Universities as Peace Builders for Human Flourishing

• In Event: Education for Human Flourishing: Perspectives Across Cultures and Disciplines

Abstract

Objectives or purposes:
This paper presents the results of a study investigating the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in fostering a culture of peace (CUP) and constructive conflict resolution (CCR). Addressing a gap in research and practice, we examined how universities worldwide contribute to peacebuilding by embedding these values within curricula and institutional frameworks.

Perspective(s) or theoretical framework:
Our study is grounded in peace education and the “Third Mission” of universities, which positions HEIs as agents of social change. Drawing on Anderson and Christie’s nine principles of CCR (2001), we conceptualized peace culture and CCR as crucial for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), arguing for a shift toward cultivating peace-oriented cultures at both individual and institutional levels within universities.

Author

• Isak Frumin, Jacobs University Bremen