The imperative for Arab universities, spanning the 22 member states of the Arab League, to embrace the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been underscored. These institutions are urged to infuse these goals and their corresponding strategies into their educational and research frameworks, fostering graduates equipped to drive sustainable economic and social progress.
The clarion call arose from the fifth Arab Conference on Higher Education and Sustainable Development, themed “The Role of Universities in Achieving the SDGs,” held in Cairo, Egypt, from September 10 to 11. Organized by the Egypt-based Arab Administrative Development Organization (ARADO), in collaboration with the Association of Arab Universities based in Jordan, the conference aimed to provide a platform to spotlight universities’ pivotal role in realizing the SDGs.
Dr. Nasser Al-Hattlan Al-Qahtani, Director-General of ARADO, emphasized the significance of universities as conduits for knowledge transfer and innovation, essential for addressing the challenges of sustainable development and enhancing societal well-being.
Access to Higher Education and SDG Attainment
Highlighting SDG 4.3, which advocates for equal access to quality tertiary education, a UNESCO study revealed an uptick in tertiary education enrollment across Arab countries over the past five years. However, despite progress, the Arab region still lags in overall SDG attainment, scoring an average of 58.2 out of 100 in the 2022 Arab Region SDG Index and Dashboard Report. This underscores the need for intensified efforts and regional collaboration to meet SDG targets within the remaining timeframe.
During the conference, Egyptian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Ayman Ashour, stressed the pivotal role of universities in integrating dimensions of sustainable development to align with UN objectives.
Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of Hamdan bin Mohammed Smart University, emphasized that quality education forms the bedrock of sustainable development, aiming to meet current needs without compromising future generations’ prospects.
Collective Arab Action
Professor Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary-General of the Association of Arab Universities, highlighted the imperative of unified Arab action to address the developmental needs of Arab societies. Strategies to enhance the role of Arab universities in SDG achievement were delineated by academic experts and university leaders from the region.
These strategies included embedding SDGs into academic curricula and research endeavors, fostering partnerships among Arab universities to tackle shared challenges, establishing electronic platforms for sharing research papers, and creating Sustainable Development Centers within universities to bolster expertise on SDGs.
Furthermore, universities were encouraged to serve as innovation hubs, fostering technological advancements and solutions in renewable energy, agriculture, water management, and clean technology.
Overcoming Challenges and Implementation
Addressing challenges such as funding constraints, infrastructure limitations, and the imperative for international cooperation were emphasized by Al-Qahtani. Samir Khalaf Abd-El-Aal, a research professor at the Biotechnology Research Institute of the National Research Centre in Cairo, lauded the Pan-Arab university plan for the 2030 Agenda but stressed the importance of translating these ideas into tangible actions to drive sustainable development.
In conclusion, the imperative for Arab universities to embrace sustainability underscores their pivotal role in fostering socio-economic progress and addressing pressing global challenges. The commitment to integrating SDGs into educational and research frameworks represents a significant step towards realizing a more sustainable future for Arab societies.
