The road to 2015 – what next for universities?

As the year gets into full swing and we mark the first 100 days of The world beyond 2015 campaign, we're pleased to report that we've received much interest from all corners of the world, and from all parts of the higher education sector, too. One of the main objectives of this campaign is provide an inclusive, far-reaching and dynamic space for everyone with an interest in higher education, so we are especially pleased to see NGOs, students and university leaders alike sharing their views on universities’ potential in shaping a future development agenda.

You’ll see from exploring the campaign site that we’ve so far attracted more than 30 articles, video interviews and presentations that demonstrate how universities have already had impact on key development goals, and also set out recommendations for what a new global development framework might look like. These contributions have drawn almost 10,000 pageviews from cities all around the globe!



Over the course of the campaign, we’ve heard diverse and compelling perspectives on where higher education fits into a global framework for development, and how we can best effect social impact. Has one clear answer emerged from the process so far? Certainly not – that’s what gives this ongoing conversation its spark. There are common threads, though, that tie all our contributions together – a strong belief that universities can do more to prove the social and economic impact that they already have, and that the role of research in development is critical.

And so, if we are to apply our strengths most effectively in a Post-2015 development framework, then 2014 is our big opportunity to help to build that framework. The work that so many contributors have already put in over the past 100 days shows that we’re well on our way. What might the next 100 days bring?

The Beyond 2015 team

Most popular

1. Effective partnerships between NGOs, civil society organisations and universities, by Chris Roche 

2. Moving from community engagement to community partnership, by David Phipps 

3. Transforming African higher education for graduate employability, by Goolam Mohamedbhai

Provide quality education and lifelong learning

The Post-2015 framework may look very different to the Millennium Development Goals themselves – at the moment the United Nations has already identified a wide range of ‘illustrative goals’ that could lead towards five broad ‘transformative shifts’ in international development. With these broad goals and shifts in mind, we ask each submission author to identify the ones addressed in their piece, in order to help frame the debate.

Below is a selection of contributions that address the third illustrative goal, to 'provide quality education and lifelong learning'.
 

	Higher education in Nepal by Blair Glencorse, Accountability Lab A look into Nepal's flawed higher education system and why higher education should be a top concern in the Post-2015 agenda.		Post-2015: chance for a step change in African science education by Nick Ishmael Perkins, SciDev.Net How to improve the productivity of a country by increasing the quality of science in its higher education sector.
	UNISA on the challenges facing higher education by Gerard Grobler, University of South Africa With so many new demands and technologies threatening HEIs, what is UNISA's strategic plan?		Uni is the ideal place for critical thinking, but students must be free to think by King Chai, London School of Economics A Chevening Scholar on why academic freedom is vital for strengthening Malaysia's institutions.
	Mainstream the margins: disability, disadvantage and access to higher education by Felix Kayode Olakulehin, National Open University of Nigeria On mainstreaming disability in higher education and recognising that disabled people are a significant component of society.		Universities must think about improving all stages of the research cycle by Sue Corbett & Jon Harle, International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) On understanding that universities have a major role to play in development, and the importance of an effective research cycle.

Get involved!

We're collecting evidence of how higher education can and should respond to development challenges beyond 2015, and we need you to send us your views. You can of course submit a contribution to one of our six questions. But we also urge you to engage with us directly on social media (Twitter, Facebook), comment on existing submissions, suggest good contributors or case studies, and forward this newsletter to your colleagues, friends, and students.