On 16–19 June 2025, UNU and UNU-IAS participated in the Global Sustainable Development Congress (GSDC), an event that brought together leaders from academia, government, business and civil society to explore collaborative solutions for sustainability.
Tshilidzi Marwala (Rector, UNU; Under-Secretary-General, UN) delivered a keynote address on the dual impact of AI in advancing and potentially undermining sustainable development, calling for AI governance to be anchored in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Underlining AI literacy as a rising human rights issue, Prof. Marwala stressed the need for universities to embed ethics, transparency and cooperation into their teaching, research and institutional strategies. He emphasized the importance of inclusive AI governance frameworks and ethical standards that reflect global equity, and expressed the commitment of UNU to shaping an AI-enabled future that serves the goals of quality education, climate action and reduced inequalities.
Under the Digital Innovation Track of the congress, UNU and UNU-IAS participated in the session Empowering the Future: Advancing AI Literacy Across Sectors. Jonghwi Park (Academic Programme Officer and Head of Innovation and Education, UNU-IAS) framed the importance of human-centred AI literacy. In an opening address, Prof. Marwala underscored the need for contextualized, inclusive and human-centred AI literacy that goes beyond technical skills to promote ethical awareness and critical thinking. He also highlighted growing concerns around digital divides, algorithmic bias, and the impact of AI on education, calling for coordinated efforts to ensure responsible AI governance. As session moderator, Shinobu Yume Yamaguchi (Director, UNU-IAS) facilitated an exchange between panelists from academia, international organizations, industry and youth on how to design inclusive, ethics-based AI education. Jerome Silla (Research Associate, UNU-IAS) provided an overview of the UN Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) Action Group on the Futures of Higher Education and AI, co-led by UNU with the UNESCO International Institute of Higher Education (UNESCO IESALC).
Held in Istanbul, Türkiye, the GSDC was co-hosted by the Council of Higher Education of Türkiye and convened by Times Higher Education.
