On 15 July 2024, the Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI), co-chaired by UNU, organized a special event at the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in New York. The HESI Global Forum, on the theme The Future of Higher Education for Sustainable Development, brought together a diverse group of stakeholders and showcased innovative projects contributing to the SDGs.
The forum explored the potential of emerging technologies to enhance sustainability efforts in higher education. A multi-stakeholder panel discussed how emerging technologies such as AI can advance the SDGs, innovative teaching and learning practices that promote sustainability in higher education, visions on the future of higher education and ways to strengthen partnerships between universities and other stakeholders.
Shen Xiaomeng (Vice-Rector in Europe, UNU & Director, UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security) underscored the urgency of transforming higher education to address global challenges and harness emerging technologies. Prof. Shen recognized the potential of technology, including AI, to help achieve the SDGs, and contribute to solutions to the interconnected challenges that the world is facing. She noted that “AI can be a powerful and transformative tool, yet AI is a double-edged sword”, recognizing its environmental footprint and the existential questions raised by its ever-increasing capabilities. This presents an opportunity for higher education to take on a critical role, to “ensure inclusive access to AI for all learners, bridge the technology divide, and develop AI ethically, with human rights at its core”.
Jonghwi Park (Academic Programme Officer, UNU-IAS) announced the launch of a HESI Action Group on Futures of Higher Education and AI, which UNU is co-leading with the UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC). “We would like to place higher education at the heart of informing our society of evidence-based directions for AI for sustainable development”, Dr Park added, highlighting the important role of higher education in maximizing the potential benefits of using AI while minimizing the risks and inequality issues it raises. The action group will serve as a transdisciplinary collaborative platform that will build a knowledge base on the current trends, opportunities and risks that AI poses to higher education through the lens of sustainable development. A call for partner institutions was made to join sub-action groups on AI for teaching and learning; research and development; community-industry engagement; AI for university administration; AI ethics and inclusivity.
The HESI Global Forum generated recommendations and strategies that will inform policy and practice, shaping advocacy efforts and action plans for sustainable development in higher education. The forum served as a preparatory platform for upcoming initiatives that will be advocated or launched at the September 2024 Summit of the Future.
