Dear Colleagues,

In our endeavour to spark a global conversation on the role of higher education in development, we have partnered with University World News to produce a Special Report published this week. The report focuses on how universities might engage with Post-2015 development goals, and builds on what you've already told us in response to The world beyond 2015 campaign.

Dr John Kirkland, Deputy Secretary General of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, told UWN's Global Editor that the Beyond 2015 campaign is not just about illustrating how universities are currently supporting development, and championing their cause. 'We also want it to be an opportunity for universities to look at themselves. It is a challenge to universities regarding whether their systems are ready for mass higher education, and regarding their research and community engagement systems in a world in which higher education plays a leading role in development activity.'

We have picked out a selection of articles from the UWN Special Report below, together with related submissions from the campaign. We hope you will find it interesting and informative, do let us know what you think by emailing us at [email protected]

Best wishes,
The Beyond 2015 team

UWN Special Report: HE and 'The World Beyond 2015'

Universities and development - A core mission dilemma
Reconciling the wish to prioritise societal and development goals with growing pressures to perform other core missions has emerged as a major dilemma for universities in 'The world beyond 2015', a campaign of the Association of Commonwealth Universities to raise awareness of why and how higher education should respond to global challenges.

Further reading: Higher education is an integral part of development

Financing the university in a Post-2015 world
Universities are facing growing constraints on their budgets following the 2008 recession. The University of the West Indies is looking at a range of ways to diversify its funding to make up for the projected shortfall in government funding.

Further reading: UNISA on the challenges facing higher education

Universities challenge - Balancing local and global
Can universities balance local needs with the pressure for international visibility? Is it possible to do both to the benefit of all?

Further reading: Universities to deliver on historic mission despite changing societal demands

The education goal - Africa's unfinished business
With only a year to go before the United Nations Millennium Development Goals initiative ends, academics in sub-Saharan Africa have been exercising their minds about ways forward for higher education Post-2015. They see unfinished business in the education goal. 

Further reading: Transforming African higher education for graduate employability

Can I have my say, too?

We're collecting evidence of how higher education can and should respond to development challenges beyond 2015, and we hope that you will join the many contributors who have already had their say. 

You can submit a contribution to one of our six questions, but we also urge you to engage with us on Twitter and Facebook, comment on existing submissions, suggest good contributors or case studies, and forward this newsletter to your colleagues, friends, and students.