De Montfort University played a leading role during 2024 in providing education and outreach to policy makers and lawmakers, according to an annual report published today.
The SDG 16 Global Academic Hub Report 2024 was presented by Dr Mark Charlton to show the impact made by DMU in its work with the United Nations.
DMU has been the global hub for the UN's SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions since 2019 advising on migration, forced displacement and climate change.
Dr Charlton said in his 2024 report: “Education and outreach are our two main priorities in the work with the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) in disseminating information on all topics related to peace, justice and strong institutions.
“The work of SDG 16 is vital because without peace, justice and strong institutions none of the other sustainable development goals can prosper. We only need to see what has happened with war in Ukraine and civil wars in the world to see its importance.”
One of DMU’s flagship outreach and education projects has been Atefa, which aims to try to change the negative narrative around refugees and asylum seekers by telling the real-life stories of those that have fled threats and persecution in their homeland.
The SDG 16 hub has worked with MPs, both locally and nationally, and local authority councillors and officials as well as students and the general public in educating on the issues of migration and forced displacement.
DMU’s work in this area on climate change also took to the international stage in December 2023 at COP 28 with the university being the only higher education institution in Europe to have a dedicated pavilion in the blue zone during the talks by world leaders.
Talks were held between DMU and ministers from Britain, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Uzbekistan, Nigeria and other countries in Dubai. There was also a live stream back to Leicester with UN officials talking to students and schoolchildren about climate issues.
Work in education, up-skilling and capacity building
DMU’s work in the arena of education, up-skilling and capacity building for lawmakers and policy makers stretches into all aspects of the university’s work.
The DMU Policy Unit has a Visiting Policy Fellows Programme, which hosts civil servants and policy experts from Government and local authority within its unit on its Leicester campus. DMU researchers are also placed in government departments for hands-on policy experience in a knowledge exchange agreement.
DMU also lead a Westminster conference designed to improve education and capacity building in the cyber industry. Dr Ismini Vasileiou, Cyber Skills Lead at DMU, lead the debate, which involved MPs, policymakers, industry leaders, and education providers.
The aim of the event was to draw up a set of policy recommendations to improve the way cyber skills are taught and so strengthen the UK’s cyber resilience.
In Leicester, a Policy Engagement Symposium was held as part of a programme to help provide local authority policymakers with the tools needed to help shape policy in Leicester and further afield.
The first event in the programme, which was launched in March 2024, saw researchers from DMU meet with Leicester City Council Deputy Mayor Coun. Adam Clarke to look at how collaboration between DMU experts and Leicester City Council could help address pressing policy issues.