The world faces some serious challenges, and higher education is an essential part of the response. Universities are already engaging with these issues, but are still trying to articulate their current and potential role.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) expire at the end of 2015 and a new set of international targets will be tabled at the United Nations in early 2016. Whatever the goals that emerge, higher education will play a fundamental role in enabling countries to achieve them.

But what next for universities? How will higher education respond to the challenges and goals that emerge beyond 2015 – and is it ready?

Now is the time for us to begin to consider the implications of the new international agenda for higher education, to reflect on how the sector can respond to the challenges and goals that emerge, and to examine whether universities are indeed ready to meet those challenges.

Beyond 2015 is the ACU's international campaign to raise awareness of how higher education can and should respond to global challenges beyond 2015. We are seeking your responses to six questions related to this topic.

Some very good materials here at The World Beyond 2015 - Is Higher Education Ready? from the Association of Commonwealth Universities.