Higher Education, Agenda 2030 and the SDGs

IAU Horizons Focus Africa: We are less than ten years away from the deadline set for Agenda 2030 and much remains to be done. Each month we give the floor to university leaders and experts who share solutions to integrate sustainable development into higher education

This month we focus on Africa and the following contributions from our members Makerere University and University of Nairobi:

Africa Leadership and partnerships for a Sustainable Future: Experiences from Makerere University School of Public Health, in Uganda, by Rhoda Wanyenze, Professor and Dean, School of Public Health, and Barnabas Nawangwe, Professor and Vice Chancellor Makerere University, Uganda. 

Academic Leadership in Training Change Agents towards achieving Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals. Experiences and Practices at the University Level, by Thuita Thenya, Senior Lecturer, University of Nairobi, Kenya.

Higher Education and the SDGs

In highlighting SDG 4 on quality education and the cross-cutting nature across all SDGs, universities are regarded as key actors in achieving the 17 goals set out by Agenda 2030. Therefore, as part of the National Committee for Agenda 2030 in Norway's university sector (SDG Norway), UNESCO and the University of Bergen established the Global Independent Expert Group on the Universities and the 2030 Agenda (EGU2030). Together with ISC, IAU is a partner in the project and contributed to the group's work. The EGU report will be during the online SDG Conference Bergen 2022 on 9-11 February.  

Values-based Leadership - an IAU Priority

Thought leadership and exchange are a significant part of IAU activities. Through webinars, we maintain the conversation where HE partners develop ideas to strengthen HE leaders’ capacity to build a positive environment for higher education in a post-pandemic world. Learn more about our Leadership activities in IAU’s 2020-2021 Annual Report and about different dimensions of value-based leadership, and how to get involved in the latest issue of IAU Horizons, published in December 2022.

The IAU Webinar Series on the Future of Higher Education debates the many themes identified for UNESCO WHEC 2022.

On 8 March #BreakTheBias 

International Women’s Day is Tuesday, 8 March, under #BreakTheBias. The focus is on a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive, where difference is valued and celebrated. 

What are you planning? Let us know @IAU_AIU

On the day, IAU will partner with European Women Rectors Association (EWORA) and the European Social Simulation Association (ESSA) to host a joint webinar. Would you like to attend? Follow us on Twitter @IAU_AIU or LinkedIn for updates on registration.

Reimagining Academic Freedom 

The Global Observatory on Academic Freedom (GOAF), supported by the Open Society University Network, held its First Bi-Annual Conference on 20 January. It kickstarted a much needed global debate on the future of academic freedom.  Hilligje van 't Land, who sits on the advisory board, was a keynote speaker. In her talk she emphasized the importance of academic freedom for quality higher education and the future of society during the roundtable, 'Is a Global Framework on Academic Freedom Possible?'

European University Alliances: What's New?

The IAU attended the Forum of Universities for the Future of Europe to connect Europe and and global perspectives. This forum provided an opportunity for higher education stakeholders to reflect on the role of universities in the Europe of the future and their contribution to its construction.

An incubator for new proposals to shape the university of tomorrow, this event draws specifically on the feedback from the 41 university alliances set up under the 'European Universities' initiative. During the wrap-up session, participants were able to identify ways to maximize recommendations contributed by the alliances. 

Call for contributions

This special issue of the Journal of Studies in International Education seeks contributions of original scholarly research that build an understanding of interconnections between internationalization and environmental sustainability.

Deadline 22 April 2022

Submission guidlines

International Education Day

Would you like to revisit some of the highlights from the day? Check out our Twitter moment.

Do you have an #EducationDay Tweet to share? Direct message us @IAU-AIU, and we’ll add your Tweet.

University of Liège - MOOC on Climate Change

The University of Liège, the Laboratoire de Climatologie and CARE Digital Tools have created a MOOC (in French) to understand the dynamics behind climate and global warming.
Learn more

How can sustainability and greening be addressed at universities?

One way is by engaging in partnerships and with the wider community to promote a sustainable culture beyond the university at the European level. Learn more about “greening” in Europe in the EUA policy report published in December 2021.

The ocean we need for the future we want!

This new joint publication by the IAU and University of Bergen (UiB) offers intriguing and concrete examples of meaningful research, strategies, initiatives and projects strengthening ocean science, education, and the links between SDG 14 and other SDGs.

Autumn Issue of International Higher Education

The Handbook of International Higher Education

Observatory Digest - December 2021