UWN and IAU Launch New Commentary Series: Beyond 2030: Higher Education and the Future of Sustainable Development
As the international community looks towards the future beyond 2030, University World News (UWN) and the International Association of Universities (IAU) are launching a new 12-month commentary series exploring the evolution of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the role of higher education in the post-2030 sustainable development agenda.
The Post-2030 SDGs Commentary Series, running from September 2026 to August 2027, will bring together higher education leaders, experts and other voices from around the world to reflect on what should come after the SDGs, how the lessons of Agenda 2030 can inform the next global framework, and how higher education’s contribution to sustainable development can be strengthened and better recognised.
Published monthly by UWN, the series will feature selected expert commentaries examining the challenges and opportunities facing sustainable development. Contributions will consider both the broader post-2030 agenda and specific SDGs and themes, with perspectives from different regions, institution types and contexts, including representation from the Global South.
The series aims to encourage critical reflection and constructive debate around the future of sustainable development. UWN and the IAU invite readers to reflect on questions such as: What can be learned from the implementation of Agenda 2030? What needs to change to make global sustainability efforts more effective? And what role should higher education play in shaping and implementing the next agenda?
The series will also connect, where relevant, with key international milestones and discussions taking place in 2027, providing a platform for higher education voices to contribute to the evolving post-2030 conversation.
Follow the series throughout 2026–2027 for expert perspectives on shaping the future of sustainable development and higher education’s role in it.
Read the first commentary article (Sep 2026) written by David Donoghue, former Irish ambassador to the UN and co-chair of the 2015 negotiations on the SDGs and 2030 Agenda.
