Three years post-pandemic, the global higher education sector faces a crucial turning point. COVID-19 deepened existing inequities but also drove global innovation and adaptation. This report highlights five key themes discussed by Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) members from over 20 Commonwealth countries at the 2024 ACU vice-chancellor summit and presents recommendations for action to be pursued with Commonwealth Governments, including at the Heads of Government Meeting in October 2024 and the 2025 Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM). The 2024 ACU vice-chancellor summit brought together over 100 distinguished guests, including vice-chancellors, Commonwealth education ministers, and international stakeholders. The summit focused on critical issues like higher education funding, graduate employability, research management excellence, and the role of artificial intelligence in education. This report summarises these discussions and identifies five critical thematic challenges and opportunities where governments and universities can work together to make a big impact. These have been developed by the ACU's Higher Education Taskforce, a group of 20 ACU member vice-chancellors who have been tasked with supporting Commonwealth education ministers in their commitments to realising and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.