the cross-cutting nature of these goals and their targets. As such, there is a need to deeply understand how these institutions can best contribute to the SDGs in terms of research and curricula, as well as their role outside the walls of the academia.
Latest Updates :
Higher Education and Research for Sustainable Development (HESD)
Contribution of Higher Education to the SDGs
Report: The Future of Climate Education at Harvard University
Community Climate Resilience Self-Assessment Tool
As part of the Climate Resilience Capacity Building Program, the Action Centre has just published a new tool to help you gauge your community’s general readiness for the risks of climate change.
Use it to identify gaps in your competencies and to identify supports and funding streams that can address those gaps. See where your community stands in terms of its climate resilience literacy, planning, collaboration and more.
Accelerating Education for the SDGs in Universities: A guide for universities, colleges, and tertiary and higher education institutions
Read More …Click here
Higher Education Partnerships to accelerate action on Sustainable Development Goals – Read More….
As the global voice of higher education, IAU will be the most influential and representative global association of diverse higher education institutions and their organizations, advocating and advancing a dynamic leadership role for higher education in society. Articulating the fundamental values and principles that underpin education and the pursuit, dissemination and application of knowledge, the Association will lead and advocate the development of higher education policies and practices that respect diverse perspectives promote social responsibility and contribute to the development of a sustainable future.
Biodiversity on Campus – An EU Guide
AI Risk Management Framework
Building Guardrails for Chat GPT
Higher education: How do we unleash the talent of the next generation?
Higher education is evolving at a very rapid pace around the world. The number of students in universities and higher education institutions has more than doubled globally in the last two decades to 235 million. And it’s expected to double again in the next decade, along with international student mobility. Are universities ready?
How research universities are evolving to strengthen regional economies
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) For successful and Just Transition
CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION
Education is crucial to promote climate action. It helps people understand and address the impacts of the climate crisis, empowering them with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed to act as agents of change.
The international community recognizes the importance of education and training to address climate change. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement and the associated Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) agenda call on governments to educate, empower and engage all stakeholders and major groups on policies and actions relating to climate change.
Through its Education for Sustainable Development programme, UNESCO has been working to make education a more central and visible part of the international response to climate change.
Acting as a global advocate and aiming to strengthen capacities of governments to provide quality Climate Change Education (CCE), UNESCO produces and shares knowledge, provides policy guidance and technical support to its Member States and implements projects on the ground. UNESCO encourages innovative approaches and enhances non-formal education programmes through media, networking and partnerships.
Climate action is one of the key thematic priority of ESD for 2030, the Education for Sustainable Development’s global framework for the next 10 years.
Climate change education for social transformation Webinar 3: Education for post-carbon green economies.
Learning Ecosystems as a way to rethink learning-Read more..
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in researching and mapping Learning Ecosystems. Academics and researchers have sought to map actors and projects, as well as tried to understand trends and best practices to better define this concept. Read more on this
A new green learning agenda: Approaches to quality education for climate action- Read more..
Education for Climate Action Why education is critical for climate progress
We see three primary areas where education can play a major role addressing the climate crisis. While there is some momentum in each of these three areas, more is needed to meet the moment, including greater coordination, scale of activity, and funding.
Bridging Innovation and Learning in TVET
For TVET institutions to remain relevant and attractive to learners, they need to provide digital skills and competencies for the changing world of work and embrace the opportunities brought about by the green transition. However, success in tackling these challenges and harnessing the benefits depends largely on the capabilities of TVET teachers and trainers.
Read more
Climate adaptation Competency Framework – Read more…
Climate adaptation involves making adjustments in our decisions, activities and thinking because of observed and expected changes in climate, in order to moderate harm or take advantage of new opportunities.
Transforming Education Pre-Summit
The Transforming Education Pre‐Summit took place in Paris on 28‐30 June 2022. A Global Engagement Day on 28 June included technical meetings on Thematic Action Tracks and engagements with key stakeholders. The High‐level segment consisting of Ministerial and Stakeholder engagement took place from 29‐30 June 2022.
The overall objective of the Pre‐Summit was to harness the evolving discussions on transforming education, elaborate initial content and establish a shared vision and suggested actions for the Summit, and generate greater momentum in the lead up to September. More specifically, the Pre‐Summit provided an inclusive and open forum for:
The Turning Point – Why we must Transform education Now – Read more…
Celebrating 10 years of SDSN
Rewiring Education for People and Planet-
We are grappling with an unprecedented series of critical challenges. The devastating effects of the pandemic, rising food and energy costs, new and ongoing conflicts, and the impacts of climate change are deepening poverty and vulnerability worldwide. These compounding global crises are underscored by a silent crisis in education. Some key points of the report submitted at TES
1. Expand early childhood programs
2. Develop a team-based education workforce
3. Scale adaptive, inclusive, and engaging teaching to reduce inequalities
4. Scale school meals and school health interventions
5. Create diverse and certifiable routes for youth
6. Adapt education systems to build climate resilience and develop green skills
The SDG Accord
The purpose of the SDG Accord is twofold:
First it is to inspire, celebrate and advance the critical role that education has in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the value it brings to governments, business and wider society.
New Forms of Governance are required to capture the Cross Sectoral benefits of Life long Learning
Decentralised approaches to policy governance & implementation are key. Read our new Handbook to learn how diverse actors – learning cities, NGOs, youth councils, & libraries – can work in concert to translate #lifelonglearningfrom vision into reality.
Stakeholder partnership can implement the UNESCO Open Education Resource (OER) Recommendation
Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education
Transformative Education programming is to expand student recognition of oppressive social forces shaping society- Start Empowerment
Self-directed education – evidence base in brief
Copenhagen Centre on Energy Efficiency – Technical educational training
The Copenhagen Centre supports project implementation by supporting the development of technical and vocational training programmes on energy efficiency.
TEACHING CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION SKILLS: THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES
CISL Frameworks
Leveraging AI to Cut Costs
24 Goals to Save the Planet (+1 in Case We Don’t)
Read more….
Which of these 40 sustainability certifications is right for you?
Leveraging Online content in Higher Education
Education is about to radically change: AI for the masses
Best 14 jobs of the future: the most in-demand careers
Stanford University Scope 3 Emissions Inventory
Is your institution actively supporting the Sustainable Development Goals?
Tell us how you are doing it and help us inspire other higher education institutions across the globe!
Higher education institutions can actively contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals through teaching, research, community engagement, non-academic services and management practices.
As important sites for knowledge production, research, innovation, and the education of the future workforce, these institutions have a strong role and impact on the society that we live in. In face of the 2030 Agenda, this important role of universities remains essential. But what does that mean? How can and should universities and higher education institutions help to address the world’s greatest challenges?
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as identified by the United Nations lay out a framework of transformations towards a more sustainable future for all. Higher education has the ability to support the achievement of these goals, and also in employing more systemic approaches that recognize the cross-cutting nature of these goals and their targets. As such, there is a need to deeply understand how these institutions can best contribute to the SDGs in terms of research and curricula, as well as their role outside the walls of the academia.
Scientists agree that we are on the precipice of a global climate crisis. How will it transform colleges and universities?
In 2019, intense fires in the San Francisco Bay Area closed universities and drove afflicted people to shelter at other campuses. At the same time, extraordinary fires ravaged eastern Australia. Several universities responded by promising material and research support to damaged businesses while also hosting refugees and emergency response teams in student residence halls. This was an echo of the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Katrina on Tulane University in 2005.
Universities are on Fire, futurist research explores higher education during an age of unfolding climate crisis. Powered by real-world examples and the latest research, assesses practical responses and strategies by surveying contemporary programs and academic climate research from around the world. He establishes a model of how academic institutions may respond and offers practical pathways forward for higher education. How will the two main purposes of education—teaching and research—change as the world heats up? Alexander positions colleges and universities in the broader social world, from town-gown relationships to connections between how campuses and civilization as a whole respond to this epochal threat.
Current studies of climate change trace the likely implications across a range of domains, from agriculture to policy, urban design, technology, culture, and human psychology. However, few books have predicted or studied the effects of the climate crisis on colleges and universities. By connecting climate research to a deep, futures-informed analysis of academia, Universities on Fire research explores how climate change will fundamentally reshape higher education.
Exploring Educators’ Perspectives of Teaching Social and Emotional Competencies for Climate Change”
Sustainable development encounters numerous challenges characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, often referred to as VUCA. Students aiming for careers in sustainable development need to cultivate the capacity to effectively navigate and respond to these VUCA conditions. In order to do so, students need to develop social and emotional competencies that can help to prepare for, understand, and adapt to VUCA situations. Little is known if, and how, such skills are taught and/or developed in higher education programs. Educator attitudes towards: i) VUCA conditions that are associated with the challenges of the 21st century, as well as ii) the teaching of social and emotional competencies to students engaged in sustainable development learning. Educators must offer some insights into how higher education institutions can create an enabling environment for such learning and skill development to happen.
Latest Updates :
Net Zero on Campus Guides
Technology in Education GEM 2023 Report
UNICEF AI Policy for Children
Higher Education and Research for Sustainable Development (HESD)
UNESCO IESALC launches Inclusion 360° programme
SDSN Report 2023
Contribution of Higher Education to the SDGs
University action on the SDGs: 5 lessons from 17 Rooms-U experiments
Commonwealth Futures Climate Research Cohort
The Monitoring and Evaluating Climate Communication and Education Project
Global University Climate Forum
SDG Impact – Powerful data and analytics to support success in sustainability
Community Climate Resilience Self-Assessment Tool
As part of the Climate Resilience Capacity Building Program, the Action Centre has just published a new tool to help you gauge your community’s general readiness for the risks of climate change.
Use it to identify gaps in your competencies and to identify supports and funding streams that can address those gaps. See where your community stands in terms of its climate resilience literacy, planning, collaboration and more.
Accelerating Education for the SDGs in Universities: A guide for universities, colleges, and tertiary and higher education institutions
Read More …Click here
Higher Education Partnerships to accelerate action on Sustainable Development Goals – Read More….
As the global voice of higher education, IAU will be the most influential and representative global association of diverse higher education institutions and their organizations, advocating and advancing a dynamic leadership role for higher education in society. Articulating the fundamental values and principles that underpin education and the pursuit, dissemination and application of knowledge, the Association will lead and advocate the development of higher education policies and practices that respect diverse perspectives promote social responsibility and contribute to the development of a sustainable future.
Biodiversity on Campus – An EU Guide
AI Risk Management Framework
Higher education: How do we unleash the talent of the next generation?
Higher education is evolving at a very rapid pace around the world. The number of students in universities and higher education institutions has more than doubled globally in the last two decades to 235 million. And it’s expected to double again in the next decade, along with international student mobility. Are universities ready?
Higher Education and Research for Sustainable Development (HESD)
Read more….
How research universities are evolving to strengthen regional economies
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) For successful and Just Transition
Greening guidelines for TVET institutes
Greening TVET and skills development
CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION
Education is crucial to promote climate action. It helps people understand and address the impacts of the climate crisis, empowering them with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed to act as agents of change.
The international community recognizes the importance of education and training to address climate change. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement and the associated Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) agenda call on governments to educate, empower and engage all stakeholders and major groups on policies and actions relating to climate change.
Through its Education for Sustainable Development programme, UNESCO has been working to make education a more central and visible part of the international response to climate change.
Acting as a global advocate and aiming to strengthen capacities of governments to provide quality Climate Change Education (CCE), UNESCO produces and shares knowledge, provides policy guidance and technical support to its Member States and implements projects on the ground. UNESCO encourages innovative approaches and enhances non-formal education programmes through media, networking and partnerships.
Climate action is one of the key thematic priority of ESD for 2030, the Education for Sustainable Development’s global framework for the next 10 years.
Three reasons climate change education is critical for adaptation and resilience
Climate change education for social transformation Webinar 3: Education for post-carbon green economies.
Learning Ecosystems as a way to rethink learning-Read more..
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in researching and mapping Learning Ecosystems. Academics and researchers have sought to map actors and projects, as well as tried to understand trends and best practices to better define this concept. Read more on this
A new green learning agenda: Approaches to quality education for climate action- Read more..
Education for Climate Action Why education is critical for climate progress
We see three primary areas where education can play a major role addressing the climate crisis. While there is some momentum in each of these three areas, more is needed to meet the moment, including greater coordination, scale of activity, and funding.
Bridging Innovation and Learning in TVET
For TVET institutions to remain relevant and attractive to learners, they need to provide digital skills and competencies for the changing world of work and embrace the opportunities brought about by the green transition. However, success in tackling these challenges and harnessing the benefits depends largely on the capabilities of TVET teachers and trainers.
Read more
Climate adaptation Competency Framework – Read more…
Climate adaptation involves making adjustments in our decisions, activities and thinking because of observed and expected changes in climate, in order to moderate harm or take advantage of new opportunities.
Transforming Education Pre-Summit
The Transforming Education Pre‐Summit took place in Paris on 28‐30 June 2022. A Global Engagement Day on 28 June included technical meetings on Thematic Action Tracks and engagements with key stakeholders. The High‐level segment consisting of Ministerial and Stakeholder engagement took place from 29‐30 June 2022.
The overall objective of the Pre‐Summit was to harness the evolving discussions on transforming education, elaborate initial content and establish a shared vision and suggested actions for the Summit, and generate greater momentum in the lead up to September. More specifically, the Pre‐Summit provided an inclusive and open forum for:
The Turning Point – Why we must Transform education Now – Read more…
Celebrating 10 years of SDSN
Rewiring Education for People and Planet-
We are grappling with an unprecedented series of critical challenges. The devastating effects of the pandemic, rising food and energy costs, new and ongoing conflicts, and the impacts of climate change are deepening poverty and vulnerability worldwide. These compounding global crises are underscored by a silent crisis in education. Some key points of the report submitted at TES
1. Expand early childhood programs
2. Develop a team-based education workforce
3. Scale adaptive, inclusive, and engaging teaching to reduce inequalities
4. Scale school meals and school health interventions
5. Create diverse and certifiable routes for youth
6. Adapt education systems to build climate resilience and develop green skills
The SDG Accord
The purpose of the SDG Accord is twofold:
First it is to inspire, celebrate and advance the critical role that education has in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the value it brings to governments, business and wider society.
New Forms of Governance are required to capture the Cross Sectoral benefits of Life long Learning
Decentralised approaches to policy governance & implementation are key. Read our new Handbook to learn how diverse actors – learning cities, NGOs, youth councils, & libraries – can work in concert to translate #lifelonglearningfrom vision into reality.
Making Life long Learning a Reality
Stakeholder partnership can implement the UNESCO Open Education Resource (OER) Recommendation
Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education
Transformative Education programming is to expand student recognition of oppressive social forces shaping society- Start Empowerment
Self-directed education – evidence base in brief
Copenhagen Centre on Energy Efficiency – Technical educational training
The Copenhagen Centre supports project implementation by supporting the development of technical and vocational training programmes on energy efficiency.
TEACHING CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION SKILLS: THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES
CISL Frameworks
Leveraging AI to Cut Costs
24 Goals to Save the Planet (+1 in Case We Don’t)
Read more….
Which of these 40 sustainability certifications is right for you?
Leveraging Online content in Higher Education
Education is about to radically change: AI for the masses
Best 14 jobs of the future: the most in-demand careers
Architects Resource Guide
Stanford University Scope 3 Emissions Inventory
Is your institution actively supporting the Sustainable Development Goals?
Tell us how you are doing it and help us inspire other higher education institutions across the globe!
Higher education institutions can actively contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals through teaching, research, community engagement, non-academic services and management practices.
Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education
Toolbox for Teaching Climate & Energy
Generative AI and Future of Education
Read more….