Times Higher Education to host fourth Global Sustainable Development Congress

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have inspired the world to make a shared commitment to achieve peace and prosperity for people and the planet. Effective partnerships are critical in improving health and education, eradicating poverty, reducing inequality, tackling climate change and spurring economic growth.

In 2019, Times Higher Education pioneered a global ranking of universities’ social and economic impact framed around the SDGs – the THE Impact Rankings. By setting out the quantifiable extent of universities’ contribution to achieving the SDGs, the higher education community has outlined its ongoing commitment to tackle the sustainability crisis. 

In 2022, THE launched the Global Sustainable Development Congress to unite higher education, government, industry and civil society to share their insights on the challenges faced in converting the SDGs into action and impact. Following this inaugural event in 2022 in Glasgow, the second edition took place in Thuwal in 2023 and the third in Bangkok in 2024.

Delegates departed from the 2024 edition full of optimism and a shared commitment to accelerate progress towards the SDGs.

Dawn Freshwater, vice-chancellor of the University of Auckland, said: “We have a strong commitment and a firm belief in the impact of this congress in supporting universities to achieve outcomes for society. There is a lot to do, but the optimism, passion and insights that I gained from attending the event are second to none.”

Watch the 2024 highlights video:
 

The fourth edition of the Global Sustainable Development Congress will take place from 16 to 19 June 2025 in Istanbul, Turkey, and will be co-hosted with Turkey’s Council of Higher Education. The event will convene more than 5,000 world-leading thinkers, innovators and policymakers from different sectors to drive new alliances and create positive action for a more sustainable future.

Over four days, 400-plus speakers including higher education leaders, inspirational change-makers and business chiefs will share their insights on the sustainable development of technology, education, industry, health, cities, the environment and much more.

The 2025 edition of the THE Impact Rankings will be exclusively revealed at the event.

The congress will bring together the global sustainability community to discuss urgent solutions to the sustainability emergency. Attendees will consider ways for universities to pivot their educational, research, innovation and outreach programmes and join forces with businesses, governments and charities to deliver results.

The six core tracks of the agenda will explore:

• Cities and communities
• Digital innovation
• Education, gender and inequality
• Energy and industry
• Food, land, water and oceans
• Health and well-being.

A series of featured tracks will provide a hands-on approach to ensure current and future generations are equipped with the skills they need to address the SDGs:

• Global Sustainability Leaders’ Summit gathering global leaders to address the most pressing challenges to progressing the 17 SDGs
• THE’s Data Labs empowering sustainability in higher education through data, expert analysis and global best practice
• International Green Skills Summit addressing the workforce impact of reaching net zero and fostering green skills to ensure future generations are prepared
• Business School Showcase exploring business education’s role in shaping the next generation of leaders
• Live reveal of the THE Impact Rankings, the only global performance table that assesses universities against SDGs
• Global exhibition showcasing innovative sustainability solutions

Phil Baty, THE’s chief global affairs officer, said: “Turkey's university sector has demonstrated exceptional strength and depth in Times Higher Education’s Impact Rankings, which assess universities’ contributions to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals across their teaching, research, outreach and the stewardship of their resources. We are delighted that Istanbul, and the Council of Higher Education, will host the Global Sustainable Development Congress in June next year.”

Haldun Göktaş, the Council of Higher Education’s deputy president, said: “We are very excited and delighted that next year our country  – the intersection of East and West, of Europe and Asia – will host this congress in Istanbul. We hope to see you all in Turkey next year.”

The Global Sustainable Development Congress 2025 will take place from 16 to 19 June at the Istanbul Congress Centre. Pre-release tickets launched on 16 September 2024 and are available on the event website here. Prices will increase to the super-early-bird rate on 1 November 2024, to the early bird-rate on 21 February 2025 and to the standard rate on 25 April 2025.

Follow our GSDC LinkedIn page for speaker and agenda updates. If you have any questions, please email gsdc@timeshighereducation.com.

The results of the THE Impact Rankings 2025 will be exclusively revealed at the congress. The data collection portal is open between 16 September and 11 November 2024 – register your institution for free. If you have any questions, please email impact@timeshighereducation.com.