The 2026 Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) Global Forum, held as a special event to the 2026 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), was convened under the theme “Reimagining Higher Education for Global Transformation toward a Sustainable Future.” In line with the 2026 HLPF focus on transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, the Forum will explore how higher education can serve as a catalyst for global solutions, systemic change and inclusive sustainable development.
Recent UNESCO analysis underscores that higher education is at a turning point, shaped by technological disruption, demographic change, shifting labor market expectations, growing international mobility, financial pressures and persistent inequalities in access, quality, completion and opportunity. These trends reinforce the urgency of reimagining higher education as a driver of sustainable development, social mobility, international cooperation, resilience and inclusive growth.
In a context marked by persistent inequalities, accelerating technological and environmental change, and growing interdependencies, the Forum will examine how higher education institutions can move from commitment to implementation. It will highlight how universities and higher education networks are embedding sustainability across teaching and learning, research and innovation, institutional transformation, student engagement and multi-stakeholder partnerships, while upholding the principles of equity, inclusion and leaving no one behind.
The Forum also emphasized the role of universities as knowledge producers, conveners and co-creators of knowledge. Higher education institutions are uniquely positioned to generate evidence, support policy and practice, foster critical inquiry, and work with communities, governments, students, Indigenous and local knowledge holders, civil society, business and the United Nations system to advance sustainable development. In this regard, academic freedom and institutional autonomy remain essential foundations for enabling universities to contribute meaningfully to public debate, innovation, evidence-informed policymaking and societal transformation.
The Forum placed particular emphasis on higher education’s contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals under in-depth review at the 2026 HLPF: SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation, SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy, SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure, SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities, and SDG 17 on partnerships for the Goals. It also recognized the enabling role of education for sustainable development, including SDG 4.7, in advancing progress across the 2030 Agenda.
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Summary
Concept and Programme
Follow-up
The outcomes of the Forum will inform a forthcoming HESI Snapshot, to be launched in fall 2026. The publication will draw on survey responses, HESI Community of Practice discussions, targeted contributions from HESI Action Groups and UN partners, selected higher education initiatives, and Forum deliberations. It will synthesize emerging priorities, showcase practical examples, and identify pathways for strengthening teaching and learning, research and innovation, and partnerships for sustainable development.
The Forum also provided an infornal higher education contribution to the Transforming Education Summit +4: System Transformation and Resilience for SDG 4, convened by the United Nations Secretary-General and the Director-General of UNESCO on 10 July 2026.
