The solutions to climate change and adaptation lie within universities. Through research, teaching and community engagement, universities everywhere are uniting for climate action. Our campaign - #UnisForOurPlanet – is highlighting the important work that universities, students and researchers are spearheading across the Commonwealth to tackle climate change. Find out what other universities are doing and get involved.

Work in HR? Apply for an HR in HE Community Challenge Grant today and help drive HR best practice at your university.  The grants are available for HR practitioners at ACU member universities to help meet the costs of projects, workshops and events that promote the essential work of HR and the aims of the HR in HE Community, including:

• Delivering training and development for HR practitioners
• Creating approaches, processes, and policies on HR issues
• Delivering webinars on pressing issues for HR practitioners
• Research projects
• Benchmarking of good HR practice across the Commonwealth

Deadline: 8 August at 23:59 UTC

Join the ACU at this year's HLPF – the annual conference of the United Nations reviewing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The ACU has co-organised an online workshop with our partners, the International Association of Universities (IAU), the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) and the SDG Academy titled ‘Filling the gaps in further education for the 2030 Agenda and inspiring action towards the SDGs’, on 12 July at 12:30 UTC / 08:30 EDT. Our Chief Executive and Secretary General Dr Joanna Newman will be on the panel.

The new series of The Internationalist podcast, which takes on the current debates in higher education, is out now. This series features academics, students, and other experts from across the Commonwealth looking at: How is the digital revolution changing the work of universities, and how can universities use their position to confront the challenges posed by digital technology?

Episodes are available on all major podcast platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

The fellowships equip ACU member university staff with the training and support needed to drive systemic change on campus. The training will draw on the expertise of the Martha Farrell Foundation in India. Fellows will receive free access to the training programme and follow-up online support from the Martha Farrell Foundation. In addition, each fellow will receive a grant of GBP 1,000 to support the implementation of their initiative.

This opportunity is open to professional and academic staff of ACU member universities in Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Gambia, Ghana, Hong Kong, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Uganda. 

Deadline: 13 July at 15:00 UTC

Climate-U is a three-year research study focusing on the role of universities in combating climate change, for which the ACU serves as an impact partner. As part of the project’s commitment to international cooperation on climate action, we are inviting new partners to join in the research as affiliate universities. We also welcome researchers working at the intersection of education and climate change to affiliate themselves to the project.

Deadline: 23 July 2021

ACU members are invited to join this free webinar on 29 July from 13:00-14:30 UTC, to discover programme learning and recommendations for future institutional strengthening activities under the FCDO's broader Climate and Resilience Framework Programme (CLARE). The webinar will be hosted by Dr Vicki Doyle and Ema Kelly of Capacity Development International (CDI), who will be presenting and discussing key findings from their independent review of the CIRCLE institutional strengthening programme (ISP). Questions, comments, and reflections will also be encouraged via the chat function and a live Q&A session.

We particularly encourage attendance from mid- and senior-career academics who are interested in supporting researcher development and research capacity-strengthening at their institutions.

These PhD studentships provide support for research projects on Commonwealth related themes. Two studentships are available each year, one for UK-registered students and one for Commonwealth students in other countries. The studentships have a maximum value of GBP 5,500 each. Due to the pandemic, the studentships will support virtual research activities.

Deadline: 23 July at 15:00 UTC

The second series of The Internationalist podcast from the ACU explores how the work of universities is impacted by the digital revolution, and how they can confront the challenges posed by digital technology. The success of any digital transformation will depend on how well students and staff are supported. But what does that really mean, and how could it work in practice?

Responding to food insecurity requires innovative thinking and a willingness to explore non-conventional and underutilised sources of food. JOOUST have risen to this challenge by establishing the Africa Centre of Excellence (ACE) in Sustainable Use of Insects as Food and Feeds (INSEFOODS) with funding from the World Bank ACE II.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on higher education around the world. What challenges and opportunities will higher education face in our digital future?