The future is open. This is made remarkably clear by the coronavirus pandemic and the big challenges of our time such as climate change and social inequality. It is therefore more important than ever for us Europeans to act and shape our future together. Only joint action will allow us to build a strong, innovative and sustainable Europe.

The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development defines ambitious goals (the SDGs) for our European future. Numerous initiatives of the Member States and the European Commission, including the European Green Deal, allow us to turn these goals into great opportunities for Europe.

The Forum is expected to deliver concrete proposals on how education and research can provide fresh impetus for a sustainable Europe. One area of focus will be the European programmes Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ and topics such as climate change, the circular economy, social inequality and education for sustainable development.