This side event presents higher education as a driver of resilience, connecting curricula, campus practice, and community engagement to the COP31 agenda.

The session is anchored in two items of the COP agenda: Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) and the Climate Action Education 2035 milestone, referenced in a recent letter from the COP presidency. The milestone extends beyond climate literacy to skills and leadership, which allows higher education to be framed as preparation of young people to make a difference.

Partner contributions span a broad spectrum of action, from transforming higher education curricula and strengthening campus infrastructure to supporting sustainable community development. Their impact becomes particularly tangible when campuses are framed not merely as educational facilities, but as living laboratories and community hubs where innovation, civic engagement, and resilience-building converge. In this sense, universities can play a pivotal role in translating knowledge into action and supporting local responses to climate and sustainability challenges.

The discussion will also incorporate two complementary perspectives. First, climate education must be approached as a continuum that bridges secondary and tertiary education, ensuring a coherent progression of knowledge, skills, and values throughout the learning journey. Second, efforts should extend beyond the higher education sector itself. At a time when climate-related issues are increasingly affected by misinformation and political polarization, universities have a responsibility to engage wider audiences, foster public understanding, and strengthen trust in science. Achieving meaningful impact will require collaboration not only within academia, but also with schools, civil society, policymakers, and local communities.