Higher Education Summit 2026 on Transformative Education for Sustainability
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is redefining the way we learn, think, and act in a rapidly changing world. Grounded in a transformative learning approach, ESD fosters essential skills such as empathy, critical thinking, and collective action, which are key to addressing complex global challenges and building a fairer and more sustainable future.
In this context, the Higher Education Summit 2026 will take place under the theme:
“Unleashing Transformative and Decolonised Education for Sustainability in a Globalised World”
The Summit aims to be a space for sharing, reflection, and co-creation, exploring the role of higher education institutions as agents of social and environmental transformation.
Education as a driver of change
During the Summit, innovative approaches will be discussed to:
- Promote climate-emotion literacy, turning eco-anxiety into active engagement;
- Strengthen communities of care, resilience, and solidarity;
- Challenge Eurocentric narratives, valuing decolonial, inclusive perspectives and local knowledge;
- Rethink curricula, values, and success criteria in higher education, linking personal growth to societal renewal.
The goal is to contribute to education that not only responds to planetary crises but also fosters a genuine sense of shared responsibility for our common future.
Call for Contributions
The Call for Contributions is now open for bold, creative, interactive, and transformative submissions, in English or French, in the following thematic areas:
- ESD in less industrialised contexts
- Intercultural issues in transformative ESD
- The role of universities in “leaving no one behind”
- Climate emotions in transformative ESD: from eco-distress to collective agency
- Decolonising ESD
Fresh perspectives and innovative ideas are also welcome.
Deadline for submission: 26 January 2026 (extended deadline)
About the event
The Higher Education Summit 2026 is organised by the COPERNICUS Alliance, the UNESCO Chair in Training of Sustainable Development Professionals (Université Bordeaux Montaigne), the UNESCO Chair in Responsible Global Management (Bern University of Applied Sciences), RADSI Nouvelle Aquitaine, and Students Organizing for Sustainability International.
Date: 26–28 August 2026
Location: Bordeaux, France
Audience: Students, faculty, researchers, and changemakers in the field of transformative learning for sustainability in higher education.
For more information about the event and the Call for Contributions, please visit the official Higher Education Summit website.