The first event of the GEP Higher Education Thematic Working Group Dialogue Series, Universities in the Climate Crisis – Balancing Institutional Action and Scholarly Independence, brings together higher education stakeholders from around the world to explore the future role of higher education in advancing climate education, climate action, and sustainable development beyond 2030.
The dialogue provides a platform for knowledge sharing, reflection, and discussion on the challenges and opportunities faced by higher education institutions in responding to the climate crisis while safeguarding their core academic mission. Discussions will focus on four interconnected themes: academic freedom and the conditions needed for higher education institutions to generate credible knowledge; sustainability as an institutional practice across teaching, research, operations, and culture; the role of student movements and youth participation in shaping institutional accountability; and intersectionality in climate action, with a focus on inclusion, representation, and diverse knowledge systems.
Insights and recommendations emerging from the dialogue will contribute to the development of a working paper and policy briefs that will help inform the priorities of the GEP Higher Education Thematic Working Group through 2030 and beyond.