Global Challenges

A Global Challenge is ‘a broad theme that addresses generally recognisable challenges and opportunities presented by our rapidly changing world (i.e. would be familiar to an informed member of the public) and which is too large for one single member, or a bilateral group, to tackle. Challenges are comprised of several inter-related programs – which are complementary and can coherently be clustered’.

We currently have 2 active Global Challenge themes:

Adapting to Climate Change

Critical Global Poverty
Weathering Science Consortium
Ecohydraulics
Green Chemistry
Horizons in Earth Systems
Paleo Arctic Climates and Environments (pACE)
Probabalistic Climate Change
Water Quality

Furthering the Frontiers of Cultural Understanding

A third Challenge, Opportunities and Challenges of Globalisation, will be launched within the next 12-18 months. Programmes within it are:

Ideas and Universities
International and Comparative Criminal Justice Network (ICCJNet)
Law and Societies in Developing Countries
Megacities
Networking Young Citizens
Risk
World Democracy Forum

Research activity is at the heart of what WUN does. The alliance aims to bring together the best people and the best ideas from the member institutions to solve global problems.

For further information on Global Challenges, download a PDF of our publication (2.3mb) or contact Louise Heery for a printed copy.

Worldwide Universities Network

Research

Global Challenges