How do universities engage with the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs?

The third iteration of the IAU Global Survey on higher education and research for sustainable development (HESD) on “The role of higher education in fostering sustainable development: How do institutions engage with the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs”, goes live this week.
The survey uses the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs framework to understand better how HEIs foster and engage with sustainable development. Outcomes will help inform policy and support universities already engaged and those who want to engage with the SDGs. Data and examples collected will be used to advocate for the significant role of higher education in Agenda 2030 at the UN level and to national and local governments.

IAU at the UNESCO #WHEC2022

IAU is a key partner to the WHEC2022. During the Conference, the Association will organise roundtables and panel discussions on the impact of COVID19 on HE, the future of higher education, and the role of education in sustainable development. IAU will also launch two policy documents: 

• An IAU Policy Statement on “Transforming Higher Education in a Digital World for the Global Common Good” 
• A Policy Brief on “The Continuing Need for Internationalization of Higher Education”, submitted by the Network of International Education Associations (NIEA), coordinated by the IAU.

Learn more : IAU at WHEC2022.

Global Forum Higher Education Leadership for Democracy, Sustainability and Social Justice

The Global Forum, Higher Education Leadership for Democracy, Sustainability, and Social Justice is co-organized by the Global Cooperation for the Democratic Mission of Higher Education. The Forum includes the Council of Europe, the International Consortium for Higher Education, Civic Responsibility, and Democracy, the Organization of American States, the International Association of Universities, and the host Dublin City University.

The Forum will gather some 150 - 200 higher education leaders and representatives of public authorities and NGOs from Europe, the United States and Latin America, and  participants from the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. The main outcomes of the conference will be:

• An increased commitment to higher education leadership for democracy, sustainability and social justice; and
• A better understanding of how to put this commitment to practice in different parts of the world.

This is an invitation-only event; to attend, please contact: Jessica Huang, Assistant, Administration and Membership.

IAU General Conference - Call for proposals

The call for proposals for the IAU 16th General Conference on Relevance and Value of Higher Education to Future Society is open until 15 April 2022. Framed by the conference concept note, IAU is looking for speakers from different regions of the world that can contribute to the essential conversations during breakout sessions of the General Conference programme.

IAU Global Survey Report

Following the successful launch webinar on 1 March, the 164-page survey report Higher Education One Year into the COVID-19 Pandemic, has over 700 downloads. The report offers a very detailed picture of the impact of COVID-19 on higher education using the responses by higher education institutions and other stakeholders one year into the pandemic.

Higher Education, Agenda 2030 and the SDGs

IAU Horizons Focus Europe: This month, we focus on Europe with nine contributions from our Members exploring the key role higher education plays in leading communities and society to better understand and accept changes to achieve the SDGs.

IAU’s Statement on the recent developments in Ukraine

The International Association of Universities (IAU) is strongly committed to the promotion of international dialogue and collaboration. The Association respects diverse perspectives and promotes social responsibility and academic values. IAU is deeply concerned about the war in Ukraine and the escalation of violence. As stated by the UN Secretary General such operations are violations of the territorial integrity and sovereignty and are inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations.

With UNESCO, IAU calls for respect for international humanitarian law and the protection of teachers, educators, schools and university personnel and for the right to education to be upheld. We stand by the universities around the world as they build bridges for peace and understanding through teaching, research and community engagement; we stand by the universities in countries at war. IAU Members are assisting students and staff stranded in foreign countries everywhere around the world. We place our hope in education and research, in academic diplomacy, in free speech, human rights and democracy. These are essential foundations for building a better future and contribute to the protection of civilians and society at large. 

We wish for peace to be restored as soon as possible.

Continue sending your answers

The IAU and ​a research group of Politecnico di Milano (PoliMi) invite you to join the many HEIs who have already answered the global survey on the state of digital transformation in higher education institutions (HEIs) administrative services.

Joint OECD-UNODC session

On 1 April, Hilligje van't Land, IAU Secretary-General, spoke during Reclaiming our future through education on ethics and integrity. She addressed higher education's role in preventing corruption in and through HE and how research on corruption will inform policy. The session was organized by the UNODC as Knowledge Partner of the virtual 2022 OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum.

IAU HESD Cluster Workshop

Over three days, from  21 to 23 March, 17 IAU HESD Cluster lead and satellite institutions met to share, learn and plan for the future. Main discussion topics included how universities can engage with the SDGs and the importance of a whole institutional approach. A Twitter Moment is available to catch some of the exchanges from the day.
The IAU Global Cluster on HESD promotes the role and potential that HEIs have to achieve the SDGs and 2030 Agenda. The Cluster encourages collaboration and a holistic approach to the SDGs, focusing specifically on the whole institution approach to SD.

IAU at EURIE

On 3 March, Pam Fredman, IAU President, moderated the session “The impact of COVID-19 on higher education and internationalization, reflections and perspectives for the future” during the EURASIA Higher Education Hybrid Summit (EURIE). Panelists from IAU Member HEIs were Andrew Deeks (Former-President, University College Dublin, Ireland), and Carmen Lamagna (Dr., Vice-chancellor, American International University, Bangladesh).

2022 EUA Annual Conference

An IAU Member Organization, EUA, will hold the 2022 EUA Annual Conference, “University values: what, why and how?” on 28-29 April at Budapest University of Technology and Economics in Hungary. Registrations are open until 13 April.

UNESCO: Launch of nominations call for UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education 2022

The UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education honours outstanding and innovative contributions made by individuals, institutions, and organizations to advance girls’ and women’s education. The 2022 Call for Nominations is open until 20 May.

A whole-institution approach towards sustainability: a crucial aspect of higher education’s individual and collective engagement with the SDGs and beyond

Higher education and its leadership are not yet using their potential impact for a sustainable future. This paper focuses on UN developments. The long history of university involvement in sustainability might create more interest and understanding that sustainably oriented universities are possible, and a much stronger role for higher education is needed when nations are discussing their future.

Higher Education One Year into the COVID-19 Pandemic

The second edition of the global survey on the impact of COVID-19 on higher education gathers replies from 496 HEIs in 112 countries and territories worldwide. The Report on the results introduces the global perspective as well as a comparison between regions as well as among public and private HEIs.
The Report is  available on the IAU website for free download.

HEP - research articles on COVID recently published

SpringerNature has recently published three papers online on Covid and how it has impacted various aspects of the higher education sector. The papers are currently available for free download:

Policy Changes in Global Higher Education: What Lessons Do We Learn from the COVID-19 Pandemic? by Jandhyala B. G. Tilak and Amruth G. Kumar;

COVID Crisis, Culture Wars and Australian Higher Education by Anthony Welch;

What Has Been the Impact of COVID-19 on Driving Digitalization, Innovation and Crisis Management of Higher Education and Quality Assurance? - A Taiwan Case Study in Alignment with the INQAAHE Virtual Review by Angela Yung Chi Hou, I-Jung Grace Lu and Christopher Hill.

These papers will be part of a special edition, to be released later in 2022