Higher Education Sustainability Initiative
The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI), launched in the lead-up to the Rio+20 Conference in 2012 as an open partnership between several United Nations entities and the higher education community, aims to enhance the role of the higher education sector in advancing sustainable development by facilitating multi-stakeholder discussions, actions, and the dissemination of best practices.
In 2024 - 2025, HESI is chaired by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), UN University, UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC), and the Sulitest Association - a non-profit organization and online platform aimed at improving sustainability literacy for all.
Additional UN partners include UNESCO, UN Environment Programme, UN Global Compact’s Principles for Responsible Management Education initiative, UN-HABITAT, UNCTAD, UNITAR, UN Office for Partnerships, and UN Academic Impact. Together with hundreds of university networks, student organizations, and higher education institutions they collectively form the HESI Community.
2024 HESI Global Forum, July 2024 - The Future of Higher Education for Sustainable Development
Each year, HESI organizes a global forum as a special event to the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) – UN’s main platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the global level - to highlight the critical role of higher education in achieving sustainable development. Join us at the 2024 HESI Global Forum on 15 July 2024, under the theme "The Future of Higher Education for Sustainable Development." Hosted by the Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI), this special event of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development will feature a multi-stakeholder discussion on the intersection of education, innovation, and sustainability, emphasizing the impact of AI and other technologies. The forum will also showcase inspiring initiatives from the UN system and HESI action groups, highlighting higher education's role in advancing implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. More information on the 2024 HESI Global Forum coming soon.- Post COVID-19
- Integrating SDGs
- Featured initiatives
- Rankings, ratings and assessments
- Education for Green Jobs
- SDG Publishers Compact
Rankings, ratings and assessments (9 February 2023)
Education for Green Jobs (1 March 2023)
SDG Publishers Compact (22 March 2023)
Transformation of higher education post COVID-19 (27 April 2022)
The disruptions that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused to societies, including in the education sector, is unprecedented. The webinar explored how the pandemic has transformed higher education’s approaches to education and learning, its ability to reach and engage students, including challenges and inequalities for those that lack capacities for rapid digital transformations and online learning.Integrating Sustainable Development Goals into higher education (1 June 2022)
On 01 June 2022, the second HESI+10 Webinar on “Integrating Sustainable Development Goals into higher education”, organized by DSDG, took place lining up to the preparation for the HESI+10 Global Forum (to be held on 6 July as a special event during HLPF 2022). The webinar, attended by 70+ participants from various sectors, explored explore different approaches to integrating SDGs into higher education, through research, teaching, and learning. Speakers included the United Nations University, Iscte Business School, University of the West Indies, PRME Working Group Sustainability Mindset, IPB University and Monash Sustainable Development Institute & Climateworks Centre. The discussion was moderated by Jean-Christophe Carteron from Sulitest. The next webinar in the series will take place on 21 June to showcase “Inspirational higher education initiatives for SDG 4, 5, 14, 15 and 17Inspirational higher education initiatives for SDG 4, 5, 14, 15 and 17 (21 June 2022)
As 2022 marks 10 years since the establishment of the HESI network, the webinar and the forum will highlight and celebrate key higher education initiatives that drive implementation of the 2030 Agenda through education, teaching and learning - particularly around SDGs under review at HLPF (Goal 4, 5, 14, 15, 17).Featured initiatives
| Initiative | Description |
Sulitest |
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Green Gown Awards |
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Action Groups
Each year, HESI designates Action Groups to tackle topics related to higher education for sustainable development. Action Groups draw upon the full HESI community to carry out its work and is often composed of several organizations and contributors. Results are published on the HESI website and promoted by the network.| Group | Objective | Year started | Coordinators | Annual progress reports |
University Leaders Group |
Sustainable development is a pressing global imperative that requires urgent action from all sectors of society, and higher education institutions play a crucial role in shaping future leaders and fostering sustainable practices. Higher education can and must do even more to accelerate progress toward the 2030 agenda. To advance this shared goal, the University Global Coalition and HESI will partner to establish the University Global Coalition (UGC) University Leaders Group to increase the engagement of Chancellors, Presidents, Rectors, Deans and Leaders of Higher Education Institutions and related organizations in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. | 2023 |
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Student Action Group |
The aim is to foster a community of student change agents who actively drive sustainable practices, teaching and learning, and institutional policies, thereby contributing to a global transformation in higher education and leadership. | 2023 |
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HESI Partner Programme |
The aim of the HESI Partner Programme is to connect higher education institutions, networks, and student organizations to create a community of shared learning in support of SDG integration into curricula, research, programmes and campus practices and facilitate transfer of knowledge. The programme will draw from the diverse knowledge and experience of those working in different circumstances. A fundamental principle of the group is that everyone has something to offer, regardless of their stage in integrating the SDGs into their curricula, research, programmes or campus practices. All interested HESI members are welcome to apply to the part of the HESI Partner Programme. | 2022 |
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Rankings, ratings, and assessments |
Rankings, ratings, and assessment (RRA) organizations have significant influence - and thus significant responsibility - to guide the academic sector. As we approach the threshold of irreversible climate change, many of these have recognized the need to change their criteria for assessment of the performance of higher education institutions to include contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Numerous initiatives aimed either at improving current standards or creating new ones have emerged. | 2021 |
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Education for Green Jobs |
The Education for Green Jobs initiative focuses on :
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2021 |
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SDG Publishers Compact |
The SDG Publishers Compact, launched by the International Publishers Association and the United Nations back in 2020, has continued to gather momentum for the wider publishing sector and is a focus area to amplify. In practice, the Compact requires aligning daily practices, content, and measures of success with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One sector accelerating progress has been academic publishing. | 2020 |
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HESI Community
The HESI network consists of several UN partners, university networks, student organizations, and a number of higher education institutions - that together form the HESI Community. Please visit our HESI Community page to see all members.Partners
Co-chairs |
2024 - 2025
2022 - 2023
2019 - 2021
2012 - 2019
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UN Partners |
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Annual HESI forums
Each year, HESI organizes a global forum as a special event to the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) – UN’s main platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the global level - to highlight the critical role of higher education in achieving sustainable development.15 July 2024
The Future of Higher Education for Sustainable Development