Webinar: Higher Education and the Implementation of the SDGs

In the Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),  and in the context of the ongoing global challenges, the role of institutions of higher education in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is more critical than ever. The United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) as the initiative within the Department of Global Communications of the United Nations Secretariat that aligns institutions of higher education with the United Nations in supporting and contributing to the realization of the Organization’s purposes and principles, and the UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNESCO-IESALC) as the sole specialized institute of the United Nations system with the mission to contribute to the improvement of higher education in member States, are joining efforts to foster the engagement of these institutions in implementing the SDGs.

Objective and background: This briefing will present some recent initiatives developed to inspire, guide and support higher education institutions to increase their contribution to the SDGs. First, a set of guidelines for leaders of higher education institutions jointly developed by UNAI and UNESCO-IESALC will be presented. Then, a preliminary version of SET4HEI will be launched, a self-assessment tool developed by UNESCO-IESALC to improve how higher education institutions evaluate the contribution to the 2030 Agenda. In addition, a selection of good practices cases compiled by UNAI will be explained, showing outstanding contributions of higher education institutions to the SDGs. The briefing will include testimonies, from faculty, staff, and students and will conclude with a Q&A session.  

Moderator/Presenter: 

• TBC 

Opening remarks: 

• Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization  
• Maher Nasser, Director of Outreach Division, United Nations Department of Global Communications 

Presenters: 

• Francesc Pedró, Director, UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC) 
• Victoria Galán-Muros, Chief of Research and Analysis, UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC) 
• Omar Hernández, Program Manager and Public Information Officer, United Nations Academic Impact 

Date: Monday, 18 September 2023, within the framework of the SDG Summit 

Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm (EDT/New York) [] 5:00pm – 6:00pm (CET/Paris) 

RSVP/Registration form:  here 

Language: English with Spanish Interpretation

Please note that no certificate or letter of attendance or participation will be provided. The recording of the event will be uploaded to YouTube, and the link will be disseminated accordingly.