Paris | November 7, 2025
At a high-level UNESCO conference in Paris, global education leaders and ministers have called for stronger international frameworks to ensure access to higher education in crisis and conflict-affected settings. The discussions, part of the Global Education Meeting on Inclusion and Resilience, emphasised that universities and technical institutions play a critical role in rebuilding societies disrupted by war, displacement, and disaster.
Speakers from UNESCO, the World Bank, and several UN agencies urged governments to integrate higher education into humanitarian and development responses, highlighting that less than 3% of refugees worldwide have access to tertiary education. They stressed the need for coordinated funding, recognition of qualifications across borders, and the expansion of digital and blended learning pathways for displaced learners.
UNESCO officials also underscored that protecting academic institutions from conflict and promoting international cooperation are essential for preserving cultural and intellectual capital. The organisation announced plans to expand its Global Campus for Higher Education in Emergencies, which supports universities in fragile contexts across Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.
“Higher education must be part of the recovery narrative — not an afterthought,” said a UNESCO representative. “Equity, safety, and continuity of learning are indispensable pillars of resilience.”
The call comes amid rising global conflicts and natural disasters that have disrupted education for millions, prompting renewed urgency to safeguard academic continuity and inclusion.
