To empower learners world-wide to respond to the global water sustainability crisis, UNITAR Global Water Academy and 91��ɫ are launching three new courses today – World Environment Day.

The three free, online courses, , , and , will play a pivotal role in delivering accessible knowledge on freshwater to the global community. The start date for the UNITAR Global Water Academy @ 91��ɫ courses is flexible.

To date, the Global Water Academy has reached 10,000 leaners across 153 countries. The courses build on the Global Water Academy’s focus on social justice, diversity, and the public good.

Professor , director of the UNITAR Global Water Academy @ 91��ɫU, and 91��ɫ Research Chair in Global Change Biology in 91��ɫ's Faculty of Science, says: “The goals of the Global Water Academy and our latest courses highlight our commitment to democratizing education to our global community to work towards achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 6: ensuring access to clean water and sanitation for all.”

These courses are intended to raise awareness and foster action around UN Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. Learners will receive digital badges and UNTIAR certificated upon completion.

The impacts of climate change on lakes worldwide is highlighted first, in particular how and why lakes around the world are losing ice cover, and how this is relevant to the 2025 World Water Day theme of glacier preservation.

There is also a seminar course taught by international leaders on big data and big data analytics and provide learner with tools on how to acquire and analyze large global water and climate data sets. 

Hillary Birch, PhD student in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change and UNITAR Global Water Academy research assistant, designed the course, , in collaboration with Indigenous researchers across Canada.

“The course itself is full of fantastic clips from Indigenous scholars, elders, and knowledge holders from which people can learn directly,” she says. “The idea is to provide learners with an introduction to different ways of relating to water, particularly from Indigenous perspectives, which treat water very differently from how Western models have of related to water over the past centuries.

It's an effort to provide at least the first way of thinking about water differently and use the long-established knowledge of Indigenous Peoples to begin to shift a little bit of our thinking around how we relate to water and helps address the long challenge of reconciliation in Canada.”

The courses are designed to be engaging and interactive with images, embedded videos of community knowledge holders, multiple choice quizzes, and prompts for reflection. Learners will have the opportunity to engage directly with voices from Indigenous and local communities.

These courses are meticulously designed to encourage reflection and meaningful engagement with the materials. Sachin Satahoo who recently graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering at 91��ɫ and served as the course engineer, hopes they will deepen knowledge in environmental work, encourage learners to respect Indigenous sovereignty and think about water in a reciprocal lens rather than an extractive resource.

“I'm excited for the learners to interact with the courses and go through the text, the visuals, the videos. The course format encourages a reflection and personal connection with the material, helping learners to go through it on a deeper level,” says Satahoo. “I'm proud that the course doesn't just provide information, but rather it invites learners in a new way of thinking, respects Indigenous worldviews, and presents the material in forms which are both accessible and grounded; and being able to support that work through thoughtful design and user experience.”

These courses are available on Moodle and can be viewed here. Visit the course links below to register. Contact ugwacord@yorku.ca for questions or to be added to the Listserv.

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91��ɫ’s research excellence, top-notch training facilities and steadfast commitment to sustainability goals attract international partnerships

91��ɫ is gaining prominence through partnerships with Canadian and international governments, multinational corporations and non-profit organizations for its impactful global leadership in sustainability, research expertise, state-of-the-art training facilities and overarching commitment to a sustainable future .

A recent testament to this global recognition was the opportunity 91��ɫ earned to co-host an official side event on tackling the water sustainability crisis at the United Nations (UN) in New 91��ɫ as a partner of the UN Institute for Training and Research (). The annual forum takes stock on the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

91��ɫ was also part of two other high-profile events co-hosted by UNITAR and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that focused on the role of higher education institutions in overcoming global sustainability challenges.  Representatives of institutions from eight countries engaged in discussions and developed shared recommendations on how to reimagine higher education leadership. The results were presented in an official HLPF side event hosted by UNITAR with several ambassadors, UN and government officials present.

91��ɫ’s involvement is grounded in partnerships with UNITAR and UNESCO. The University hosts Canada’s first CIFAL training center as part of UNITAR’s global network of institutions. Since 1999, 91��ɫ has also been hosting the world’s first UNESCO Chair in Education for Sustainable Development.

At the mid-July HLPF, 91��ɫ hosted “Pathways to Resilience: Advancing Solutions for Global Freshwater Quality,” as the academic lead of UNITAR’s . Panellists emphasized the importance of international networks for water quality education and the need for training, capacity-building, knowledge mobilization and sharing.

“By fostering collaboration and sharing available solutions, we can leverage water as a catalyst for health, equality, and well-being, as well as advocate for peace and protecting a shared world,” said Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation at 91��ɫ, in his opening remarks. He also highlighted how Canada’s Indigenous communities still don’t have access to clean drinking water, noting Indigenous women often bear the brunt of it due to their traditional role of caring for the water, household management, and caregiving.

In his remarks, Alex Mejia, director of UNITAR’s division for people and social inclusion stressed the importance of empowering communities to create more sustainable solutions for the future and to achieve the objectives of SDG 6, which is to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Panellists further analyzed environmental and other drivers that exacerbated the deterioration of global freshwater quality while citing climate change, industrial pollution, and extreme climatic events as reasons for intensified water degradation. They discussed actionable solutions, including enhanced monitoring, refined management of freshwater resources, transboundary governance, and policy refinement aligning with SDG 6 targets, for effective management.

91��ɫ’s Faculty of Science Professor Sapna Sharma, academic director of UNGWA moderated the discussion. She noted that reducing the use of fertilizer, changing the timing of applying fertilizer (to limit the amount of nutrients entering into lakes), promoting green infrastructure in urban and suburban environments to reduce water run-off, conserving wetlands, and restoring vegetation will also help to preserve freshwater.

91��ɫ Civil Engineering Professor Stephanie Gora on the other hand highlighted the multifaceted nature of water management, covering infrastructure, policy development, funding, and governance in remote arctic landscapes. She pointed out the critical role of operators in making water systems work and advocated for a multivariate approach tailored to the unique challenges of each location to ensure safe drinking water is preserved for all.

’s Chief Data Officer Duncan Ross closed the panel discussion by emphasizing the role of higher education in achieving the SDGs. “Universities are custodians of common goals,” he said, adding that higher education institutions are key in teaching as well as learning from one another.

Ross also attended the other HLPF official side event that 91��ɫ took a key role in, which explored how higher education institutions must become equal partners in achieving SDGs to overcome global challenges.

Moderated by UN Assistant Secretary-General, UNITAR Executive Director Nikhil Seth, speakers emphasized the potential of higher education to model sustainability and to demonstrate international collaboration towards achieving just societies built on a sense of equality and trust, knowledge exchange, and societal impact.

Speaking at the event, “Higher Education Institutions as critical partners in design and delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions,” 91��ɫ’s UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education towards Sustainability Professor Charles Hopkins said, "By reimagining sustainable leadership and reframing the purpose of higher education towards providing evidence-based knowledge and serving their communities, universities drive societal transformations and foster innovation and relations. They play a pivotal role in achieving the SDGs by equipping the next generation with the knowledge, competencies, and skills needed to act for a sustainable future."

Hopkins was also a speaker at the UNESCO-UNITAR Leadership Dialogue, where sustainability leaders in higher education had converged to discuss the important role of higher education institutions in society.

Patrick Paul Walsh, vice president of UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and university leaders from Australia, Canada, Germany, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Turkey, and the United States attended.

Participants discussed the role of higher education institutions in youth and community engagement, spearheading and accompanying educational, social and technological innovations through inter-disciplinary research, engaging with diverse ways of knowing, challenging intersecting inequalities, creating cultural change for gender equity and building strong and meaningful collaboration and partnerships.

“Continued conversations like the Leadership Dialogue initiated by UNESCO and UNITAR are crucial to develop a shared voice to advocate in global policymaking. Universities are living laboratories for the future of society,” said Hopkins, who spoke at the “Visioning” session, as an educator who has been leading thinking on sustainability, SDGs, and inclusion.  

91��ɫ’s UNESCO Co-Chair in Reorienting education to sustainability, Katrin Kohl, moderated a session that provided space for participants to share innovative solutions and successful transformations implemented in their respective institutions. They created a recommendation based on common themes emerging out of the discussion, that was shared with the broader global higher education community at the UNITAR side event.

Speaking to on the heels of the HLPF, Hopkins said rankings of university sustainability practices and their impact have been “rocket fuel” for institutions that participate. “In my own university, which has chosen to participate in the rankings, sustainability is now front and centre.”

91��ɫ’s impactful global leadership in sustainability is evident in the recently announced results of 2024 THE Impact Rankings, which assessed universities around the world against the UN SDGs in research, stewardship, outreach and teaching. 91��ɫ has moved up five spots to 35th in world this year despite stiffer competition than last year with about 2,100 participating universities – approximately 300 more universities than the previous year. 91��ɫ is currently second in the world for SDG 1 (zero poverty) and number one in Canada for SDG 10 (reduced inequalities). 

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What will it take to ensure that the two billion people currently without access to clean water around the world are not left high and dry? With 91��ɫ as the academic lead, the UNITAR Global Water Academy @ 91��ɫU is mobilizing the scientific community and forging collaborations to address water scarcity and lack of access.

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Global Water Academy (UGWA) reaches its one-year anniversary on UN World Water Day, March 22, the same day it will host a side event panel with 91��ɫ as part of the United Nations (UN) World Water Day in Geneva – Addressing Water for Peace: Water Governance in Conflict and Humanitarian Settings – to spark collaborations and dialogue around the theme, Leveraging Water for Peace.

Two days later on March 24, the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto will shine a light on water in Indigenous and Muslim traditions with a panel discussion on , presented by the UNITAR Global Water Academy and 91��ɫ.

“Some 2.5 billion people live in water stressed countries where the supply cannot meet the demand, while 46 per cent of the world's population lacks adequate sanitation services. Access to safe drinking water is inequitable and puts the safety of women and marginalized groups at risk,” says 91��ɫ Research Chair in Global Change Biology Professor , inaugural director of the UGWA and a freshwater expert. “Conflict, changes in land use and climate change are exacerbating water insecurity in urban, rural and agricultural areas. These are global issues that continue to worsen.”

91��ɫ has a deep well of expertise in water research and action and along with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Global Water Academy (UGWA) will help develop scientific-based and governance solutions and applications to address water issues in some of the most underserved areas and for those most affected by climate change, flooding, and drought.

“Water is strongly linked to political instability and economic inequality, and as both a leader in sustainability as well as a progressive teaching and research institution, it is our responsibility to take action on this critical issue,” says Rhonda Lenton, 91��ɫ’s president and vice-chancellor. “Our thriving partnership with UNITAR to create a first-of-its-kind Global Water Academy is one example of how collaboration across sectors and borders can drive positive change for our global communities.”

With UGWA, 91��ɫ is advancing much needed scholarship and virtual and hybrid learning developed by global leaders in water research, resource management and policy development. The courses will be for all relevant parties, including researchers, governments, and the public on everything water from how to mitigate water shortages caused by climate change to making drinking water cleaner and more accessible.

“The collaboration with 91��ɫ to create the Global Water Academy recognizes its vision and leadership to become Canada’s leader in research into water technologies spanning different sub disciplines including wastewater, drinking water, groundwater and surface water research. Together, we are developing solutions to the world’s water issues,” says Nikhil Seth, UN assistant secretary general and executive director of UNITAR. 

One of the goals is to empower learners everywhere to respond to water crises and to help achieve the UN SDG 6 – support capacity building of sustainable management of water especially for Indigenous communities and marginalized/equity-deserving groups.

An essential part of UGWA’s work is building a global network of water experts, scientists, and policymakers, and reaching out to local people in some of the hardest hit regions to learn about their specific water challenges to help address them through training and education. Building a space where people can connect, form partnerships and collaborate is essential.

Some places are going to be warmer and drier; others will become wetter and cooler. There is not one solution that can be applied across the world and that is why the network is so important. In their first year, the network has grown exponentially. Their most recent virtual panel at the United Nations in New 91��ɫ City attracted hundreds of people from 90 countries.

“For countries severely impacted by climate change and conflict, the lack of clean water can be life threatening,” says Sharma of the Faculty of Science who researches how lakes worldwide respond to climate change, including rapid ice loss, warming water temperatures, degrading water quality, and changing fish distributions. “Clean and safely managed water offers a way out of these crises. It’s why we must work together to advance goal six of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals – ensuring access to water and sanitation for all.”

Part of outreach efforts include partnering with organizations such as the Aga Khan Museum. The event will include a dance performance and talk with 91��ɫ alumnus Sashar Zarif, a projection installation and virtual reality exhibit in the atrium and Bellerive Room – – co-created by Associate Professor of 91��ɫ’s School of Arts, Media, Performance and Design and Assistant Professor Dolleen Manning of Queen’s University. A panel discussion on water issues will follow.

Involved in the water work at 91��ɫ is Assistant Professor and Associate Professor , both of the Lassonde School of Engineering. Gora’s research focuses on drinking water management in small and Arctic communities, drinking water treatment and quality, and the development of light-based technologies for water purification and wastewater treatment. The water challenge goes beyond access and security, it also involves managing wastewater. Khan’s work focuses on urban hydrology, including flood risk assessment, sustainable water resource management and infrastructure, and how climate change impacts these systems.

Anther way 91��ɫ is supporting water research is through its organized research unit, One WATER, dedicated to finding strategic, integrated solutions to water challenges faced by communities here and across the globe.

It is only through engaging people and communities around the world that solutions to water challenges can be found.

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