Knowledge-Driven Actions: Transforming Higher Education for Global Sustainability; Independent Expert Group on the Universities and the 2030 Agenda

With 2030 less than a decade away, it is paramount to think critically and act urgently if we are to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Higher education institutions are uniquely positioned to contribute to the social, economic and environmental transformations that are required to tackle the world’s most pressing issues.

This report thoroughly discusses the role of higher education institutions in contributing to the 2030 Agenda, through a focus on three interrelated themes:

1. the need to move towards inter- and transdisciplinary modes of producing and circulating knowledge;
2. the imperative of becoming open institutions, fostering epistemic dialogue and integrating diverse ways of knowing; and
3. the demand for a stronger presence in society through proactive engagement and partnering with other societal actors.

The report directs attention to the systemic barriers that have inhibited transformations in these three areas so far, and provides advice and examples on how to achieve this. The report calls on higher education leaders and actors to push for transformations within their institutions, using the report’s recommendations to critically reflect and act on their role for achieving the 2030 Agenda.