The focus of axis 6 is on the contributions of the higher education system in Latin America and the Caribbean to sustainable development and to the 2030 Agenda, particularly the goals directly related to climate change and the search for climate neutrality. Two dimensions of analysis guide the research: on the one hand, the initiatives generated by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) for the training of professionals capable of generating change in all the areas of the 2030 Agenda and the ways to deepen these links between HEIs and the fulfillment of the SDGs; and, on the other hand, the initiatives and commitment of educational communities, especially youth, in ensuring sustainable development for present and future generations.

In order to evaluate the contributions and pending challenges from Higher Education Institutions, the research is oriented to questions such as the ways of incorporating the concept of sustainability in the strategic direction of HEIs, the main steps for this incorporation, the measurement of impacts of HEI actions in the communities served, and the limitations, weaknesses, challenges and/or strengths of new approaches of HEIs for the fulfillment of the SDGs and their goals. In addition, it seeks to evaluate the contribution of HEIs to the training and graduation of professionals aware of and committed to sustainable development, the care or restoration of the environment in their areas of specialization, and the fight against global warming and climate neutrality.

The axis also pays attention to sustainable development initiatives developed by other higher education actors in their connection with the public, business, civil society and other sectors, such as associations, university and student networks, teachers and researchers, professional associations, organizations of non-teaching workers in higher education, business organizations, among others. In addition to mapping good practices, the aim is to make visible the different visions and strategies for the promotion of sustainable development and to highlight the demands made by the academic community and its environment to HEIs to broaden their adherence to sustainable practices. 

As a result of the work towards CRES+5, it is expected to take stock of innovative initiatives with relevant impact carried out since 2018 and propose concrete sustainability measures potentially applicable to the different contexts in which HEIs in Latin America and the Caribbean are inserted.

The following experts will make up axis 6: Elizabeth Bernal Gamboa, Secretary General of the Colombian Association of Universities (ASCUN), Colombia; Carlos Hernando Forero Robayo, member of the Board of Directors of KAIRÓS-Educación, Colombia; Marisa de Talavera, Director of Science, Technology and Culture Programs of the Andrés Bello Convention (CAB), Panama; and Paulo Andrés Falcón, Professor and Researcher at the National University of Tucumán (UNT), Argentina.

AXIS 6 DOCUMENTS