25 April 2025, Geneva, Switzerland - UNITAR and UNESCO, in collaboration with a group of universities, have launched a new initiative “Leaders in Higher Education Alliance and Programme – For Accelerating Sustainability Transformations” (LEAP-FAST) aimed at creating a movement of committed sustainability leaders in higher education to advance deep transformations and enable HEIs to fulfil their potential with regards to contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Higher education is not just a place of learning, but is a powerful driver of sustainability and real-world impact – UNESCO.
The LEAP-FAST initiative aims to embed sustainability into every aspect of higher education—not only in course content, but in mindsets, teaching methods, and institutional cultures. The focus is on building competencies of the head, heart, and hands: fostering critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and meaningful action. It’s not just about what we know, but how we lead and what we do. Participating educators and institutions should feel empowered to integrate sustainability into every classroom, course, and campus policy—spanning environmental and climate education, social justice, equity, and global citizenship.
One of the key components of the initiative is the LEAP-FAST Certificate Programme, which officially launched on 23 March 2025 in academic partnership with Majmaah University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Certificate Programme offers an immersive learning journey designed to catalyze transformation at all levels of higher education. Participants – programme directors, administration, faculty members and teaching staff - are guided through a structured process that begins at the institutional level, moves through the faculty and programme level, and deeps dive into the course and pedagogical level. Through this progression, participants are empowered to develop recommendations for institution-wide reforms, collaborate with colleagues across faculties, and apply new approaches directly within their own teaching practices. Special focus is given to embedding sustainability competencies across cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioural learning domains, promoting transdisciplinarity, and integrating diverse ways of knowing that support inclusion, sustainability, and global citizenship.
Collaboration is at the heart of LEAP-FAST. Participants are part of a growing community of educators, leaders, and change-makers who believe in the transformative power of higher education. Each of them brings unique perspectives and expertise, and today is an opportunity to learn from one another, build meaningful connections, and spark innovation.
These institutions as graduates of the programme are expected to serve as champions of deep, systemic transformation in higher education.
To complement the programme and sustain ongoing collaboration, a new online community platform has been launched on UN SDG:Learn, providing a virtual hub for higher education institutions committed to advancing the SDGs. The platform is accessible at https://highereducation.unsdglearn.org.
UNITAR and UNESCO extends its thanks to Majmaah University and CIFAL Saudi Arabia for their funding support to launch such an important programme. They also extend thanks to the Governments of Japan and Switzerland for their funding support in the overall development of this initiative.
UNITAR
