From Campus to Community – The Role of Higher Education in Peacebuilding

Universities are vibrant spaces where ideas grow into action and knowledge leads to positive change. In an increasingly interconnected world, higher education holds unique potential to build understanding, strengthen social cohesion, and inspire lasting peace. Connecting research with practice, bridging disciplines, and engaging local and global communities, universities act as catalysts for peacebuilding.

The dynamic program of this lab begins with a keynote address from two-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee John Katsos, followed by short inspiration sparks by Arab and German experts in peace education from UoS, AGYA, and beyond. Participants then partake in “Peace in Practice”, a format for small, action-focused groups to go through interactive challenge stations on rebuilding education in post-conflict regions, countering digital disinformation, and strengthening legal frameworks for reconciliation.

In the second half, participants remain in groups to develop concrete, interdisciplinary solutions and pitch their ideas to the plenary. A closing reflection circle distils key insights and considers practical recommendations on how higher education can advance long-term peace efforts. Join us to explore how academic spaces can move beyond the campus gates to strengthen dialogue, rebuild trust, and contribute to shaping a peaceful future.

Interdisciplinary Labs: Sharing ideas and shifting perspectives for knowledge co-creation

Interdisciplinary Labs are interactive workshops where scholars and students as well as contributors from beyond academia explore real-word problems that require integrated perspectives. The goal is to initiate a creative dialogue across disciplinary and geographical borders along thought-provoking research questions and target-driven case-studies. The labs help navigate the challenges of interdisciplinary collaboration by their inclusive and hands-on environment that invites the participants to share and shift perspectives and to jointly develop innovative approaches towards complex issues. Encouraging curiosity, active participation, and equal contribution, the labs offer an immersive experience to foster new forms of knowledge co-creation and plant the seed for future research collaboration.

Kindly register to the AGYA Annual Conference 2025 here.

Find an overview of all public events at the AGYA Annual Conference 2025 in Sharjah here.