Global Alliance

What is it?

The Global Alliance of Tertiary Education and Student Sustainability Networks was set up in March 2015 at the EAUC Annual Conference, which took place at the University of Leeds. Member networks recognise the importance of collaboration in putting universities, colleges and students at the heart of the international challenge to address sustainability, each one with a unique and valuable perspective to contribute. You can find updates up to 2018 here.

Our “network of networks” regroups the major national and international organisations working to make university and college institutions a major contributor to The Paris Climate Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It aims to build on the momentum of the UN Higher Education Sustainability Initiative- HESI and ensure a dialogue between Higher Education Institutions, student networks and UN bodies under the HESI umbrella. The graphic, on the right hand side, reflects the HESI/Global Alliance partnership.

The Global Alliance launched, with the support of HESI, the SDG Accord. The Accord is a mechanism to keep the HESI momentum alive and to assess SDG progress amongst universities and colleges. At the United Nations High Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2018, HESI members agreed to receive the SDG Accord report and recommendations at each forthcoming annual HLPF meetings. The progress by SDG Accord signatories is reported annually at the HLPF for Sustainable Development.

What is the aim?

The overarching aim is to connect our Members and provide a collective and more powerful voice that contributes to global developments. In turn, this has an impact on National Governments which can better support our individual Educational Members to deliver a more sustainable institution. We can do more together than alone. Find our what we're doing here.

Who is a member?

This Global Alliance will work in line with United Nation's activities, such as the UN Environment’s Global Universities Partnership on Environment and Sustainability (GUPES). The Global Alliance includes the following organisations: