Times Higher Education (THE), convenor of The Global Sustainable Development Congress (GSDC), and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) have announced a significant strategic partnership. SEAMEO will become an official Co-Host of the GSDC, marking an alliance designed to place Southeast Asia’s governmental and institutional expertise at the forefront of accelerating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
THE is the Convenor and founding host of the GSDC, which is itself a premier global forum that brings together high-level stakeholders, including policymakers, researchers and business executives, in order to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. SEAMEO is a chartered regional intergovernmental organization established in 1965 among Southeast Asian countries to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture. With 11 membership countries, it serves as a vital platform for policy dialogue and regional coordination for the completion of the SDGs.
The collaboration celebrates SEAMEO’s 60th anniversary. It will strategically leverage their deep roots and extensive networks across 11 member countries to ensure the region’s overall success, particularly for policy innovations in education and sustainability.
Speaking on the partnership, Phil Baty, COO and Chief Global Affairs Officer of THE, commented, “This collaboration is designed to ensure Southeast Asia’s crucial voice helps to truly shape the global discourse on progress towards the sustainable development goals. THE is proud to be the convenor of the GSDC and the catalyst for this powerful alignment. Our co-host, SEAMEO, offers unprecedented synergy. This partnership is about recognizing and showcasing Southeast Asia as a powerful engine of educational and research transformation and a leader in sustainable development.
“We hope to build a long-term higher education policy ecosystem, essential for accelerating progress. We are committed to ensuring that the exceptional intellectual capital from Southeast Asia is visibly, powerfully and systematically shaping the global policy conversation and the actionable outcomes that define the GSDC agenda. Our priority is leveraging this regional insight and expertise to secure its rightful influence, moving the entire system from dialogue to tangible, measurable impact.”
This strategic partnership will enhance the global visibility of Southeast Asia’s commitment to sustainable development, thus reinforcing its critical role in shaping the outcomes of the 2030 Agenda and showing the region as a genuine global leader.
The GSDC will bring together world-leading thinkers, policymakers, and organizations from over 100 countries to drive partnerships and create positive action for a more sustainable future. Now in its fifth year, the congress acts as a powerful tool for universities, governments and companies to come together to meet the 2030 Agenda.
Regional cooperation is central to climate goals. By bringing together countries in Southeast Asia, this congregation acts as a bridge for proper dialogue to occur about climate action and goals. Countries and companies alike need to know how everyone else is working their way towards a net-zero future, and promote collaboration wherever possible.
