Climate Litigation and Vulnerabilities: Global South Perspectives
A new book on climate litigation and vulnerabilities, which builds on a WUN research project, will be published by Routledge in 2025. In October 2024, co-editors Melanie Murcott (Associate Professor
WUN ECR reflects on leading first international collaboration
Dr Alecia Ndlovu is Principal Investigator for a WUN project awarded in 2021 that[1] researches the roles politics and institutions play in ensuring revenues from mining support development in Africa.
Asia-Pacific Regional Symposium on Upstream Social Determinants of Health in Nursing Practice
We are pleased to share the final regional Symposium on Upstream Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) in Nursing Practice taking place online on Friday, 13 December 2024, at 8AM (IST). Hosted
Symposium on New Research Directions in Mental Health
Poverty, violence, and inequality have major impacts on the prevalence of mental illness and access to resources for treatment. In June this year, mental health researchers and practitioners convened at
Valuing Voices for Equitable and Responsible Research Workshop
How can we address issues of unhealthy hierarchies within research environments? Mahidol University is organising a workshop on equitable and responsible research practices in collaboration with the University of York.
WUN Early Career Researcher Webinar
Register for the next webinar in WUN’s Early Career Researchers series, ‘Building Research Teams’. The session will look at skills for building research teams — from co-investigators, post-graduate assistants and
In Memoriam: John Hearn, WUN Executive Director 2009-2018
Professor John Hearn concludes his work as WUN’s Executive Director on 31 July 2018
Africa & Eastern Europe Regional Symposium on Upstream Social Determinants of Health in Nursing Practice
We are pleased to share the second upcoming regional Symposium on Upstream Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) in Nursing Practice taking place online on Friday, 22 November 2024, at 9AM
Upcoming Regional Symposium on Upstream Social Determinants of Health in Nursing Practice
We are pleased to share the upcoming regional Symposium on Upstream Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) in Nursing Practice taking place online on Friday, November 1, 2024, at 3PM (EDT). Hosted
Griffith University joins WUN
The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) is pleased to announce that Griffith University has joined the network. We welcome Vice-Chancellor Professor Carolyn Evans and colleagues to the WUN board, research teams,
WUN Early Career Researchers Webinar Series
Register for the next webinar in WUN’s Early Career Researchers series, ‘Leading your first international collaboration: Managing people and projects’. Team dynamics can significantly impact a project. It can be
Workshop on Ethical Assessment Framework for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Manufacturing
Register to attend the Workshop on Ethical Assessment Framework for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Manufacturing at the University of Auckland. You are invited to attend the upcoming WUN-supported workshop titled:
Upcoming Inaugural Symposium: Upstream Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) in Nursing Practice
We are pleased to share the Inaugural Symposium on Upstream Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) in Nursing Practice taking place online on Friday, September 27, 2024, at 10 AM (AEST).
Book Launch: Climate Litigation and Vulnerabilities Global South Perspectives
Climate Litigation and Vulnerabilities: Global South Perspectives Book Launch. Register here to attend. Building on the WUN research project Climate Litigation and Vulnerabilities: Global South Perspectives conducted by the University
WUN welcomes University of Tsukuba to the network
We are delighted to announce that University of Tsukuba has joined the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN). We welcome President Kyosuke NAGATA and colleagues to the WUN Board, research teams, and
A look back at WUN AGM 2024
A look back at AGM 2024 Click Here
Participatory Water Quality Monitoring for Sustainable Development
A WUN research team addressing technical and institutional challenges to monitoring water quality has supported citizen-led monitoring and facilitated stakeholder dialogue. The team[1] worked with schools and communities in Thailand’s
WUN Research Development Fund 2024
WUN is pleased to announce that the Research Development Fund (RDF) 2024 round is now open. In its sixteenth year, the RDF provides researchers at member universities with grants of
Biohydrogen production provides LMICs with affordable and sustainable energy
A project investigating green biohydrogen production from organic waste resources, seed-funded by WUN, is working towards enabling Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) to increase access to affordable, reliable and
ARUA and WUN to forge equitable research partnership
This article was published by University World News, written by Desmond Thompson. The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), jointly representing nearly 50 leading universities
Upcoming Workshop: Ethical Assessment Framework for AI in Manufacturing
We are excited to extend an invitation to you to participate in our upcoming international workshop titled “Ethical Assessment Framework for AI in Manufacturing,” which will take place on June
WUN Early Career Researcher Webinar Series
Registration is now open for the upcoming WUN ECR Webinar Series session on Making authentic connections and building networks for career development. Topic summary: Networking is commonly acknowledged to be an
Making self-care a focus in public health: global research priorities identified
Self-care is understood to be a critical issue in optimising public health interventions, improving community health, and aiding care access for those living with chronic disease. A global summit, made
Research connects maths education to global and local priorities
A WUN-funded project on Innovating the mathematics curriculum in times of change has led to support from United Kingdom Research and Innovation, and publication of a book connecting mathematics education
Research into blast interaction behaviour could save lives in the event of urban explosions
A WUN-supported project investigating how blast waves interact with the urban environment should enable improvements to building design, urban planning and risk assessments. The project’s findings will also inform on-the-ground
WUN Early Career Researcher Webinar Series
Registration is now open for the upcoming WUN ECR Webinar Series session on Funding Fundamentals: An Introduction to Writing Research Proposals. Topic summary: Developing a funding proposal can be confusing
Registration open for WUN Online Seminar Series: Responsible and Ethical AI for Future Actions Training Program
Date: 5-24 April, 2024 Venue: Online via Zoom Meeting Platform For more information and to register visit: https://www.ict.mahidol.ac.th/en/event/responsible-ethical-ai/#1709622785290-d47d0b12-c7cf
Upcoming webinar: How can indigenous language revitalisation be decolonised?
Date: Friday 15 March, 2024 Time: 5-7pm (ICT time) Venue: Online via Zoom Meeting Platform
Call for Papers: Gender, Climate Change, and Activism against Natural Resource Extraction in the Global South
We are pleased to announce a call for papers for a Special Issue and an in-person workshop from the WUN Project Gender, Climate Change, and Activism against Natural Resource Extraction
Registration and call for abstracts open for the WUN Mental Health Symposium
We are pleased to announce that the registration and call for abstracts for the WUN Symposium: New Research Directions in Global Mental Health, to be held from 12-13 June 2024
How can universities become sustainable?
A WUN-supported research project has examined five strategies higher education institutes could employ to support the creation of a more sustainable future. Education in a Warming World is a collaboration
Virtual Workshop on Net Zero and Sustainable Cities
Location: Onsite at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University (Salaya Campus), Thailand, and Online via Zoom. Next Sessions: Dates and Sessions: Session 1: On January 29, 2024. Time: 17:00 –
SDGs in Asia conference
Read the Times Higher Education piece on the recent NCKU-sponsored and hosted WUN Research Group SDGs in Asia conference. Learn more about the WUN Research Global Group – SDGs in
WUN Research Development Fund 2023 Results
WUN is pleased to announce the results of the Research Development Fund (RDF) 2023. These awards mark a direct investment of more than £239,000 in international collaborative research among WUN member universities.
WUN welcomes University of Exeter to the Network
We are delighted to announce that the University of Exeter is joining the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN). We welcome President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lisa Roberts, and her colleagues to the
Improving palliative care nursing education
A WUN-supported project to enable better quality of life for dying people is addressing the global divide in access to palliative care. It’s also notable for the equity of its
Plug-in pioneers: electric vehicle revolution needs big, cheap chargers
A lack of vehicle charging facilities In Mexico and other emerging markets is preventing the switch to electric vehicles (EVs). A WUN-supported project could make EV uptake more feasible all
Ghana hosts WUN Summer School
The 2023 WUN Summer School in Ghana offered an integrated look at history, climate change, conservation efforts, and both old and new ways of life in Ghana through a focus
University leaders convene to discuss sustainability
Leaders from institutions in the Worldwide Universities Network gathered in Mexico to discuss higher education’s role in combating the climate crisis. Their conversations during the Presidents Forum highlighted the ways
Southeast Asia: Pathways to resilience and sustainability in tourism
Could Southeast Asia’s enormous tourism industry be more sustainable and inclusive in a post-Covid era? Do countries in the region have to accept adverse environmental and social impacts from tourism
Investigating Global Warming and Urbanisation Impacts on Megacity Environments: Observations and Multi-Scale Modelling
To learn more about this WUN supported research project please visit our page.
Pathways to Progress: Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Asia
NCKU invites members from the Worldwide Universities Network to participate in a conference that focuses on three main areas of Sustainable Development Goals in Asia: international research collaboration, practical solutions
Global university rankings now include social impact: African universities are off to a strong start
Annika Surmeier, University of Cape Town; Alex Bignotti, University of Pretoria; Bob Doherty, University of York; David Littlewood, University of Sheffield; Diane Holt, University of Leeds; Phyllis Awor, Makerere University;
Virtual Seminars: Towards Net Zero and Sustainable Cities
Towards Net Zero and Sustainable Cities with Resource Optimisation, Circular Economy, and Research Network (NZS CITIES): Net Zero Cities We are excited to announce two virtual seminars on “Towards Net
Workshop “Opportunities and challenges in emerging technologies for healthcare”
We are excited to announce a networking workshop at the University of Leeds: “Opportunities and challenges in emerging technologies for healthcare” organised by WUN partners from the University of Leeds,
WUN Research Development Fund 2023
WUN is pleased to announce that the Research Development Fund (RDF) 2023 round is now open. In its fifteenth year, the RDF provides researchers at member universities with grants of
WUN Executive Director visits NCKU to enhance international cooperation
Text and Image: the Office of Strategic Planning of National Cheng Kung University (NCKU). Professor Peter Lennie, the Executive Director of the Worldwide Universities Network (left in photo), arrived at
Humanity is experiencing an ‘unprecedented’ environmental crisis: OECD Director Lacy Tamayo
Rodolfo Lacy Tamayo, Director for Climate Action and Environment for Latin America at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), states that 6.5 million hectares of biodiversity are lost yearly
“Universities compete for talent, but we also collaborate”: David Garza
David Garza, Rector and executive president of Tec, highlighted the importance of cooperation during the WUN 2023 rectors’ gathering. (Photo: Udell Jiménez / TecScience) WUN AGM event report via TecScience.
WUN Presidents Forum 2023
Universities’ Contributions to Environmental Sustainability was the theme of the Presidents Forum at the WUN Annual General Meeting 2023: the role of universities as exemplars of best practice in environmental sustainability.
WUN AGM: 22-24 May 2023
Location: Monterrey, Mexico Dates: 22-24 May 2023 The Worldwide Universities Network Annual General Meeting 2023, hosted by Tecnológico de Monterrey, is happening this week. Visit the dedicated website for conference
Global comparison of Clinical Practice Strategies (CliPS) in Juvenile Inflammatory Diseases (JIR) attracts major funding
The JIR network is an international network of specialists taking care of patients with Juvenile Inflammatory Disease. The network was created in 2013 by a group of paediatric rheumatologists from
WUN-supported project “Mesh WiFi-based In-Home Health Monitoring System for Older Adults” gains traction
A team of researchers led by Professor He Chen from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has developed a Mesh WiFi-based In-Home Health Monitoring System for Older Adults with
Stinky seaweed blooms: Turning an ecological risk into an opportunity
Photo by Thor Tryggvason on Unsplash The University of Southampton published this story on the SARCAP project. The Southampton-led research project –funded through the WUN Research Development Fund (2021 round)
Celebrating International Women’s Day: WUN gender equality projects in the spotlight
8 March 2022 is International Women’s Day – a day of celebrating women’s achievements, and raising awareness about discrimination and inequalities. Many WUN research projects explore gender and global challenges
ReMiE Project: Enhancing the research capacities of academics and PhD students in the field of education
This project aims to understand the challenges in using, teaching and learning research methodologies in the field of education across WUN universities, and to address some of these challenges by
Experts have urged the Ugandan government to invest in research collaborations that will boost innovation in cheaper, modern and clean energy technologies
Image via University of Leeds: ACERA Principal Investigators Dr Mary Suzan Abbo, CREEC Managing Director (3rd from left), and Professor Jon Lovett, University of Leeds (centre) with researchers from Congo
How the Pandemic has Affected Mental Health in South-East Asia
Researchers in the WUN Global Research Group – SDGs in Asia are testing the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological distress in different populations. This article originally appeared in
High-capacity energy storage based on affordable, eco-friendly materials
Image: iStock by Getty Images Worldwide Universities Network researchers used cheap and abundant starting materials to synthesize a small molecule organic electrode material and achieved a considerable performance boost with
How plants adapt to climate change
Image via University of Leeds: An oil painting commissioned as part of the project titled: ‘Climate. Cultivation. Collaboration.’ by Dr Besiana Sinanaj Plants can’t move. When the conditions around them
COVID-19 and domestic violence: impact on mental health
The WUN research consortium “Mental Health Impact and Access Services for Women Victims of Intimate Partner Violence” led by Parveen Ali, Professor of Nursing and Gender Based Violence at The
Factors affecting electric vehicle adoption intention: The impact of objective, perceived, and prospective charger accessibility
In the era of e-mobility, promoting electric vehicle (EV) usage is considered a policy worth incorporating into a government’s agenda. While accessibility has been broadly recognized as important for user
WUN Summer School at the University of Ghana: 2-11 July 2023
Photo via the University of Ghana The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) Summer School, hosted by the University of Ghana, is now accepting applications. The Summer School will be held in
World Water Day 2023: WUN water and sanitation projects in the spotlight
Photo by Joshua Lanzarini on Unsplash World Water Day 2023 is about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis. The celebration of this year’s World Water Day coincides
Research Development Fund (RDF) 2022 Awards Announcement
WUN is pleased to announce the results of the Research Development Fund (RDF) 2022. These awards mark a direct investment of £220,000 in international collaborative research among WUN member universities. As the
WUN Presidents Forum 2022: Addressing inequality in higher education and research – Keynote and Session 1
Inequality in higher education and research was the theme of the Presidents Forum at the WUN Annual General Meeting 2022. We look back on contributions from WUN leaders and researchers
WUN convenes with fellow networks at COP27
SUMMARY “Networks are so important because no one university has all the skills and experts to address all the challenges of climate change,” said Bill Flanagan, President and Vice-Chancellor of
Can access to technology reshape higher education?
Technology has the power to democratize higher education, but it’s not a panacea, says José Escamilla. “We had forgotten how important access to technology is. The pandemic reminded us,” says
Equity in higher education requires bold action
Precise goals and bold schemes are necessary to create greater equity in higher education, says Andrew Parfitt. Parfitt, Vice-chancellor and President of the University of Technology Sydney, detailed the specific
Equitable research partnerships aren’t ‘extractive’
Global challenges require solutions that arise from equitable and mutually beneficial research partnerships in which the voice and agency of all are valued, says Sue Harrison, deputy vice-chancellor at the
Dawn Freshwater completes term as chair of Partnership Board
Professor Dawn Freshwater has concluded her term as chair of the Worldwide Universities Network partnership board. Her time at the helm saw the network address immense challenges brought on by
Universities as key solutions providers: Leveraging our local and global networks for innovation
WUN will be participating in the COP27 Climate Change Conference in November 2022 through our participation in a side event “Universities as key solutions providers: Leveraging our local and global networks for innovation”
World at a ‘tipping point’ in climate change talks, COP27 delegate says
Sherilee Harper, an expert on how climate change is affecting human health, is attending the COP27 conference to present key findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (Photo: U
WUN consortium publishes book: SDG11, Sustainable Cities and Communities
The collaborative research project “A Cross-National Study of Urban Solid Waste Management: Learnings and Way Forward” has launched a book titled “SDG11, Sustainable Cities and Communities”. Abstract This book explores
Empowered in Business or Penalised in Marriage: Experiences of Single Female Entrepreneurs in China
Photo by Mimi Thian on Unsplash The WUN research consortium Women’s Mobility: Negotiating Work and Family Spheres in Asia has published the paper “Empowered in Business or Penalised in Marriage:
Worldwide Universities Network Symposium: Health and Social Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Adolescents: An International Perspective
The CUHK Institute of Health Equity invites colleagues from WUN member universities to attend the Worldwide Universities Network Symposium: Health and Social Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Adolescents: An
Conference “Shaping the future agenda of SDGs in Asia: The Innovative & Transformative Approach”
The National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) is inviting colleagues from global partner universities to participate in a conference that focuses on three main areas of addressing the Sustainable Development Goals
How to use and manage the problematic brown algae that are washing up on the shores across the tropical Atlantic?
Did you know that vast rafts of holopelagic sargassum (brown algae) – some the size of 200 adjoining football pitches – seasonally wash ashore and decompose on beaches requiring extensive
Creating and curating practical knowledge with traditional health practitioners & Indigenous knowledge holders
The African Child and Youth Migration Network, based in the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Nursing, is hosting a free, virtual workshop on Friday 21 October from 9:30-10:30 am (Edmonton, GMT-6). Dr.
Students invited to submit a video testimonial for COP27 Climate Change Conference
WUN will be participating in the COP27 Climate Change Conference in November 2022 through our participation in a side event “Universities as key solutions providers: Leveraging our local and global networks for
The UK National Health Service’s migration infrastructure in times of Brexit and COVID-19: Disjunctures, continuities and innovations
Photo by Rusty Watson on Unsplash This new paper, published in International Migration, is looking at ‘migration infrastructures’ in the UK National Health Service (NHS) following Brexit and during the
WUN Workshop “Smart Biosolar Microgrids for Sustainable Communities”
Photo by Biel Morro on Unsplash The WUN research consortium ‘Smart biosolar microgrids for sustainable communities’ held its first workshop from 25-29 July at the University of Ghana in Accra,
Workshop – Design & Development of appropriate MedTech products in West and East Africa
The WUN research consortium The design and development of appropriate MedTech products for in-country use: a regional comparison of West and East Africa invites you to their workshop “The Design
Equity and the financial costs of informal caregiving in palliative care: a critical debate
The WUN-supported research collaboration ” The economic costs of family caregiving within a palliative care context” responded to an issue the World Health Organisation has identified as one of the
From agency to root causes: addressing structural barriers to transformative justice in transitional and post-conflict settings
Photo by Clay Banks via UnSplash Transformative justice has emerged as a new practice agenda for addressing structural and systemic violence in post-conflict and post-authoritarian societies. The Transformative Justice Network
The New African Urban University (NAUU) workshop synthesis report
The WUN research consortium “The New African Urban University: Building partnerships to realise the promise and potential of sustainable urban transformations” has published “The New African Urban University workshop synthesis
Studying the Other or Becoming the Other: Engaging with Indigenous Peoples in IS Research
The WUN research consortium “The trans-nationalisation of indigenous movements: The role of digital technologies” has investigated how information systems (IS) can promote social inclusion, and how Indigenous peoples use technologies
New insights into COVID-19 impact on society
Photo by Belinda Fewings on Unsplash The COVID-19 pandemic has had a large impact on how society is functioning. In addition to the direct impact on public health, we have
WUN Research Development Fund 2022
WUN is pleased to announce that the Research Development Fund (RDF) 2022 round is now open. In its fourteenth year, the RDF provides researchers at member universities with grants of
WUN Virtual Summer School at NCKU kicks off on Monday 8 August 2022
We are excited to announce the kick-off of the WUN Virtual Summer School 2022. The eight-day programme, organised and hosted by National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) takes place online and starts on
WUN Virtual Summer School 2023
Photo: Alex Holland via the University of York Over the past few years, global figures have been speaking out about the greatest challenges the world faces. Politicians, business leaders, and
Join us for a workshop on climate change: Reaching blue skies for a sustainable future
The WUN research consortium “Addressing the impact of heatwaves and drought on food security” led by Dr Yoselin Benitez-Alfonso from the University of Leeds is organising a hybrid workshop that
WUN Virtual Summer School at NCKU: Act for Sustainability
What does algae have to do with water quality? How can cities become more sustainable? Students can learn the answers to these questions, and much more, at the 2022 Worldwide
WUN welcomes new member Ruhr University Bochum
We are delighted to announce that Ruhr University Bochum has joined the Worldwide Universities Network. WUN warmly welcomes Rector Martin Paul and colleagues as partners. “Ruhr University Bochum brings valuable new
WUN Consortium Round Table at WHEC 2022: “Coping with Catastrophe through Collaboration”
Image: UNESCO UNESCO World Higher Education Conference (WHEC2022) aims at reshaping ideas and practices in higher education to ensure sustainable development for the planet and humanity. During this conference, on
Virtual Student Exchange to Outlast COVID-19
SUMMARY In spite of pandemic-imposed travel restrictions, technology has allowed study abroad experiences to continue, and has in fact made them more accessible to less privileged students. With international travel
How Should Information Systems Research Approach Indigenous Peoples?
SUMMARY Researchers from the field of information systems held three events to discuss how their field can set aside colonial legacies and approach Indigenous peoples in new ways. Together, they
COVID altered adolescent sexual and reproductive health care in less wealthy countries
SUMMARY An analysis of existing research on adolescent sexual and reproductive health in low- and middle-income countries identifies several themes that warrant further investigation. Those themes include child marriage, teen
Fish offer global look at microplastic pollution
SUMMARY “Microplastics are like dust. We’re breathing them all the time and they’re accumulating in us,” says ecologist Adrian Jordaan. He and colleagues have developed a protocol for studying the
WUN AGM 2022
© LT/www.diapo.ch The Worldwide Universities Network Annual General Meeting is the central event in the WUN calendar, drawing together colleagues from member universities for policy discussions and business meetings to further
Are universities of the past still the future?
On 24 January 2022, on the fourth annual UNESCO International Day of Education, Ernst & Young (EY) launched their global “Future of Higher Education” report. EY is helping universities to
WUN Executive Director visits Makerere University
The Vice Chancellor-Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (3rd left) and WUN Director Prof. Peter Lennie (4th right) with DVCAA-Assoc. Prof. Umar Kakumba (3rd right), Ag. DVCFA-Prof. Henry Alinaitwe and Members of Management
WUN consortium launches ‘Tertiary Education in a Warming World’ Report
Higher education institutes have a critical role to play in driving the scientific, political, technological, and cultural change needed to avoid the worst-case climate change scenarios, and in advancing the
UP launches national network to support UN Sustainable Development Goals
The University of Pretoria (UP) has launched SDSN South Africa, a national network for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). The SDSN is an international initiative that marshals global
WUN-supported global research network aims to improve opportunities and outcomes for women
The Global Research Network on the Economic Empowerment of Women (ReNEW) seeks to examine innovative approaches to research and policy development to improve women’s economic empowerment. (Photo: Jason Goodman, Unsplash)
Sheffield researcher & WUN project lead recognised for her influence on social policy
Professor Sue Yeandle from The University of Sheffield has been recognised for her influence on social policy, and specialises in the relationship between work and care, and how social and
Where do climate migrants go?
As climate change renders populated areas uninhabitable, what does justice look like for those who must relocate? A forthcoming collection of papers in the journal Regional Environmental Change will address
RDF 2021 Announcement
WUN is pleased to announce the results of the Research Development Fund (RDF) 2021 round on the theme of Mobilising for a Sustainable Future. These awards mark a direct investment in international
Why research intensive universities should be interested in apprenticeships
When people think of a university, I doubt they picture anything like our University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre. A few miles away from our central campus, it is located
Disaster risk governance differs for COVID-19 vs. other crises
A new study examines how government response to disasters differs when the risks stem from a communicable disease. The study, which will appear in the journal Frontiers in Public Health,
Pandemic worsens inequalities at all levels
Researchers gathered last month in South Africa to consider how governments handled COVID-19 and how those choices led to deepening inequalities at all levels of society. “The broad topic we
WUN welcomes three new members to the network
We are delighted to announce that Mahidol University, the University of Pretoria, and the University of Technology Sydney have joined the Worldwide Universities Network. In welcoming the new members, Executive
Collaborative storytelling project demonstrates resilience of women in migration
A new website will educate visitors about women’s experiences of migration, including episodes of violence and stories of resilience. One in three women around the world experience violence during their
No climate justice without migration justice
Small Pacific Island nations like Tuvalu have been feeling severe impacts of climate change and will eventually become uninhabitable – despite all small island developing countries in the Pacific combined
Research to support vulnerable migrant children
The WUN research group ‘African Child and Youth Wellbeing in the Context of Migration and Displacement’ is investigating African child and youth health in the context of migration and displacement.
Why global carbon schemes must involve local culture
Greater consideration of local cultures could improve a United Nations programme to limit carbon emissions from tropical forest degradation, research in Vietnam indicates. More than 300 million people around the
Academics report ‘pandemia’ work conditions in recent surveys
Work conditions at universities have eroded during the pandemic, report academics in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia in a recent survey. One survey respondent used the term “pandemia,” which
Pandemic worsens inequality for migrant workers
The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the challenges facing migrant workers in Australia, China, and the United Kingdom, say researchers. “In each of the three countries, COVID has worsened existing inequalities
Toolkit aims to prep educators to address climate crisis
SUMMARY A multimedia set of resources called “Education in a Warming World” aims to help educators effectively address the climate crisis in undergraduate courses. The project includes short videos, a
WUN Launches Virtual Study Abroad Pilot Programme
The Worldwide Universities Network has launched a virtual study abroad programme for undergraduate and graduate students. Five universities–the University of Alberta, the University of Cape Town, Universidad Federale de Minas
Students Delve into Sustainable Development at WUN Summer School
Undergraduates from around the world turned their attention to the world’s most pressing issues during the 2021 Worldwide Universities Network Summer School. The two-week programme, designed and hosted by the
Research for better health resource allocation
Healthcare policy-making is intended to improve population health and reduce health inequalities, and is most effective when informed by high quality research. This is particularly successful when academic institutions establish
WUN Research Development Fund 2021
WUN is pleased to announce that the Research Development Fund (RDF) 2021 round is now open. In its thirteenth year, the RDF provides researchers at member universities with grants of
Join the WUN Hub
WUN Hub is a database that enables WUN researchers to find and connect with WUN colleagues and WUN-supported research projects. WUN researchers join the Hub by creating a profile that
Replay: ECR Virtual Networking Workshop Sessions on SDGs 5, 8 and 15
WUN recently held three networking workshops in its special series for early career researcher (ECR) entitled “Developing the next generation of research leaders for sustainable development.” This initiative is intended
Modelling marine microplastics: international workshop explores new challenges
Did you know that teabags are made of plastic? Do you know where that plastic ends up? With WUN funding, a team of researchers led by Professor Bruce Sutherland (University of Alberta) are learning how to predict the movements of microplastics after their entry into water systems. Click through to read more about their recent workshop and their goal to help policy-makers take action.
Mobilising around mobility: unique WUN collaboration to study wellbeing and sustainable transport
How do individuals weigh up the options of different modes of transport? Do they value speed, accessibility, cleanliness, health, or cost when choosing how to get around? What choices are available and how might this change? Funded by a 2020 Research Development Fund grant, this new WUN Interdisciplinary Research Group brings the power of five key institutes to the challenges—and benefits—of promoting greater use of sustainable forms of mobility, with their associated outcomes for health and wellbeing. Click through for the full story.
Innovating the mathematics curriculum in times of change
Academics increasingly recognise the need to decolonise learning, not merely by bringing in marginalised materials or perspectives but by looking more fundamentally at educational practices. In this context, mathematics has
Announcing the next in our series of Early Career Researcher Networking Workshops
WUN, in collaboration with the UNESCO Education Sector and UNSDSN, is holding a series of free virtual networking workshops for early career researchers (ECRs) under the theme of ‘developing the
WUN Special Program for Early Career Researchers
“The WUN ECR programme is a timely example of the importance of global communication, particularly during an international crisis. Understanding the current pressures on our junior colleagues, and examining potential
WUN Research Group Hosts Gender and (Im)Mobility Conference
The International Conference on Gender and (Im)mobility in Uncertain Times, held on March 11-12, was hosted online by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). The conference was organised by
African Child and Youth Wellbeing in the Context of Migration and Displacement
A global research group supported by WUN is working to boost the wellbeing of African children and young people who have migrated or been displaced. Many African communities have high
Investigating the efficacy of traditional Ghanaian medicines
A WUN research team has investigated the efficacy of traditional Ghanaian medicines in combating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and identified several such that are highly effective, at least in a
Replay: WUN ECR Networking Workshop on Sustainable Cities and Communities
The Worldwide Universities Network recently held the third in its special program series of networking workshops for early career researchers (ECR) on the theme of Developing the next generation of research
Researcher profile: Alberta professor leads team to study COVID-impact on women’s health care
Nursing professor Salima Meherali is leading international research looking for ways to address serious gaps the COVID-19 pandemic has created in health-care services for teen girls in low- and middle-income
WUN research group organises International Conference on Gender and (Im)mobility in Uncertain Times
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) researcher Professor Jing Song will hold an international conference on 11-12 March 2021 as part of her WUN interdisciplinary research group ‘Women’s Mobility: Negotiating
WUN special program for early career researchers off to successful start with focus on SDGs 4 and 13
WUN recently held the first set networking workshops as part of its special program for early career researcher (ECR) entitled “Developing the next generation of research leaders for sustainable development.” The first two, of which there will be 17 in total, focused on SDG 13: Climate Action, and SDG 4: Quality Education, respectively. Click through for a summary and videos of the keynote talks.
A planetary health pledge to unite health professionals in the Anthropocene
The inVIVO Planetary Health network, which has its origins in a 2012 WUN Research Development Fund grant, pursues positive change that reflect the link between people and place. In a November 2020 publication in The Lancet, researchers from inVIVO appealed for health professionals to pledge their dedication ‘to the service of humanity, and to the protection of natural systems on which human health depends.’ We asked experts around the Worldwide Universities Network for their perspectives on the pledge and its effort to expand the interpretation of ‘first do no harm’ to reflect human connections to the planet. Click through for more.
Exploring a global vaccine certification program
The WUN research group ‘Norms, standards, and enforcement of the COVID-19 International Certificate of Vaccination’ is investigating how a global vaccination certification protocol might be developed and implemented. The project
International Symposium on Digital Health 2020
SUMMARY Digital infrastructures and the data they can harness are opening up new possibilities for health care. The potential benefits are extremely wide-ranging, and with digital health technologies developing so
WUN Online Summer School at the University of York: Registration Open
As a member university of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) your students may be aware of the ground-breaking research that your institution is doing to support the United Nations Sustainable
WUN Research Development Fund 2020 Awards Announcement
WUN is pleased to announce the results of the Research Development Fund (RDF) 2020 round on the theme of Sustainable Recovery. These awards mark a direct investment in international collaborative research among WUN
Global Africa Group celebrates the launch of their ground-breaking book
SUMMARY WUN’s Global Africa Group (GAG) has marked the publication of a collective work to critically examine development approaches in Africa. Drawing on workshops held in Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Australia,
In homes across the globe: understanding the mental health issues of intimate partner violence
SUMMARY Intimate partner violence is shockingly widespread: the World Health Organization estimates that, as a global average, one in three women have experienced violence from a male partner or former
Policies for pandemic response: how is evidence shaping action?
Researchers and policy experts from across the globe are collaborating to monitor and analyse the role of evidence in policy-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their data cover more than 100 countries, publicly accessible in the INGSA COVID-19 Evidence-to-Policy Tracker. Click through to read more about this WUN-supported initiative.
Cheap, consistent, clean? Changing the models for sustainable electricity access
In Ghana, the term “dumsor” (literally meaning “off-on”) is a term that was born to describe the periods of electricity blackouts in 2015 when the country experienced persistent and intermittent power outages. Though access to electricity is widespread, communities in different regions confront challenges of reliability, cost, and safety.
Click through to read about how the WUN-funded research group SEN-Africa is working on new models that incorporate the range of stakeholder priorities.
Register now for inVIVO’s 9th annual conference
WUN is delighted to share details of the upcoming inVIVO Planetary Health 9th annual conference. Please vist this link for information on their program, and to register. inVIVO Planetary Health provides an integrative systems framework
WUN research group to hold international symposium: Digital Health In COVID-19
The International Symposium on Digital Health is an annual event that connects international experts and professionals from the healthcare and engineering sectors in the promotion of interdisciplinary research in digital health. Click through to learn more about this upcoming free virtual symposium.
Lift-off for WUN’s early career researcher networking series
Why do we have the Sustainable Development Goals and why are university collaborations essential in making progress on them? Hear from Peter Lennie, WUN Executive Director, and special guest Jeffrey Sachs, President of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, as they launch a new WUN networking initiative for early-career researchers working on the world’s biggest challenges.
WUN research group to hold international symposium: 2020 A Year Without Public Space
A WUN Interdisciplinary Research Group is hosting an international symposium that reflects on the challenges and opportunities in thinking about what counts as public space during a global pandemic. WUN Executive Director Peter Lennie and Chair of Global Higher Education and Research Global Challenge Chair Jose Escamilla, join PI Hendrik Tieben to discuss ‘Campus as Public Space in the Age of Pandemics’. Click through for the program and registration information.
Africa and the Sustainable Development Goals
We are delighted to invite you to the virtual launch of the Worldwide Universities Network Global Africa Group book, Africa and the Sustainable Development Goals. Attendees are invited to meet the editors of Africa and the Sustainable Development Goals and participate in a live Q&A session with its contributors. Click through for full details and to register for the event.
This is one of the first academic publications to comprehensively and critically engage with the intersection of the Sustainable Development Goals and African development agendas. It presents multidisciplinary research that captures the necessary complexity and breadth of the theory and practice of sustainable development on the continent.
Click through for full details and to register for the event.
Setting a new standard for COVID-19 testing
With a potentially large proportion of COVID-19 cases showing no symptoms but still infectious, sensitive and accurate methods of testing for the virus are essential to reduce the dangers of transmission within communities. A newly established WUN research group is helping to refine testing methods of testing for SARS-Cov-2.
Click through for the full story.
Restoring the invisible: new network to explore Indigenous epistemologies
The ways of thinking and knowing developed in Indigenous cultures have long been marginalised within the academy and in public life, including in approaches to the environment, migration, and justice. Dr June Bam–Hutchison (University of Cape Town) is leading a collaborative network that aims to restore understandings of Indigenous concepts, enrich existing scholarship, and help to develop new approaches to today’s global challenges.
International Development Program for Early Career Researchers
WUN, in collaboration with UNESCO and the UNSDSN, will hold a series of free virtual networking workshops for early career researchers under the theme of ‘developing the next generation of research leaders for sustainable development’. The workshops will bring together early career researchers from all around the world interested in establishing connections to colleagues in their field.
Click through to learn more about this exciting program and to register for the inaugrural event.
Healthy cities and community needs: reconfiguring public spaces in the age of pandemics
Some of the most striking spaces of the twentieth century were conceived with the modernist ambition to make urban living healthier. In the twenty-first century, the COVID-19 crisis and the changing use of public space is encouraging a return to such thinking. These debates have crystallised discussions of how to make public spaces work best for local communities—questions that the WUN group on sustainable, healthy cities has been exploring in their research and practice for several years. Click through to discover more.
WUN Profile: Martin Paul completes his term as chair
During his productive term as Chair of the Partnership Board, Martin Paul (President of Maastricht University) challenged WUN to think harder and more sharply about the areas in which it can be most valuable. While it was founded to harness the benefits of multilateral collaboration in research, in recent years WUN has developed additional ways to benefit its members. ‘With networks you benefit from them only if you are an active partner,’ a belief that underpinned his engagement with and investment in WUN.
WUN welcomes newest member Makerere University
We are delighted to announce that Makerere University has joined the Worldwide Universities Network. WUN warmly welcomes Vice Chancellor Barnabas Nwangwe and colleagues as partners. Click through to learn more.
Webinar on restarting research during the pandemic: summary of insights from across five continents
The third instalment of WUN’s webinar series sharing experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic focused on research: how universities are managing priorities during campus closures and conditions on returning to work. Click through for a summary and recording of the event.
Global study on the pandemic’s impact on university staff and student wellbeing
An international consortium of WUN member universities along with WUN+ partners is examining the experiences of staff members and students at universities around the world, seeking to reveal the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on their mental health and wellbeing. Click through to learn about the project and to access their global survey for academic staff members.
Advancing telerobotics to make hospitals safer for health workers
With health care workers across the world taking on extreme risks during the COVID-19 pandemic, WUN is supporting a team of engineers and scientists to make treating patients safer for hospital staff. Read more here about the collaboration between members Zhejiang University and The University of Sheffield to develop a robot that will reduce the risk of infection on isolation wards.
WUN Webinar on ‘Restarting Research During the Pandemic’ to be held on 10 September – Register Now
On 10 September, we will explore what strategies have emerged from both an institutional and researcher perspective, and in response to challenges presented by different disciplines, to restarting research during the pandemic. We will discuss what we’ve learned from both success and failure, and how the diversity of experiences from around the network can help inform the way we restart of research in this new landscape. Click through for more information and to register.
Launch of the WUN 2020 Research Development Fund: Sustainable Recovery
WUN is pleased to announce that the Research Development Fund (RDF) 2020 round, focused on the theme of Sustainable Recovery, is now open.
As the world approaches investment in recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing attention is being paid to doing this in ways that will be sustainable, which is aligned with WUN’s strategic goals and focus on sustainable development. This presents the network with a unique opportunity to initiate projects that anticipate the major investments that will be made over the coming years, and enlarge the impact and global recognition of WUN.
CUHK Study Suggests Hot Nights Pose Greater Threat to Public Health
A study done by the Institute of Future Cities at CUHK reveals that hot nights pose greater threat to public health than hot days and better urban planning and building design are needed to mitigate the impact.
Adaptive sociality: WUN-funded research explores student learning during COVID-19
It will take years to understand the impacts, positive and negative, of the mass experiment in distance learning catalysed by COVID-19. Supported by WUN, researchers have started to explore the experiences of university students, using cases across four continents to bring out comparative insights.
WUN Executive Director presents to high-level UN meeting on universities and the SDGs
Peter Lennie discusses the importance of collaborative networks at the Sustainable Development Solutions Network ‘University Sector Support to UN Secretary-General’s Call for a Decade of Action on the SDGs: A Meeting of Presidents of Universities’. to an audience of university and United Nations leaders.
Maintaining student engagement and attention online: insights from the latest WUN webinar
In the second of the WUN webinars on challenges universities are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic, teaching and learning experts shared their experiences and techniques for helping students stay engaged with their courses during online delivery. Every university in the Network has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and has had to adapt at pace. However, these common challenges have taken diverse forms and prompted distinctive solutions, with each university responding to a specific and locally grounded set of dynamics.
Click through for a summary of the discussion and to watch a video of the webinar in its entirety.
Awards Announcement: Addressing Research Needs Triggered by the Pandemic
WUN is pleased to announce the results of its 2020 special initiative to address research needs triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eight awards were made to support time-sensitive research projects whose value depends on being able to collect or analyse data obtained during the pandemic, and on which the collaboration of WUN partners confers real advantage. Awarded project teams are comprised of researchers from across 19 WUN member universities.
Peter Lennie, Executive Director of WUN, said “We had an overwhelming response to this special call, and received many strong and exciting proposals. The eight successful projects take special advantage of member universities’ cultural and geographical diversity in tackling urgent and important problems that have arisen from the pandemic.”
Click through to learn more about the awarded projects.
Maintaining Student Engagement and Attention During Remote Course Delivery
WUN is hosting a series of webinars to help member universities benefit from each other’s experience in addressing some of the unprecedented pandemic-related challenges facing them. The next in our series, to be held on Thursday 23 July will discuss the challenge of maintaining student engagement and attention during remote course delivery.
Universities around the network have deployed various approaches, reflecting the different geographical and cultural contexts in which they work, to help keep students engaged as classes have shifted from the classroom to computer screen. In this webinar we will explore what successful strategies have emerged, what we’ve learned from failures, and how the diversity of experiences from around the network can help inform each of us as we continue to teach remotely.
Click through to learn more and register for the webinar.
University of Lausanne joins WUN
We are delighted to announce that the University of Lausanne (UNIL) has become the newest member of WUN.
Rector Nouria Hernandez noted that “UNIL is very excited to join WUN and to contribute to its development. We are particularly enthusiastic about the focus of the network on research activities and collaboration, and above all the fact that it addresses major contemporary challenges. These issues are also high on UNIL’s agenda.”
WUN Executive Director Peter Lennie added, “The distinctive strength of the network lies in its capacity to bring together major research universities from different parts of the world to collaborate on solving global challenges—particularly those related to sustainable development. In joining WUN, the University of Lausanne adds significantly to our strengths, and to our effectiveness in addressing research challenges.” Click through to read the full story.
Sustainable Oceans Series: Highlighting Sustainable Development Goal 14 – Life Below Water
(22 June series update)
Following World Oceans Day, WUN is pleased to share a presentation of a series of articles in which United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) presents ocean science from WUN member the University of Bergen, UNAI’s Hub institution for SDG 14: Life below water in the Sustainable Ocean Series.
We will be sharing four features from this project, a new article to be published each Monday, and also highlight what WUN research teams are doing to address the future of our oceans. Click through for more.
Mental health and COVID-19: How WUN universities are supporting their students
Before COVID-19 there were transnational trends in student mental health as well as local particularities, as students face adjustment challenges, the demands of a competitive environment and external pressures like finances and employability.
As the pandemic and related containment measures take hold, click through to learn about how WUN universities are supporting students’ mental health.
African landscapes facing climate change: using an integrated approach to mitigate impacts
Through transdisciplinary research the WUN Interdisciplinary Research Group on Climate Resilient African Landscapes is building insights into how different stakeholders use and shape the places they share. The group has established practitioner partnerships and is capitalising on regional and global academic networks.
Click to read more about the approach they are taking as their work continues.
WUN Research Mobility Program: Ideas in motion
In this story, we hear how two WUN member researchers benefited from new connections made through the Research Mobility Program: Colin Chu, who worked with engineers at the University of Rochester, and Victoria Rivera Ugarte, who collaborated with social scientists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Click through to learn more about their discoveries and plans.
Climate and shock: resilience in food production systems after COVID-19
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, interruptions to public services and the imposition of social distancing have had major impacts on global agriculture and food supply. Professor Mark Eisler of the WUN supported Global Farm Platform discusses likely impacts of the crisis and the potential for rebuilding systems in more environmentally and economically sustainable way.
Click through to read more.
Trauma, climate change, and maternal health: increasing impacts, trans-generational effects
Stressors and traumas such as violence and abuse, the effects of poverty, and the experience of emergencies or disasters have a major impact on the health of pregnant women and their children.
As the impact of climate change multiplies the threats, understanding why and how we can make effective and early interventions is paramount.
Click through to read the full story.
Student Mental Health During the Pandemic
WUN is hosting a series of webinars to help member universities benefit from each other’s experience in addressing some of the unprecedented pandemic-related challenges now facing them. Each webinar will last an hour, and will be organised around the sharing of insights about a specific challenge, followed by a broad Q&A.
The focus of our first webinar, to be held on Tuesday 5 May (click through for local times) will be student mental health. The webinar will begin with the sharing of both research and practice insights and experiences from members of the WUN Student Mental Health Working Group. This will be followed by a broader discussion with all attendees.
CUHK Proves & Visualises the Harmful Effect of Ozone Damage on Plants
CUHK Proves and Visualises the Harmful Effect of Ozone Damage on PlantsFirst Plant-based Measurement of Ozone in South China Region A research team led by Prof. Amos Tai, Associate Professor of
Call for proposals: WUN addressing research needs triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic
To enable WUN as a network to best address research needs triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic, WUN is making available a limited number of grants for collaborative projects that focus on research challenges related to the present pandemic, and are urgent and of the moment.
We therefore welcome special requests to support projects that a) should be undertaken now, because circumstances will be less favourable later; b) benefit particularly from collaboration among WUN partners (e.g., capitalize on the geographical and cultural diversity of the network).
Click through for full details.
WUN Annual General Meeting 2021 Announcement
Although we won’t be able to gather this year for the 2020 WUN Annual General Meeting (AGM), we are excited to announce the dates for WUN AGM 2021!
Working with Tecnológico de Monterrey, we have been able to confirm arrangements for the WUN AGM 2021, which will take place in Monterrey, Mexico from 17-21 May 2021.
CUHK Launches the “Class Acts” Online Talk Series
To encourage ongoing learning at home and self-improvement by acquiring knowledge in various areas during the pandemic, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) hosts the “Class Acts” CUHK Online
New consortium to bring interdisciplinary insights on climate-induced migration
While disasters and environmental factors have always been important drivers of migration, even more people are expected to move as they face the projected impacts of climate change, including more extreme weather events, changes in water quality and availability, and interactions with conflict.
A recent ruling of the UN Human Rights Committee, which stated that people cannot be sent back to countries where climate change impacts place them in immediate danger, was treated by many commentators as a landmark protection for environmental migrants. As Professor Andreas Neef (University of Auckland) explains in this feature, the reality is more complex. Recipient of a 2020 WUN Research Development Fund award, a WUN member consortium will advance interdisciplinary research into climate-induced migration. It aims to help improve policies through a better understanding of the complex drivers of migration and displacement associated with climatic changes. Click through for the full story.
WUN Summer School
UPDATE: The WUN Summer School, originally scheduled for July 2020, has been postponed to 2021 due to covid-19 developments. The information and application website will be re-opened for the 2021 program in due course.
WUN Research Development Fund 2019 Results
WUN is pleased to announce the results of the 2019 round of the Research Development Fund (RDF) applications. These awards, which facilitate collaborative research among WUN universities, will bring our financial investment in establishing new WUN Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs) to more than £170,000 over the past six months.
From among 31 applications, we have been able to support 15 projects from the RDF. Notably, all 23 WUN member universities are represented on awarded projects research teams in this round. These new projects join 88 existing IRGs that have engaged over 2300 researchers across the Network.
Since 2009 the WUN Research Development Fund (RDF) has directly invested over £2 million to establish research projects on problems of global significance, and on which member universities, working together, can make distinctive progress.
Infections and allergies: a cross-generational riddle
In 2015 a WUN-funded research collaboration among the Universities of Bergen, Cape Town, and Southampton set out to understand whether parasite exposure is having an impact on allergy rates. Their research since suggests that the answer is yes, but exactly what is happening and why remains a mystery. Click through to read the full story.
Action research for a cleaner future
Not just talking, but doing: with funding from the WUN Research Development Fund, academics from four WUN universities got together with experts and decision-makers in Accra to combine forces on global waste management. Professor Shyama V. Ramani and PhD researcher Ms Maria Tomai talk here about their recent activities.
Inclusive research supporting women’s integration
Public debates about marriage migration are vulnerable to a series of misconceptions, often conflating migration with trafficking and undermining the agency of the women who migrate. The WUN Marriage Migrants in Asia research group is addressing these misconceptions with interdisciplinary research that aims to inform regional policy. Click through to read more about their activities and the thinking behind them.
WUN funding helps lay foundation for international cooperation on digital health
New technologies are capturing different information about health and treatments, opening up new pathways for more efficient and effective care. With its distinctive collaborative model, the WUN Digital Health Research Network has founded a new international society and is developing methodologies for studying and evaluating digital health innovations. Click through for the full story.
New paper probes data diplomacy’s expanding role
The convergence of data and diplomacy and its far-reaching effects are the focus of a new academic paper by WUN-affiliated researchers published in Science & Diplomacy.
Data Diplomacy was co-authored by Andy Boyd (Bristol), Jane Gatewood, (Rochester), Stuart Thorson, (Syracuse) and Timothy Dye (Rochester). The publication reflects insights from the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) symposium on data diplomacy held at the Academy of Medicine in New York in October 2015. It also names symposium delegates who lent their expertise in the areas of public health and translational research, governance and public policy, and data sharing and management to investigate the intersection of data and diplomatic engagement.
The paper shows data to be a two-edged sword: used to empower communities by granting them cultural capital and opening diplomatic possibilities, and as a tool to manage citizens’ behaviour. (Click through to full story.)
Smart research, smart policy, smart care
By 2050, the world’s population of people over the age of 60 will double, which has significant implications for sustainable development. The World Health Organisation’s Decade on Healthy Ageing 2020–2030 calls for concerted, catalytic and collaborative action to improve the lives of older people, their families and the communities in which they live. PI Professor Ka Lin (Zhejiang University, China) says the WUN-funded research he’s been leading has yielded several significant findings in this area since the collaborative project kicked off in 2018 with the construction of a new analytical framework that brings innovation studies together with elderly care studies.
WUN’s legume research – a lynchpin to global food security
WUN’s Legume Network is building a global reputation for research excellence – paving the way for pulses to be embraced as crucial allies in the fight against climate change, hunger, obesity and other threats to world health.
In 2018, the network was awarded a sustainability grant from WUN to bolster its efforts to secure large-scale, transnational funding to establish a centre of excellence and associated nodes of research. “Large-scale funding will ensure we tackle major challenges in legume biology as a unified world-leading academic community of excellence, driving WUN bioscience forward in this key area,” says PI Associate Professor Michael Considine (UWA).
WUN’s Legumes Network comprises dozens of leading scientists across 12 institutions from five continents. Since its launch in 2015, the number of papers published relating to legumes and climate change has tripled from under 20 to more than 60 per annum – many connected directly to the network. (Click through to full story.)
CROP-FS tackles gritty issues of global food security
The WUN-sponsored project Crop-FS (Climate-resilient open partnership for food security) is a consortium of 24 highly reputed international researchers engaged in conducting cutting-edge research to develop climate-resilient crops, microbial communities, and soil amendments for improving crop productivity under extreme environments.
PI Prof Om Parkash (UMass Amherst) explains that since its launch in 2016, the consortium has grown exponentially with more than 14 universities and institutions across five continents now involved. (Click through for full story)
University of Bergen awarded large EU project on migration
University of Bergen researcher Hakan G. Sicakkan will lead a new EU-backed project on migration. The PROTECT project has been awarded EUR 3.3 mill from EU´s Horizon 2020 programme for the next 5 years. The project, which will closely follow the United Nations’ two new global compacts on migration and refugees, includes 11 partner institutions from Europe, Canada and South-Africa and will start 1 February 2020.
Fostering Energy Leadership: UAlberta provides global perspectives in 2019 WUN Summer School
The University of Alberta set the stage for student discovery in the areas of traditional energy development, future energy systems, environment, and land reclamation by hosting the Worldwide Universities Network Summer School this July.
Strengthening the science-policy nexus at the United Nations
Image: United Nations The University of Bergen visited the High-level Political Forum at the United Nations in July to strengthen the science-policy advice in the approaches to and implementation of
Launch of the 2019 WUN Research Development Fund
WUN is pleased to announce that the Research Development Fund (RDF) 2019 round is now open.
In its eleventh year, the RDF provides researchers in WUN universities with grants of up to £10,000 to foster research collaborations across the network. Grants are offered to support projects within the scope of the four WUN Global Challenges.
“RDF support is intended to help investigators launch collaborative projects that capitalize on distinctive research strengths within the network”, said Professor Peter Lennie, Executive Director of WUN. “The partnership enables us to assemble an unrivalled constellation of strengths that, through the RDF, can be powerfully brought to bear on problems of real consequence.”
Maastricht University leading alliance to create one of the very first “European Universities”
WUN member Maastricht University, which leads the Young Universities for the Future of Europe alliance, has recently been awarded a large grant by the European Commission to set up one of the very first models of European Universities. WUN is strengthened when our member universities extend their reach internationally, and we congratulate Maastricht University on this notable achievement.
WUN Annual General Meeting 2019
From 19-24 May, 230 participants from WUN member universities came together for the Network’s Annual General Meeting Week 2019, hosted by University College Dublin.
Peter Lennie, Executive Director of WUN noted, “Our hosts at UCD provided a marvellous environment for a most productive meeting that highlighted both the achievements and the great potential of WUN. Several important initiatives have resulted from the meeting, and I’m confident they will bring considerable benefit to the partnership.”
WUN would once again like once again to thank President Andrew Deeks and the organising team at University College Dublin for their generous support in hosting WUN AGM 2019. The 2020 edition will be held in Monterrey, Mexico with the support of host member Tecnològico de Monterrey from 17-22 May 2020.
Click through for the full article and further images from the week.
Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings 2019: WUN-universities walk the talk on SDGs
Led by the University of Auckland at number one, WUN universities make a strong showing in a new ranking that assesses the social and economic impact of universities based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
WUN kick-starts African partnership for climate resilience
The WUN Research Development Fund grant will help the ARUA-CD to support research on climate-resilient landscapes, specifically at three study sites in South Africa, Kenya and Ghana.
Sustainable Farming Practices as a Means to Maintain Food Supply & Mitigate Air Pollution
Using advanced computer models, CUHK researchers found that intercropping enables higher productivity in crops with less synthetic fertilizers and hence reduces the air pollutants being volatilized from the cropland soil. This sustainable farming practice may help maintain a stable food supply and mitigate the air pollution problem in China.
Global Partnerships for Transformational Action on the SDG 2030 Agenda
WUN member Maastricht University (UM) reports on their attendance at the second National SDG Conference Bergen.
Maastricht University’s International Staff Week for WUN Partners
To be held from 19-21 June 2019 at Maastricht University.
University of Sheffield: Visiting International Fellowship Scheme – Sociological Studies
Sheffield’s Department of Sociological Studies is now welcoming applications for its Visiting International Fellowship Scheme.
WUN Conference and AGM 2019
Held 19-24 May in Dublin, Ireland.
CUHK Professor Announces World’s First Reference-grade Wild Soybean Genome
Prof Hon-ming Lam, CUHK professor and WUN IRG leader, completed the world’s first reference-grade wild soybean genome.
WUN Summer School Accepting Applications
WUN Summer School on Energy Transitions, 8-19 July 2019, University of Alberta.
Register for inVIVO 2019
The inVIVO Planetary Health network (formerly WUN inFLAME network) announced speakers and topics for inVIVO 2019, held 15-17 May 2019 in Detroit.
Resilient Peace Final Workshop
“Exploring resilient peacebuilding actors, cultures and policy transfer in West Africa”.
Marriage Migrants in Asia international workshop
Open: call for research proposals on Marriage Migrants and Care, deadline 15 March 2019.
CUHK Deepens Ties with World-leading Institutes for Transdisciplinary Medical Robotics Research
CUHK established partnerships with ETH Zurich, Imperial College London and Johns Hopkins University to deepen ties on transdisciplinary medical robotics research.
WUN OPERA Europe 2018 Workshop
The Opera Europe 2018 workshop was held in Pforzheim, Germany, from 11-12 December 2018. OPERA is a WUN-supported initiative dedicated to improving pregnancy outcomes for women and babies at risk.
WUN Global Africa Group workshop 2018
Implementing the SDGs in East Africa: Translating collaborative research into policy impact.
WUN Global Farm Platform Workshop
A novel framework for international comparisons of on-farm sustainability was the main focus of a WUN Global Farm Platform workshop held in Nairobi, November 2018
From Maastricht to Edmonton: WUN Cultivates International Research Connections
Michielse returned to Edmonton in the fall of 2018 to join Malykhin in his lab as part of a larger partnership the University of Alberta has with the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN).
WUN RDF 2018 Results: Distinctive Constellations of Talent
Sixteen projects have been awarded funds to begin in 2019.
SDG Conference Bergen 2019 Edition – Registrations Now Open
National conference on the role of Norwegian universities in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
inVIVO Abstracts and Travel Awards – NOW OPEN
Apply for a travel grant by 15 January 2019 and submit your abstract by 15 February 2019.
Religion and Gender-Based Violence: A Case Study of Accra in Global Context
WUN academic workshop report: The Shiloh Project In Ghana. An Intersectional Exploration of Religion and Gender-Based Violence.
Who doesn’t have a cell phone?
What does mobile phone usage in Africa and small-town hospitality to queer people in South Africa reveal about globalisation as it’s encountered in the margins and peripheries?
Sustaining landscapes and livelihoods in the South Pacific
A new platform to identify climate-smart adaptations in Fiji and Tonga will assist communities vulnerable to climate change.
Boosting maternal resilience after wildfire
WUN research: an inexpensive and easily replicable journalling exercise can build resilience in pregnant women affected by natural disaster.
CUHK Hosts Stanford University’s Bing Overseas Studies Program in HK
CUHK will host Stanford University’s Bing Overseas Studies Program in Hong Kong from fall 2019.
CUHK, University of Sydney, and Zhejiang University Join Global AI Academic Alliance
Several WUN members join the Global AI Academic Alliance that seeks to boost academic exchanges on AI and promote international communication and cooperation.
CUHK’s Partner State Key Laboratories renamed as State Key Laboratories
Five Partner State Key Laboratories of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have been renamed as State Key Laboratories (SKL), enabling them with more flexibility to collaborate with different Mainland research
Launch of the WUN Research Development Fund 2018
The RDF provides researchers in WUN universities with grants of up to £10,000 to foster research collaborations across the network.
inVIVO Planetary Health announces publication of their 10 key principles for planetary health
The Canmore Declaration is defined as the interdependent vitality of all natural and anthropogenic ecosystems: social, political and otherwise.
Volunteer voice: ‘I now appreciate what WUN offers researchers’
Tinashe Jakwa volunteered at the Worldwide Universities Network Conference, AGM, and Presidents Forum 2018
53 ways Leeds is tackling global challenges
Leeds joins the University of Oxford and the LSHT in the top three.
CUHK Hosted ACU Summer School 2018
Forty-five students of 19 nationalities gathered at CUHK for the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) Summer School on Designing and Creating Sustainable Communities during 1-9 July 2018.
Cultures in flux: Migration and cultural dynamics in the past and present
WUN Understanding Cultures Global Challenge Workshop: how heritage can help people deal with trauma of forced and unsafe migration
Water for sustainable food, renewable energy and biodiverse ecosystems under a changing climate
WUN Responding to Climate Change Global Challenge Workshop
WUN Public Health Global Challenge Workshop 2018
Promoting adaptability across the life course
WUN Global Higher Education and Research Workshop 2018
What 21st Century challenges for higher education should inform GHEAR’s research agenda?
WUN Presidents Forum urges closer collaboration for policy impact
We have got the talent, the knowledge, and the vehicles through the policy institutes
Five key recommendations for improving data on missing migrants
Migration Data Portal Blog
WUN Annual Conference and AGM paves a path to greater global policy teamwork
Conference and AGM round-up
WUN announces its new Executive Director
Professor Peter Lennie will be the network’s new Executive Director, commencing in August.
CUHK Launched Joint Research Centre with University of Exeter
CUHK and one of the University of Exeter launched a new HK$20m joint research centre to embark on large, impactful interdisciplinary collaborations to tackle emerging issues related to a changing environment and human health and well being.
Migration Data for Policy Summer School
Monday 9 – Thursday 12 July 2018, Bristol Marriott Hotel
New book examines the experiences of first in family students on four continents
A unique book that captures the diverse experiences of first generation higher education students and explores ways universities might better serve them was launched on May 24 at the WUN AGM.
Migration Data for Policy Summer School hosted by the University of Bristol and the IOM’s GMDAC
Details of the Migration Data for Policy Summer School hosted by the University of Bristol and the IOM’s GMDAC
New book broaches live issues for African development agendas
A new book by WUN’s Global Africa Group (GAG) is on track for publication by Springer in early 2019. It will also feature at GAG’s public forum during the WUN Annual Conference in Perth in May.
Students bring the world to us
Op-ed from UWA VC Professor Dawn Freshwater on international engagement.
New vice-chancellor at the University of Cape Town
Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, currently the deputy vice-chancellor for research and internationalisation at the University of Cape Town (UCT), has been appointed by Council as the new vice-chancellor of the university with effect from 1 July 2018.
WUN Global Policy Research Group launched at Renmin University of China
The Worldwide Universities Network Global Policy Research Group (WUN GPRG) was launched (stage 1) at Renmin University of China (RUC) on 24 March 2018 during the RUC-WUN Think Tank Conference.
inFlame continues its mission of personal, public and planetary health as inVIVO Planetary Health
International Inflammation Network announces name change
Eight WUN-Universities in THE Top 60 of most international institutions worldwide
WUN-Universities are high in the ranking with no less than eight members in the Top 60. This score illustrates the fact that WUN members are committed to an international outlook in their research and in increasing the mobility of their staff and students.
New £9m programme to transform food systems in Africa
GCRF-AFRICAP project has been launched in Pretoria.
WUN-University of Bergen commits to 2030 carbon-neutral target
WUN member, The University of Bergen (UiB), will be climate-neutral by 2030 thanks to a commitment to sustainability announced at the first SDG Conference Bergen held in February 2018.
Leeds among the world’s top 50 most international universities
University of Leeds one of the most international universities in the world.
Strengthening health priority in Ethiopia with funding from Gates Foundation
A grant of 3 million US dollars from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is enabling the University of Bergen professor Ole Frithjof Norheim and his research group to teach health priorities to Ethiopian students.
Sheffield welcomes applications for Visiting International Fellowship Scheme
The fellowship will be offered for visits between 4 and 6 weeks per year and applicants may request funding for up to £2,500.
Call for applications for the UFMG Summer School on Brazilian Studies 2018 is open
The program comprises lectures on various Brazilian-related topics, Portuguese classes and cultural activities. The Summer School will take place at UFMG main campus in Belo Horizonte and all activities will be conducted in English.
Communicating Good Health and Wellbeing: Promotion, Advocacy, Resilience
Call for Papers:
We invite you to submit proposals for presentations (research, policy, advocacy, best practice and related areas) on the above. We are particularly interested in topics related to:
- The growth of anti-expert, anti-vaccination, and anti-health messages, groups and discourses
- Critical understandings of transactional approaches to health and mental health
- The relationship between health promotion, wellbeing, resilience (critically understood)
- Best practices in health promotion and advocacy
- Related topics in medical humanities, health sociology, health communication, mental health advocacy, strategic communication, critical approaches to bodies, care and wellbeing.
To submit: please email a proposal to ComHealth2018@gmail.com, with the following information:
(i) title, (ii) 250-word abstract, (iii) full name and affiliation(s), (iv) email address.
Proposals due: Friday 30 March 2018
Notification: Friday 13 April 2018
Event: 28-29 May, held at UWA Crawley Campus, Perth, WA.
Update: WUN International Search for Executive Director
Closing date 28 February 2018
Using digital technology to preserve Holocaust memory and places
Digital technologies enable the creation of personal connection with Holocaust survivors.
Renmin University of China (RUC) – the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) Think Tank Conference
On 24th March 2018, the RUC-WUN Think Tank Summit will be held on the campus of Renmin University. Springtime Beijing and Renmin University of China welcome experts and colleagues from WUN partner universities.
Bergen launches new sustainable ocean research centre
The University of Bergen has created a new Centre for Sustainable Global Ocean Governance and Research to make research and science diplomacy a key part of Norway’s contribution towards a sustainable ocean,
ECR Scholarship Opportunity for participation in WUN Public Health Workshop Perth WA May 2018
Scholarship Opportunity for early career researchers to participate in WUN academic workshop Promoting Adaptability across the Life Course held in Perth on 21-22 May 2018.
SDSN Hong Kong Launched at CUHK
CUHK and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust join hands to co-host the Hong Kong chapter of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
WUN Season’s Greetings
WUN New Year Newsletter available online
IOM launches Migration Data Portal
First stage of ongoing progress to develop a “one-stop-shop” for international data
WUN Research Development Fund 2017 Results
The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) is pleased to announce the results of the 2017 round of the annual Research Development Fund, marking a direct investment in international, interdisciplinary research collaboration among WUN member universities of over £130,000.
Professor Dame Jane Francis – New Chancellor of the University of Leeds
Director of the British Antarctic Survey, Professor Dame Jane Francis, has been announced as the new Chancellor of the University of Leeds.
WUN Global Africa Group secures Springer book contract
WUN Global Africa Group held an author workshop at the University of Cape Town on 2 December 2017, for their collaborative book project Africa and the Sustainable Development Goals, which includes some 53 contributing WUN co-authors. The book will be published early 2019 by Springer.
WUN welcomes new member University College Dublin
WUN welcomes UCD, one of Europe’s leading research-intensive universities, currently ranked within the top 1% of institutions world-wide and home to over 33.000 students drawn from over 120 countries.
CUHK Develops First English-taught Chinese Medicine MOOC
A team from the Faculty of Medicine at CUHK has developed a Chinese medicine MOOC in English and Asia’s first Chinese medicine clinical evidence online portal which gathers studies from around the world.
CUHK Launches the World’s First Child Heritage Chinese Language Corpus
CUHK announces the launch of the world’s first Child Heritage Chinese Language Corpus and the establishment of the University of Cambridge–CUHK Joint Laboratory for Bilingualism.
WUN researcher to address International Forum on Migration Data Statistics
WUN researcher to address International Forum on Migration Data Statistics in Paris
SDG Conference Bergen Knowledge for Our Common Future
WUN member The University of Bergen is organising a major conference on the role of Norwegian universities in relation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
CUHK Establishes Joint Lab with ETH Zurich and DGIST
The CUHK-DGIST-ETH Zurich Joint Research Laboratory on Innovative Nanotechnology for Medicine and Healthcare was recently formed to promote the R&D of innovative technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases.
WUN members Maastricht and York join forces in major partnership
WUN members Maastricht and York have agreed a major partnership in which they will establish joint research projects, teaching collaborations, knowledge exchange, student exchanges and sharing best practice among their staff.
International monitoring of SDG implementation and progress
The UNESCO Institute of Statistics
Impacts of climate change and ozone air pollution on crop production
Major findings WUN Responding to Climate Change research group published in science journal Atmospheric Environment.
WUN Conference and AGM 2018
The next WUN Conference & AGM will be held in Perth, Australia from 20 to 25 May 2018.
Research in Focus: The art of resilience
Helping adolescents and the people who work with them adapt positively to adversity is the aim of this ambitious collaboration between researchers in South Africa, the UK & China.
Research in Focus: Healthy ageing for all
How life-course research can help more of us stay healthy as we age
Submit your abstracts for inFLAME 2018
Early Career Researcher travel grant opportunity to attend the International Inflammation Network (inFLAME) annual meeting in Canmore, Canada, 4-6 April 2018
Livestock Sustainability and Global Challenges Workshop
Bristol to host major international workshop on livestock and SDGs
Bergen researcher awarded for Snapchat Research Stories
Professor Jill Walker Rettberg studies how humans use technology and what it means to us as a culture.
WUN welcomes new member Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
WUN welcomes its 22nd member, UFMG, one of the leading institutions of higher education in Brazil.
The DREAMS Network workshop
WUN Project the DREAMS Network organised second workshop.
WUN welcomes new member Tecnológico de Monterrey
WUN expands its global network to Latin America.
CUHK Appoints New Vice-Chancellor and President
Prof. Rocky S. Tuan, an eminent biomedical scientist from the University of Pittsburgh, will become the eighth Vice-Chancellor of CUHK effective 1 January 2018, succeeding Prof. Joseph Sung.
Research strengths secure global challenge funding
Two research projects led by the University of Leeds have been awarded £16million to build resilience in African businesses and communities.
Research Development Fund 2017 Round is open
The Research Development Fund 2017 Round is open.
Developing a Role for the Arts
There’s increasing recognition within science, engineering and medicine that arts and humanities involvement in development projects is essential,
CUHK to Host ACU Summer School 2018
CUHK has been selected to play host to the next Association of Commonwealth Universities Summer School on 1-9 July 2018.
WUN Global Africa Group Inaugural Strategic Workshop
The World Universities Network Global Africa Group launched its inaugural Strategic Research Workshop, hosted by the University of Ghana, in July 2017.
CUHK Legumes Symposium Facilitates Collaboration between Young and Senior Researchers
The WUN Symposium cum Research Summit on Impacts of Grain Legume Research and Development in Developing Countries held at CUHK on 8-17 June 2017 brought together over 100 participants from six continents to exchange knowledge and ideas on the development of legumes research.
Space For Development
Eight countries across Sub-Saharan Africa are set to take part in the world’s largest ever radio astronomy initiative – and the University of Leeds is spearheading a project aimed at ensuring they can make the most of this opportunity.
WUN Conference and AGM 2017
This year’s AGM provided a key opportunity for all stakeholders to form a fit-for-purpose strategic plan to carry WUN into the next decade.
University of Cape Town Vice-Chancellor’s message on values, free speech and silencing
5 May 2017 Dear colleagues and studentsVC Desk: UCT values, free speech and silencing It feels to many of us that in the last year, the space for free speech
CUHK and the University of Sydney Join Hands to Advance Integrative Medicine Research
CUHK and the University of Sydney established a joint laboratory to share the best of information technology, data analysis, and clinical research for the advancement of evidence-based integrative medicine.
UCT calls on all to commit to finding solutions to the current situation in South Africa
A statement from the Senior Leadership Group of the University of Cape Town.
Drilling down into the mysteries of the world’s highest glacier
Climate change scientists are heading to the Himalayas in a bid to become the first to successfully drill through the world’s highest glacier. An international research team will spend up
CUHK-Southampton Joint Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Formed
CUHK and the University of Southampton formed a joint laboratory to conduct high impact research in the areas of stem cells, developmental biology and regenerative medicine.
Brexit: a chance for universities to leave their ivory towers behind
Professor Dr Martin Paul reflects on the consequences of Brexit for higher education.
Spreading the cost to transform sanitation
Developing countries struggling to cope with huge volumes of human waste may finally get some relief – and a new business opportunity.
CUHK Launches New AoE Centre on Plant-Environment Interaction
The Chinese University of Hong Kong has been awarded some HK$8m from the Hong Kong University Grants Committee to lead the AoE Centre for Genomic Studies on Plant-Environment Interaction for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security from 2017 to 2025. The new AoE Centre will develop new plant and agricultural technology with a view to striking a better balance between sustainable agriculture and food security.