The ACU today signed a historic agreement with Commonwealth education partners, pledging to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through education.
The Commonwealth Education Partnership for Sustainable Development will see the ACU, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) work together to support member states to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
The pledge was signed by Dr Joanna Newman, ACU Chief Executive and Secretary General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, Commonwealth Secretary-General, and Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President and CEO, at the 20th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers, in the presence of ministers and other education stakeholders.
Pledged today to work with @commonwealthsec & @COL4D supporting #Commonwealth member states to ensure inclusive & equitable quality education & promote life long learning opportunities for all. Thank you @The_ACU Council for your support. pic.twitter.com/Hzt8qrg75L
— Joanna Newman (@DrJoannaNewman) February 23, 2018
This partnership will enable the three organisations to develop joint programmes and support policy development across the Commonwealth, in response to the evolving needs of member states.
Speaking at the signing, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland noted calls for increased collaboration between Commonwealth education organisations, saying ‘At this meeting, it has been clear that even closer partnership would deliver concrete outcomes for our member states’.
Dr Joanna Newman said ‘On behalf of our membership, I am delighted to be pledging – in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth of Learning – our commitment to working in partnership to achieve the SDGs through education.
‘The ACU is the voice of higher education in the Commonwealth. We believe in the transformational power of higher education to drive sustainable development, and are committed to continuing to serve our member universities – and, by extension, their nations – to create equitable, prosperous, and secure societies.’
Professor Asha Kanwar, President and CEO of COL, said ‘COL welcomes this partnership which will synergise our specific strengths for greater impact in Member States’.
More information
The ACU is at 20CCEM in Fiji to represent its member institutions across the Commonwealth and be the voice for higher education. Read about the launch of the Commonwealth Climate Resilience Network.
To read the pledge in full, download it here.
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