As the global community reaches the halfway mark of the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, challenges such as rising debt, geopolitical tensions, and climate change continue to undermine efforts to create a world in which everyone can thrive. To explore the role of student leadership and higher education in addressing these challenges, United Nations Academic Impact and co-organized an event during the 2025 High-level Political Forum at United Nations Headquarters in New York titled "Creating a Better World: Contributions of Higher Education".
The event sought to highlight the critical role of higher education institutions as a strategic catalyst for advancing the SDGs and affirm the importance of youth leadership and higher education as central to sustainable development. and leaders of academic institutions shared examples of how youth and universities are driving SDG progress through academic curricula, groundbreaking research, and impactful community initiatives.
In opening remarks, Robert Skinner, Officer-in-Charge and Chief of Partnerships and Global Engagement, Outreach Division, UN Department of Global Communications, welcomed attendees and highlighted the contributions MCN is making to youth empowerment. “MCN is doing crucial work to equip young leaders with the skills and networks they need to enact transformative change in their communities locally and globally,” he said.
Sam Vaghar, Executive Director and Co-Founder of MCN, stressed the importance of partnership in elevating youth voices and empowering their work. “Since partnering with UNAI in 2018 to present the Millennium Fellowship, we’ve collectively supported more than 15,000 undergraduates advancing the SDGs in their communities. Today is a special opportunity to spotlight student and institutional innovation for the Goals.”
Member State engagement is critical to supporting the transformative power of higher education to accelerate sustainable development and activate the ingenuity and innovation of young leaders according to Mrs. Bola A. Asaju, Minister of the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations. “With over 70% of Nigeria’s population under 30, investing in youth and higher education isn’t just important, it’s essential. Platforms like the Millennium Fellowship, powered by UNAI and MCN, are key to unlocking our greatest strength: our people.”
Youth leaders who completed the described how their commitment to social good was enhanced by the training programme.
Kehinde Adebiyi, microbiologist and 2018 Millennium Fellow at Lagos State University, said the impact the fellowship had on his work was immeasurable. “I’m honored to be co-leading HealthDriveNG, one of Nigeria’s largest hepatitis screening initiatives, which has provided testing and vaccination to over 5,000 individuals across 26 states - tackling a silent crisis that affects more than 20 million Nigerians, most of whom are unaware of their status. The pilot stage of this initiative began as part of my Millennium Fellowship project. The Fellowship instilled in me the confidence to lead myself and others in turning bold ideas into impact - a mindset that continues to power the growth of our initiative and my professional journey as a scientist.”
Other young leaders who shared their stories of social impact projects included Srijan Banik of BRAC University in Bangladesh, Christine Cavallo of Oxford University in the United Kingdom, Shakira Saunders of De Montfort University in the United Kingdom, and Bat-Anujin Tumurkhuyag of Minerva University in the United States.
University leaders in attendance said their commitment to educating the leaders of today and tomorrow is rooted in the belief that young leaders are our best chance at creating a better world.
Professor Syed Ferhat Anwar, Vice-Chancellor of BRAC University, described how civic engagement for students is at the heart of the university’s curriculum. “At BRAC University, we believe that every successful endeavor is a team effort. We cannot achieve impact in isolation. I humbly emphasize the importance of collaboration beyond academic pursuits, as it is through such partnerships that we build lasting frameworks for civic engagement.”
Other leaders of higher education institutions who outlined how they were addressing the SDGs through higher education included Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, Mike Magee, President of Minerva University, and Sarah Thomson, Director of Strategic and International Partnerships at De Montfort University. Professor Alexander Betts, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, shared his thoughts in a video message.
Dr. Sue Maxam, Assistant Provost for Wellness at Pace University in New York, was on hand to announce the launch of MCN’s Civic Learning Council. The Council will serve as a community of practice for the hundreds of campuses participating in the Millennium Fellowship, advising on program enhancements and sharing best practices to advance civic engagement in higher education. Reflecting on her engagement with MCN, Dr. Maxam said, “The Millennium Fellowship is the most transformative program I’ve worked with in my 36 year career in higher education.” She noted that students have even shifted their career paths to pursue civic leadership, something she described as truly inspiring.
Lexi Underwood said that her work as an actor, producer, author and MCN Advisor is influenced by her belief that to achieve bold and impactful solutions, we must create the conditions in which youth are catalysts for change. “Today was a powerful reminder of what we can create together when we truly see one another, choose kindness and compassion, and take meaningful action, locally, nationally, and globally,” she said.
The event closed with a shared commitment to education as a catalyst for change. From youth leaders to global officials, all affirmed that empowering students is key to building a more just and sustainable world.