About the Conference

In 2014, the Consortium for North American Higher Education Collaboration (CONAHEC) celebrates its 20th year of strengthening collaborations among higher education institutions, government, and industry throughout North America and beyond. To celebrate our achievements and define the path for the next 20, on October 8-10, 2014 CONAHEC will hold its 16th North American Higher Education Conference in Tucson, Arizona, hosted by the University of Arizona. “The Next 20: Pathways, Partners, Paradigms” will focus on how synergies between higher education institutions, governments and businesses can be leveraged internationally to address global challenges and promote a healthier, more equitable world.

Global development is driven by higher education, government and business, and collectively these sectors will provide the solutions to the enormous problems that face humanity in the 21st century. Never before has the potential been greater to stamp out world hunger and poverty, to ensure universal human rights, and to effect positive change leading to more sustainable societies and relationships between people and the environment. The North American region and the rest of the world must strengthen our collective ability to work together, share knowledge and information, and own and solve the problems our societies face. To address global grand challenges, building interdisciplinary and cross-sector relationships based on integrity and trust becomes paramount. Creating and stewarding these relationships was one of the founding principles of CONAHEC, and it remains our core activity today.

Commemorating 20 years of advancement, this exciting event will highlight CONAHEC’s progress to date in building the North American community through collaboration and it will reveal many emergent opportunities that will allow us to collectively take the next steps forward. CONAHEC links higher education institutions, government agencies and partners in industry from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, and from the rest of the world, in collaboration and cooperation. In Tucson, approximately 500 leaders from higher education, government, industry, funding agencies and student organizations will convene to chart the course for the next 20 years of international higher education collaboration. CONAHEC extends a special invitation to representatives of indigenous and other under-represented communities to attend and share their perspectives. Representatives of low-income countries are also encouraged to participate.

CONAHEC thanks the conference co-conveners for their continued support:

Join us in Tucson, contribute to the renewal of our agenda and create the next chapter in higher education, business and government collaboration for a sustainable future!