HESI (Higher Education Sustainability Initiative)

The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) is an open partnership between several United Nations entities and the higher education community launched in the lead-up to the Rio+20 Conference in 2012.

In 2024 – 2025, HESI is chaired by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), UN University, the UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education (IESALC), and the Sulitest Association – a non-profit organization and online platform aimed at improving sustainability literacy for all. Additional UN partners include UNESCO, UN Environment Programme, UN Global Compact’s Principles for Responsible Management Education initiative, UN-HABITAT, UNCTAD, UNITAR, UN Office for Partnerships, and UN Academic Impact. Together with hundreds of university networks, student organizations, and higher education institutions they collectively form the HESI Community.

HESI has several thematic Action Groups for university leaders, students, green jobs, publishers, and assessments. These groups organize webinars among other activities, as well as an annual conference, the HESI Forum. The 2024 launch of SET4HEI takes place in the context of the 2024 HESI Forum (also on the 15th of July in New York).

Notably, the “Rankings ratings and assessment” Action Group has developed three documents providing guidance on SDG assessments for higher education institutions (HEIs), targeting 1) creators of assessments, 2) HEIs participating in assessments, and 3) readers of assessments. While these resources are external to SET4HEI, they consitute a useful introduction to those HEIs considering how to measure their contribution to the SDGs.