AU believes that higher education institutions (HEIs) play an important role in the development of societies. Universities are educating tomorrow’s citizens, thought leaders, decision-makers, business leaders, innovators. Through research, new knowledge is constantly being generated. Gearing education and research towards addressing societal needs and challenges will help define and develop the solutions that are to be implemented to address the challenges the world faces today.
The UNESCO publication, Rethinking Education: Towards a global common good, stresses that: “Given the need for sustainable development in an increasingly interdependent world, education and knowledge should be considered global common goods. Inspired by the value of solidarity grounded in our common humanity, the principle of knowledge and education as global common goods has implications for the roles and responsibilities of the diverse stakeholders.”