Several times a year, Columbia World Projects (CWP) brings together more than 30 experts from inside and outside of Columbia for a Forum — a day-long meeting centered on a fundamental challenge facing humanity. The goal of a Forum is to generate, refine and ultimately select projects that have the potential to improve people’s lives by addressing the challenge in a significant way. It is the first step toward shaping the projects that CWP implements together with partners around the world.
Before a Forum, the participants — who come from a range of fields and disciplines — work with CWP staff to develop ideas for projects that would mobilize Columbia’s research and scholarship, partner with practitioners from outside the university and have a measurable impact on the challenge within five years.
During a Forum, participants evaluate those project ideas and indicate which projects they believe are most likely to have an impact, are plausible and reflect an area where Columbia can offer unique value. The project ideas that receive the most support are put through a rigorous development and review process by CWP staff and advisors to help CWP select the projects it will implement around the world.
Learn about the challenges we have considered in our Forum meetings:
- Energy Access
- Unequal Opportunity
- Cybersecurity
- Maternal Health
- Disaster Preparedness
- Next Challenge: Aging