Enhancing Higher Education for Sustainable Development in Small Island Developing States

Enhancing Higher Education for Sustainable Development in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), a side event in the framework of the Fourth International Conference on SIDS (SIDS4), to take place in Saint John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, is designed to enhance the contributions of higher education to sustainable development in SIDS over the coming decade. 

The event will lay the groundwork for establishing a higher education for SIDS action network under the Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI), building upon the groundwork by the University Consortium for SIDS1. The focus areas of such network could include: 

1. Enhancing collaborative research initiatives among higher education institutions in SIDS and international partners to address pressing challenges relevant to sustainable development, resilience, and the unique circumstances of SIDS. 
2. Fostering partnerships within higher education institutions in SIDS to promote internal collaboration across universities and external collaboration with various societal sectors.
3. Strengthening the science-policy interface to support the implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) and facilitating evidence-based policymaking processes in SIDS. 
4. Promoting teaching and curriculum development for sustainable development within SIDS, by aligning curricula with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), facilitating experiential learning, and offering capacity-building opportunities for educators. 
5. Providing capacity building to higher education institutions in SIDS through professional development opportunities, workshops, and training programs designed to enhance educators’ competencies in teaching sustainability-related topics and innovative pedagogical approaches. 
6. Advocating for increased investments for higher education initiatives in SIDS and mobilizing resources to support sustainability projects in the region. 
7. Advocating for mobility through staff sharing and student exchanges among member institutions, enabling educators and students to gain international perspectives, develop cultural competencies, and engage in experiential learning related to sustainable development. 

Participants:

Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, UN DESA; Vidar Helgesen, Executive Secretary and Assistance Director-General, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO; Sai Navoti, Chief, SIDS Unit, Division for SDGs, UN DESA; Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor, University of the West Indies (tbc); Emily Wilkinson, Director, Resilient and Sustainable Islands (RESI) ; Mark Wuddivira, Caribbean Academy of Science; Kalim Shah, University of Delaware; Naya Ifigenia Gomes Correia Sena, Peace Boat and University of Tokyo. Moderated by Nikhil Seth, UNITAR Executive Director and UN Assistant Secretary-General.

Read the concept note and agenda: here

For more information visit: https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/sids2024