The 29th Carmichael Lecture was delivered today by Ms Amina J Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations.

Delegates gathered both in-person and online for the prestigious address, held in RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin. Ms Mohammed spoke on ‘Transforming Education to Transform our World by 2030’.

Recognising the many challenges currently being faced across the globe, particularly climate change and educational inequalities, Ms Mohammed highlighted the role of the UN to “close the gap” between reality and aspirations, and spoke of hope as “our most precious commodity”.

“Now is the time to shift from crisis to recovery, from conventional to transformational, to have the courage to know that it will take time and it will not be a quick fix. Let us try to imagine a transformed education, that I believe is possible within our lifetimes. Imagine classrooms around the world where the individuality and wellbeing of each child is prized”, said Ms Mohammed.

“The time is right for a massive transformation, a rebirth of education worldwide, that will in turn transform the world, but no single country has the knowledge or research capacity to advance this alone. The global pandemic has taught us that. It’s taught us that we needed solidarity and a global response but it has bared the reality that, when we needed it most, we didn’t get it. And so, we have to learn from that as we take on education.”

The lecture was followed by a Q&A discussion with Dr Deborah Stanistreet, Head of the Department of Public Health and Epidemiology at RCSI, which included questions from RCSI students about the role that the younger generation can play in solving the world’s issues.

Commenting on the address, RCSI President Professor P. Ronan O’Connell, said: “There can be few more important topics than education and sustainable development as we emerge from a pandemic that has brought the fragility of modern society into focus and highlighted the extreme inequalities in our world.”

Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group, Ms Mohammed led the process that resulted in global agreement around the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the creation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). RCSI has made significant contributions to the 17 SDGs, being ranked joint second in the world for SDG 3 – Good Health and Wellbeing.

Prior to her current appointment, Ms Mohammed served as Minister of Environment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where she steered the country’s efforts on climate action and efforts to protect the natural environment.

As part of the day’s proceedings, Ms Mohammed was also awarded an Honorary Fellowship, the College’s highest distinction.

Presenting Ms Mohammed for the Fellowship, RCSI Council member Ms Bridget Egan said: “We in RCSI are very grateful to you for also taking time to join us as we emerge from the pandemic, during which we have managed to maintain our undergraduate and post graduate training in surgery, medicine and health sciences.

“Our education in the SDG 3 domain, Good Health and Wellbeing, is recognised by the Times Higher University Rankings as among the best in the world, but there is no time for complacency. As former Irish President Mary Robinson, now Chair of the Elders, said in this auditorium, the clock is at one minute to midnight, and we have very little time to stop it ticking.”

The annual Carmichael Lecture is named after former President of RCSI, Richard Carmichael. Previous speakers have included Tom Arnold, Seamus Mallon, Michael O’Leary, Catríona Perry and last year Fintan O’Toole on “Public Health and Public Wealth”.