Our world is changing rapidly, its problems are more difficult to predict, understand and handle and more inter-connected and inter-dependent than ever before.  The strategy reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals is a global response to the disruptive and transformative forces acting upon us, such as technology and globalization.  In this global knowledge economy, there is a growing societal premium on an educated population in terms of sustaining economic competitiveness, well-being and inclusion.  Higher education plays a key role in enabling talent to express itself in society, but the need for lifelong learning and upskilling is challenging more traditional university models. 

There is an urgent need to articulate a new global university offer, differentiated through its intellectual and impactful contribution to economic prosperity and social justice.  Distinctive features of such an institution include supporting learning throughout life, co-creating evidence-based solutions with business and the community and driving an innovation ecosystem scaling local invention for global reach.  This is the context in which the Global Professional University (GPU) of the Future is being proposed.

GPU plays a critical role in this transformative age and is pivotal to an inclusive democratic society.  Connecting powerfully with the people it serves and the world of work, GPU blends leading-edge technology with personalized access to global experts to create learning opportunities accessible throughout life.  GPU’s ‘high-tech/high-touch’ pedagogic model is a paradigm shift in adult education.  GPU acts as an anchor institution, being a key asset of place and at the center of a networked knowledge innovation ecosystem that is locally rooted and globally connected.  GPU focuses on partnerships to co-create value across economic, social and cultural axes, enabling ideas and human creativity to become expressed.  Drawing academic disciplines together to address the grand challenges of our day, GPU is distinguished by its interdisciplinary approaches to science discovery, research and innovation. 

GPU’s vision situates the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals at its core with its mission to educate professionals throughout their lives as they work to deliver equitable and just societies that respect natural systems.  GPU is a distinctive, inclusive intellectual learning community that offers access to its networks, sharing experiences and developing expertise and wisdom.  GPU’s work is impactful and purposeful, closing the knowing-doing gap, and is a world-leading and world-changing university for the 21^st century and beyond.