Assembly Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for Agricultural and Life Sciences (GCHERA)

9 to 11 September 2025. Beauvais, France. Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for
Agricultural and Life Sciences (GCHERA)

• This year’s Assembly, themed “Leadership for Educational Innovation and University Transformation”, focused on:
• Visioning the future of GCHERA
• Institutional strengthening through policies, governance, and partnerships
• Regular business, including the election of new officers

Synthesis of GCHERA Group Discussion

1. Value of GCHERA / Value Proposition

●       GCHERA must remain apolitical, ensuring neutrality and inclusivity.

●       Acts as a global convenor: sharing good practices, producing reports on global challenges, and shaping higher education transformation.

●       Focus on developing human skills, setting guidelines/tools for accreditation, and enabling international student mobility.

●       Provides a platform for joint proposals and projects, enhancing members’ ability to secure external resources.

●       Functions as a policy think tank and plays a stronger advocacy role globally.

2. Future Objectives / Strategic Thrusts

●       Champion higher education in agriculture and life sciences.

●       Develop guidelines for accreditation and international standards.

●       Expand international mobility and student exchange programs.

●       Strengthen global partnerships, ensuring balance across South-South, North-South, and South-North collaborations.

●       Establish GCHERA as a recognized knowledge broker.

3. Membership Strategy

●       Restructure membership model to be more inclusive and financially supportive.

●       Consider a tiered membership fee structure (universities, associations)

●       Increase engagement through quarterly meetings and communities of practice.

4. Governance & Leadership

●       Current two-year leadership terms are insufficient — propose extending terms to ensure continuity and impact.

●       Governance restructuring to improve representation and decision-making.

●       Editorial and communications committees to be formalized.

5. Strengthening GCHERA

●       Financially: Membership fees, donor partnerships, project funding.

●       Organizationally: Enhanced Secretariat with dedicated staff; improved governance mechanisms.

●       Membership: Broader recruitment and meaningful engagement activities.

●       Secretariat: Expand communications, knowledge management (newsletters, social media, website updates).

6. Leadership Effectiveness

●       Quarterly online meetings for updates and dialogue.

●       Professional development programs through webinars.

●       Regular knowledge products (policy briefs, newsletters, social media).

●       Stronger representation of members’ voices internationally.

7. Resources for Viability

●       Realistic options:

○       Membership contributions

○       Donor/foundation partnerships

○       Regional and global project collaborations

○       Advocacy-driven funding through policy networks

8. Service Offerings of GCHERA

●       Policy and Advocacy: Represent higher education interests at global policy levels.

●       Championing Higher Education: Transform curricula, skills, and accreditation.

●       Knowledge Brokering: Produce reports, guidelines, and facilitate exchange of good practices.

●       Global Partnerships: South-South, North-South, and South-North collaboration platforms.

●       Communications: Active dissemination through newsletters, social media, updated website, and outreach initiatives.

9. Path Forward / Next Steps

●       Establish a clear 2026 Workplan with timelines.

●       Launch a Community of Practice on Higher Education Transformation.

●       Formalize an Editorial/Communications Committee.

●       Develop a membership and governance restructuring proposal.

●       Begin positioning GCHERA as a policy and advocacy leader in higher education globally.

●       Co-develop initiatives with regional organizations like APAARI, ARINEENA for the International Year of the Woman Farmer (2026), highlighting women’s leadership in agriculture and higher education transformation.

Background:

The Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for Agricultural and Life Sciences
(GCHERA) is an international network that brings together associations of universities and higher education institutions engaged in agriculture, food, and life sciences. Its main purpose is to foster global dialogue and cooperation among universities to address the complex challenges of sustainable development, food security, environmental stewardship, and rural transformation. By connecting institutions across regions, GCHERA helps promote the exchange of ideas, best practices, and innovations in education, research, and outreach, while also strengthening leadership capacity in universities to meet the needs of rapidly changing agricultural and food systems.

GCHERA’s activities include hosting annual conferences and general assemblies, facilitating collaborative projects, and providing platforms for partnerships between academia, government, industry, and civil society. It also supports leadership development in higher education and works to advance transformative teaching and learning approaches that prepare future graduates to contribute effectively to global challenges. Ultimately, GCHERA serves as both a convening body and a catalyst, helping institutions evolve in their governance, curricula, and partnerships, while ensuring that agricultural and life sciences higher education plays a central role in shaping sustainable and resilient
societies.

APAARI and AARINENA Association

APAARI and AARINENA Association have joined forces in a new partnership to advance shared goals in agricultural development and foster knowledge exchange across the Asia-Pacific region.

As a start to this collaboration, both organizations will be hosting joint webinars that leverage the strengths and expertise of their networks in specific fields of agriculture.