During the 2025 Times Higher Education Global Sustainable Development Congress in Istanbul (Türkiye), the UNESCO Chair was part of a global team of authors that launched a joint policy report in collaboration with Times Higher Education, UNESCO, and Prince Sultan University. The report highlights regional trends, institutional efforts, and persistent challenges faced by universities across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in advancing the SDGs. This important document offers an initial roadmap for aligning education systems with sustainable development priorities including the SDGs in the MENA region.
Key takeaways from the report include:
- SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) continue to be leading priorities across MENA institutions.
- The implementation of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) shows notable variance across countries, calling for context-specific strategies.
- Increasing institutional engagement across the region reflects growing momentum and long-term potential but also underscores the need for sustained policy backing.
