UWTSD selected to host UNESCO Global Hub of the BRIDGES Coalition

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David has been selected by UNESCO to host a Global Hub of the BRIDGES Coalition in UNESCO’s Management of Social Transformations programme.

In 2019-2021, UNESCO, the International Council for Philosophy and Human Sciences (CIPSH) and the Humanities for the Environment global observatory network started a process to scope, design and launch an interdisciplinary global sustainability science coalition under the name of BRIDGES. The intention of the coalition is to better integrate humanities, social science, and local and traditional knowledge perspectives into research, education and action for global sustainability through development and coordination of resilient responses to environmental and social changes at local and territorial scale.

Following a review of UWTSD’s proposal by the BRIDGES Executive Group representing UNESCO, the University has been informed that work will now commence to establish a new Global Hub on campus, with the official opening scheduled for September this year. 

Steven Hartman Executive Director, BRIDGES Sustainability Science Coalition in UNESCO’s Management of Social Transformations Programme, commented:

“In the unanimous view of the review committee, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David provides an excellent institutional environment well aligned through its declared priorities and mission to serve as a focal point for BRIDGES activities and collaborations. This was certainly apparent to the review committee in the national context of Wales. It was also apparent that a BRIDGES Hub at UWTSD should provide strong anchoring of the Coalition in the UK and in connection with the international community.”

The five hubs that currently make up the global coalition are based at GFL-ASU (Flagship Hub), University of Wales Trinity Saint David, University of Pretoria, The Club of Rome and a thematic hub focused on long-term social-environmental change and resilience led jointly by the Human Ecodynamics Research Center at CUNY and the Climate Change and History Research Initiative at Princeton University.

Dr Luci Attala, Director of the Global Hub said:

“This is a very exciting development and I'm delighted that UNESCO has chosen UWTSD and recognised what the university has to offer. I'm looking forward to taking up my role and getting to work supporting UWTSD staff to collaborate with an international network of scholars actively seeking solutions to today's pressing global issues and promoting sustainability science.”

Dr Jeremy Smith, Assistant Dean at the Institute of Education and Humanities, noted:

“The BRIDGES Coalition is the second UNESCO initiative that the University is involved in and represents for UWTSD yet more evidence of the deepening focus of its activity within the Wales Wellbeing and Future Generations Act (2015) and more broadly towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.”

Professor Medwin Hughes, DL, Vice-Chancellor added:

“Establishing a Global Hub for BRIDGES Coalition in UNESCO’s Management of Social Transformations (MOST) programme on our campus is a key development for the University. The University’s expertise in the areas of the Humanities and social science will be part of an international network which aims to develop resilient solutions to environmental and social changes at local, national, and international levels. It is more important than ever to ensure that global resilience, sustainability and the environment are at the forefront of policy-making.”

Further Information

For more information please contact Arwel Lloyd, Principal PR and Communications Officer, on 07384 467076 / arwel.lloyd@uwtsd.ac.uk