Objectives

ArabUNi aims to bring together universities, colleagues, research institutions, societies (academic/professional) and individuals from across Arab countries and the rest of the world in a global forum to collaborate and reconnect with the discourse of Sustainable Development (SD). ArabUNi will therefore help Arab  universities and research institutions to play a critical role enabling their countries to achieve the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). WASD is delighted to have been working very closely with the various United Nations Agencies, most specifically with the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU). Both JIU and WASD are inspired by conviction United Nations Agenda 2030 for SD and the 17 SDGs that provides momentum for a renewed UN engagement with the public and private sectors.

ArabUNi aims to critically examine a number of issues relating to the role and relevance of Arab universities and research institutions to the contemporary discourse of Arab’s sustainable inclusive knowledge-based development such as the:

  • role of Arab universities in supporting and enhancing the process of economic and social development in Arab countries
  • identify all major obstacles that Arab universities face in their countries including any governments components and most importantly how can these obstacles best be overcome; and
  • what is the new role(s) of Arab universities in the post Covid-19 era.

ArabUNi also aims to improve the research within universities to help achieve Agenda 2030 and SDGs by addressing the significant demand for evidence-based research across the world. ArabUNi is therefore aims to provide practical recommendations and actions to help transform the way Arab universities conduct and use research to achieve the SDGs, and the way Arab universities access and benefit from the global data freely available for use by leading international organizations such as the United Nations, World Bank, etc. ArabUNi will work closely with all Arab universities to address the following key issues in their contribution to Arab’s efforts to achieve the Agenda 2030 and its SDGs.

  • how Arab universities see the role of STI in service of the 2030 Agenda?
  • how do Arab universities reflect the SDGs in their own research activities?
  • do Arab universities believe that the HE system in their countries is properly using scientific research in finding solutions to Arab’s problems?

The objectives of ArabUNi include, but are not limited to:

  • A golden opportunity for your university to join the global conversation on SD and how to achieve the UN’s 17 SDGs.
  • In the post-Covid-19 era of global skills and the knowledge race, ArabUNi will help your university to accomplish your natural and ascribed roles as a strategic agent for your country’s national collective efforts to catch-up and be on track to achieve the UN’s 17 SDGs.
  • ArabUNi will help your university integrate and reconnect your curriculum in all 17 SDGs relevant subjects and place more focus on issues relevant to your country’s developmental needs.
  • ArabUNi will help your university to become more sensitive and responsive to developing graduates who can compete in the global and intensely competitive knowledge/digital economy. Therefore, your university will become more attractive to new students who are very keen to join universities which can help them better understand the global sustainability challenges and how to solve these problems in the future.
  • ArabUNi will help your university improve your various research activities to achieve the UN 17 SDGs and provide practical recommendations and actions to help your university transform the way it conducts and uses research to achieve the UN 17 SDGs. Your university will also be able to attract more research funding from different organisations across the world who are very keen to fund research projects focusing on issues around the UN 17 SDGs.