ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2025
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. This year, 60,000+ young leaders applied to join the Class of 2025 on 7,000+ campuses across 170 nations. 290+ campuses worldwide (less than 5%) were selected to host the 4,500+ Millennium Fellows.

UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT YAMUNA SAMANTHI LIYANAGE, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2025.
Häme University of Applied Sciences | Hämeenlinna, Finland | Advancing SDG 6 & UNAI 9

" As someone deeply committed to building a more sustainable and equitable world, becoming a Millennium Fellow is an exciting opportunity to transform my academic knowledge into meaningful action. Coming from Sri Lanka and continuing my studies in Finland, I've gained a global perspective on the urgent need for innovative, inclusive solutions, not only in food systems but across all areas aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. I believe that through collaboration and community engagement, we can create lasting impact, and I'm eager to contribute to a future where sustainability, equity, and well-being are realities for all. "
Millennium Fellowship Project: Right-to-Know H2O
This project of student teams from Pace University in New York and Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK) in Finland. We are proposing a partnership we believe is unique in MCN history – teams from schools 4,000 miles apart applying separately but collaborating intensively on a bilateral model to address an urgent, inherent principle of SD6: the right to safe water requires the right to know water is safe. We will build upon the work of Pace’s 2024 team which found that the combined population of the world’s 25,000 higher education institutions – an estimated 270 million water users -- would place it fourth on the list of the world’s most populous nations. This statistic alone offers a powerful statement about the need for schools in and out of the MCN network to increase water awareness and influence global policy. Our joint deliverable will be an information and education model that can promptly inform water users of the quality of their water, with a timeline that will include immediately achievable goals, and projected technical innovations. We believe this model will apply not only to colleges and universities, but gain international attention, including at the United Nations itself.
About the Millennium Fellow
Yamuna Liyanage is a bright and dedicated student from Sri Lanka, currently living in Finland to pursue her passion for food science. She has successfully completed both her bachelor's and master's degrees in the field and is now gaining valuable experience in sustainable food systems. Throughout her academic journey, Yamuna has taken part in various projects that reflect her commitment to innovation and positive change. Deeply motivated to contribute to a better world, she actively engages in social initiatives and strives to build a more sustainable future through her knowledge and passion for food science.











