LEAP-FAST: Higher Education Leadership Program to Accelerate Transformations for Sustainability

As part of its commitment to leading sustainable transformation in the higher education sector, Majmaah University, through the Saudi CIFAL Center, launched the LEAP-FAST Program in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and UNESCO. The program brought together a distinguished group of academic leaders and experts from universities around the world. LEAP-FAST is a first-of-its-kind international initiative aimed at accelerating institutional transformation toward sustainability in higher education. It focuses on developing leadership capacity, embedding sustainability principles into academic programs, policies, and administrative structures. The program ran over three months and included five intensive training modules combining self-paced learning, virtual workshops, professional mentoring, and in-person sessions—most notably, the main international workshop hosted at Majmaah University on April 17, 2025. The program aimed to equip academic and higher education leaders with the skills to lead change and effectively integrate the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 into their teaching and research efforts. It also fostered the creation of a global leadership network committed to advancing transformational education. This initiative reflects Majmaah University’s dedication to realizing Saudi Vision 2030 and reinforces its role as a pioneering educational institution contributing to a more sustainable and distinguished future—both nationally and globally.