LEAP-FAST: Accelerating Sustainable Transformations through Higher Education Networks
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in collaboration and support from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and CIFAL Global Network are organizing an official side event held during the Action Days titled “LEAP-FAST: Accelerating Sustainable Transformations through Higher Education Networks”. The side event will take place in a hybrid mode on Saturday, 21 September 2024, from 1:15 pm to 2:30 pm in Room GA-3B-760-1, UNHQ GA Building (Basement – 3B Level, room 760-1).
The side event will showcase a UNITAR-UNESCO initiative Leaders in Higher Education Alliance and Programme – For Accelerating Sustainability Transformations (LEAP-FAST) that aims to position higher education – through UNESCO Chairs and CIFAL Global Networks – as a critical enabler for accelerating progress on sustainable development. The initiative engages higher education leaders in a process of collective reflection on how to advance sector transformations, and strengthen partnerships at local, national, and global levels.
The event will launch a Certificate Programme supported by Saudi Arabia as a concrete solution to strengthen investment in education and empower faculties to develop educational models based on inclusive and transformative learning experiences. This high-impact Certificate Programme was specifically designed to reshape institutional practices, reimagine educational programmes, and innovate pedagogical approaches by integrating critical sustainability competencies in the cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioural domains. It champions transdisciplinary collaboration and new ways of knowing while advancing sustainability, inclusion, and global citizenship. Senior faculty members will engage in cross-disciplinary initiatives, co-create transformative curricula with students, and collaborate with executive leadership to ensure the programme’s strategic alignment. The programme will also address the psychological levers of change. Moreover, this initiative emphasizes the importance of global cooperation among higher education institutions, fostering strategic alliances between developed and developing nations, including small island developing states and lower-income countries. Supported by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Certificate Programme seeks to enhance strategic investment in education and empower academic leaders to design inclusive, forward-looking educational models. This effort also contributes directly to advancing the objectives outlined in the Pact for the Future, reinforcing leadership commitment to sustainable development at the highest level.
York University’s UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education towards Sustainability, Chairholder Charles Hopkins, will highlight the importance of quality education with Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) at the core and the unique potential and responsibility of higher education institutions in driving change towards a sustainable future for all.
Please register for the event using this link. Once registered, you will receive an email with instructions on how to connect online and get to the venue if in-person. Please note that in-person participation is possible only for those who have already registered for the Action Days of the Summit of the Future.
More information about the event is available here.