The University of the Future Network (UFN), in partnership with UNESCO, held a virtual conference on the futures of higher education, hosted by the University of South Africa (UNISA), that brought together (on 24-25 February 2022) eminent scholars, policy makers and relevant stakeholders in higher education to engage in the construction of global visions and pathways for higher education towards 2050.

UNESCO IESALC and the Future of Learning & Innovation team at UNESCO headquarters were partners in this well attended global event, where they presented the findings from the recent public consultation and a short video of youth voices, which was released on the International Day of Education. It shares the thoughts from young people from around the world, their reflections on their next steps in education and how they see higher education contributing to their own development and to the world we share.

‘Reimagining the futures of higher education towards 2050’ provided a platform to stimulate debate and discussion on the futures of Higher Education in 2050, in preparation for the UNESCO 3rd World Higher Education Conference (WHEC2022) taking place from 18-20 May 2022 in Barcelona, Spain.

Inspired by the WHEC theme, which engages participants in visionary conceptions, the event’s intention was to visualize future learning communities to address past and current injustices inherent in higher education ecosystems and that reflect the notion of higher education as a common good.