Dublin, Ireland – Delegates from the (UNITAR) and met in Dublin this week to establish a strategic partnership that will undertake a varied programme of activity in learning, teaching, and research related to Sustainable Development, making TU Dublin the Irish University to partner with the UN Specialised Training and Education Agency on a Sustainability Education programme. The programme, Global Sustainability Leadership, harnesses Ireland’s leadership in peacebuilding and entrepreneurial thinking as a powerful force in finding solutions to global peace threats.
The alliance was celebrated during a UNITAR visit to TU Dublin for a series of bilateral talks on the University’s Grangegorman Campus, during which a delegation from UNITAR presented TU Dublin President Professor David FitzPatrick with an official United Nations flag. During the event, Mr Nikhil Seth, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, Executive Director, UNITAR, gave a guest lecture about his organization’s role in strengthening knowledge and capacities in the fields of peace, security, and delivering the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
The collaboration will play a pivotal role in providing a global framework for sustainable research in alignment with the TU Dublin Strategic Plan pillars of People, Planet and Partnership, which are underpinned by the UN SDGs. The first major research collaboration will be the , taking place on the UN Campus in Bonn on the 23rd and 24th of November, 2023. The gathering aims to explore the threats and risks that stem from climate change and affect global peace and security prospects.
In his keynote address, Mr Nikhil Seth said,
I am pleased to join the students and staff of TU Dublin today to celebrate the beginning of a wonderful new partnership that has the potential to play a pivotal role in the realization of the UN SDGs. As a young University, TU Dublin’s mission and strategy were devised through the lens of these goals, and much like UNITAR, the University greatly values the real-world application of knowledge and immersive learning opportunities that enable students to fully engage in their educational journey. As UNITAR celebrates its 60th anniversary, I look forward to further developing our partnership with TU Dublin, delivering dynamic and adaptive learning experiences, and empowering individuals and institutions to drive sustainable development globally.
Welcoming the UNITAR delegation, the President of TU Dublin, Professor David FitzPatrick, said,
In 2020, TU Dublin announced its intention to create our University in response to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and we are excited to partner with UNITAR to educate a global force of leaders working together to create a peaceful and healthy planet, with dignity and equality for all.
Continuing, Professor FitzPatrick said,
Capitalizing on TU Dublin’s expertise in fostering an entrepreneurial mindset in solving complex problems such as climate change, we look forward to exploring a wide-ranging programme of activity in research and teaching with UNITAR to support the development of a new pedagogy that will enhance and accelerate delivery of the 17 SDGs.
Global Sustainability Leadership
This new programme, targeted at aspiring sustainability leaders across the globe, will be delivered online by the University’s Faculty of Business in partnership with UNITAR and is a key initiative of the University’s innovative Education Model designed to equip all TU Dublin graduates with the knowledge required to challenge unsustainable practices throughout their working lives. Students from any discipline background, anywhere in the world, can fit this programme around their schedule due to its flexible and asynchronous design. The Global Sustainability Leadership postgraduate programme will commence in January 2024, with the first generation of TU Dublin UNITAR graduates expected in Winter 2024.
