The Global University Network for Innovation (GUNi) is an international network created in 1999 and supported by the UNESCO and the Catalan Association of Public Universities (ACUP), which hosts its Secretariat and Presidency. GUNi headquarters are located in Barcelona. Moreover, GUNi has regional offices in Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Arab States and Europe.
GUNi was created within the framework of the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme, by UNESCO, UNU and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) after UNESCO’s World Conference on Higher Education (WCHE) in 1998 to give continuity to and facilitate the implementation of its main decisions.
GUNi mission is to strengthen the role of higher education in society contributing to the renewal of the visions and policies of higher education across the world under a vision of public service, relevance and social responsibility. In this regard, GUNi facilitates dialogue and ideas of emerging issues on higher education and its impact on society and works to promote innovation in higher education policies and systems worldwide sharing UNESCO’s principles and values. Furthermore, GUNi takes an active role through the analysis and engagement of the global challenges under the context of Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
GUNi focuses its research and activity in one specific topic related to the challenges that higher education is facing today. This topic defines the theme of the Higher Education in the World (HEIW) GUNi Report, the International GUNi Conference, the academic seminars and relevant researchers and programs endeavoured for a period of 2-3 years.
The current topics in which GUNi is working are related to Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the future of the Humanities and the relation between science and humanities in the 21st century.
GUNi is a network currently composed of over 227 members from 80 countries, which includes the UNESCO Chairs in Higher Education, higher education institutions,