scholarly journals Mapping a university’s research outputs to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Asha Mistry ◽  
Hannah Sellers ◽  
Jeremy Levesley ◽  
Sandra Lee

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a framework to achieve sustainable development and fulfilling these Goals will take an unprecedented effort by all sectors in society. Many universities and businesses are using the Goals within their strategies and sustainability reporting. However, this is difficult as there is currently no standard methodology to map the 17 goals, 169 targets and 232 indicators. Work at the University of Leicester has focused on developing a robust methodology to map a higher education institution’s (HEI’s) research contribution to the Goals. We have integrated this unique methodology into an automated software tool to measure a university’s academic contribution to the Goals using mathematical text mining techniques. Our ability to quickly and effectively map institutions’ research contributions has boosted our ambitions and efforts to develop software to map the full operations of an HEI or business.

Author(s):  
K.Yu. Burtcevа ◽  
K.Yu. Burtcevа ◽  
K.Yu. Burtcevа

В исследовании рассмотрены подходы зарубежных университетов к устойчивому развитию, включающие цели устойчивого развития для обучения, проведения исследований и вовлечения общества, в Австралии, США и Бразилии. Представлены инициативы Мельбурнского университета по реализации концепции устойчивого развития, инициативы США, включающие в себя работу Ассоциации по продвижению устойчивости в высшем образовании (AASHE), программу STARS, инициативу по мобилизации постшкольных учреждений для решения экологической проблемы изменения климата (ACUPCC). В статье обоснованно, что университеты как места, где происходит большая часть исследований и обучение устойчивому развитию, должны выполнять не только образовательную и научную функции, но и выступать в качестве типовых учреждений примеров с точки зрения их собственной деятельности. Автором определено, что процессы устойчивого развития организаций, стран и общества следует начинать с создания высококачественного образования, подготовки надлежащих материалов для учащихся, формирования современных подходов к образованию с точки зрения устойчивой перспективы, создания учебных планов, связанных с современными проблемами, установления связи между образовательными программами и реальной жизнью. Проведенный в статье анализ зарубежной практики позволил предложить направления продвижения устойчивости в отечественном высшем образовании: обеспечение соблюдение принципов устойчивости в высшем образовании содействие институциональным усилиям по интеграции устойчивости в преподавании, исследованиях, взаимодействии с обществом поддержание всех инфраструктурных функций кампусов в достижении целей устойчивого развития расширение сотрудничества со всеми группами стейкхолдеров.In the article the approaches of the foreign universities to sustainable development including sustainable development goals for education, researches and involvement of society in Australia, the USA and Brazil are considered. Initiatives of the University of Melbourne of implementation of the concept of sustainable development, initiatives of the USA including work of Association on advance of stability in the higher education (AASHE), the STARS program, an initiative of mobilization of post-school institutions for the solution of an environmental problem of climate change (ACUPCC) are presented. In article it is reasonable that the universities as places where there is a most part of researches and education in sustainable development, have to perform not only educational and scientific functions, but also act as standard institutions - examples in terms of their own activity. By the author it is defined that processes of sustainable development of the organizations, the countries and society it is necessary to begin with creation of high-quality education, preparation of appropriate materials for pupils, formation of modern approaches to education in terms of steady prospect, creation of the curricula connected with modern problems, establishments of communication between educational programs and real life. The analysis of foreign practice which is carried out in article allowed to offer the directions of advance of stability in domestic higher education: providing respect for the principles of stability in the higher education assistance to institutional efforts on integration of stability in teaching, researches, interaction with society maintenance of all infrastructure functions of campuses in achievement of the goals of sustainable development expansion of cooperation with all groups of stakeholders.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (s1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suyu Liu

Background It is widely perceived that COVID-19 has significant influence on higher education and also contribution to development including Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However there is insufficient evidence about investigations on such influences, especially at micro level. Design and method A university located in Wuhan, China, was selected for the case study to explore how COVID-19 affects higher education and how universities’ coping strategies of COVID-19 can contribute to SDGs. The method is an analysis of 32 institutional documents published by the university. Results The university in the case study has taken a number of coping strategies of COVID-19, largely in four aspects including medical services, online education, logistic support, and graduate employment promotion. These coping strategies contribute to achieving SDGs, especially SDGs 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10. Conclusions The case study provides micro-level empirical evidence, which supports that appropriate university coping strategies of COVID-19 can contribute to SDGs, even it is widely perceived that the pandemic has brought strong negative impact on higher education and sustainable development. The selection of a university in Wuhan, China can generate more practical implications, as Wuhan is the first city that experienced the unprecedented lockdown, and China is the first country which reopened university campuses after the lockdown.


2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-88
Author(s):  
Cristina Perales Franco ◽  
Tristan McCowan

AbstractIn the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, higher education has been given a key role in addressing societal challenges, reducing poverty, ensuring sustainable livelihoods and protecting the natural environment. Yet there has been a singular lack of imagination as regards the institutional forms that might help support this vision. This article reports on the findings of an exploratory qualitative case study of the Intercultural University of Veracruz, one of a number of institutions created in Mexico to ensure access for indigenous populations, to promote local development and to provide a space for intercultural dialogue. The findings show a number of ways in which this innovative institution provides opportunities for supporting the SDGs that go beyond conventional universities. The university addresses SDG4 by enabling access for marginalised populations, and through its engaged teaching, research and community engagement also contributes to environmental protection, health, livelihoods, gender equality and a range of other goals. However, it also presents challenges to the global framework, highlighting the lack of attention to culture, language, identity and knowledge traditions, and in critiquing the very basis of its conception of development. Implications are drawn out more broadly for the relationship between higher education and international development in the contemporary era.


Author(s):  
Eza Gusti Anugerah ◽  
Muhammad Miqdad ◽  
Agung Budi Sulistiyo Budi Sulistiyo ◽  
Oktaviani Ari Wardhaningrum

The purpose of this study is to construct a faculty sustainability reporting (SR) guideline to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A prior study found sustainable activity followed by voluntary disclosure increasing the trust from stakeholders. Faculty as a part of the university can also take their role to support the SDGs from their own sustainable activity. Based on that finding, to support the SDGs and increasing the trust from stakeholders, the Faculty may disclose their sustainable activity to a stand-alone report. Because the faculty is a different entity from the company, it is necessary to create its own SR guidelines. This study uses GRI Standard as the main reference to make the faculty SR guideline and compares the guideline with faculty abilities in daily operation. The results of this study found that not all the GRI Standard items relevant to faculty daily operation. There are 26 items that the faculty can do and can be disclosed from its daily operation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7738
Author(s):  
Nicolás Gambetta ◽  
Fernando Azcárate-Llanes ◽  
Laura Sierra-García ◽  
María Antonia García-Benau

This study analyses the impact of Spanish financial institutions’ risk profile on their contribution to the 2030 Agenda. Financial institutions play a significant role in ensuring financial inclusion and sustainable economic growth and usually incorporate environmental and social considerations into their risk management systems. The results show that financial institutions with less capital risk, with lower management efficiency and with higher market risk usually make higher contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to their sustainability reports. The novel aspect of the present study is that it identifies the risk profile of financial institutions that incorporate sustainability into their business operations and measure the impact generated in the environment and in society. The study findings have important implications for shareholders, investors and analysts, according to the view that sustainability reporting is a vehicle that financial institutions use to express their commitment to the 2030 Agenda and to higher quality corporate reporting.


2021 ◽  
pp. 096100062110055
Author(s):  
Clare Thorpe ◽  
Lyndelle Gunton

The United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development identifies 17 goals as a shared blueprint for peace, prosperity, people and the planet. Australian academic libraries have started documenting and planning how academic libraries contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the identification of assessment frameworks and key performance indicators. In 2019, the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) Library stepped through an exercise of understanding how our day-to-day work and annual planning targets mapped to the SDGs. The article is a case study. The authors outline how an academic library’s services, projects and action plans were mapped to the SDGs and how the mapping exercise was communicated to the community. The article will situate this activity among the broader approaches being taken by the Australian library community, including the 2030 stretch targets for Australian libraries. USQ Library staff found that existing services, collections and projects correlated to eight of the 17 SDGs. Activities were mapped to these eight goals and reported to senior executive of the University. The mapping exercise increased the awareness of library staff about the broader cultural and societal implications of their roles. The communication strategy led to conversations that increased university leaders’ awareness of the SDGs and the value and impact of USQ Library in improving access to information as well as the library’s role in transforming the lives of USQ students and community. By undertaking an exercise to map collections, services and projects to the SDGs, USQ Library has been able to demonstrate how their knowledge and information infrastructures which enable student achievement and research excellence. The SDGs can be used by university libraries as a benchmarking tool and as a challenge to set stretch targets aligned with the United Nation’s 2030 agenda.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1828
Author(s):  
Elisa Chaleta ◽  
Margarida Saraiva ◽  
Fátima Leal ◽  
Isabel Fialho ◽  
António Borralho

In this work we analyzed the mapping of Sustainable Development Goals in the curricular units of the undergraduate courses of the School of Social Sciences at the University of Évora. Of a total of 449 curricular units, only 374 had students enrolled in 2020/2021. The data presented refer to the 187 course units that had Sustainable Development Goals in addition to SDG4 (Quality Education) assigned to all the course units. Considering the set of curricular units, the results showed that the most mentioned objectives were those related to Gender Equality (SDG 5), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8) and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16). Regarding the differences between the departments, which are also distinct scientific areas, we have observed that the Departments of Economics and Management had more objectives related to labor and economic growth, while the other departments mentioned more objectives related to inequalities, gender or other.


2021 ◽  
pp. 128624
Author(s):  
Armando Calabrese ◽  
Roberta Costa ◽  
Massimo Gastaldi ◽  
Nathan Levialdi Ghiron ◽  
Roberth Andres Villazon Montalvan

Author(s):  
Antonio Miñán-Espigares ◽  
Claudia-Amanda Juárez-Romero

The use of active methodologies in the university is a priority to achieve higher quality learning. One of these methodologies with the greatest potential for training in competencies is Project-Oriented Learning (PLA), using it in an innovative way. Associating the use of this methodology with the objectives of sustainable development, which have become even more important since the Pandemic by COVID-19, can be a good idea to achieve a more sustained and situated learning. The aim of this study is to find out to what extent research on teaching innovation with Project-Oriented Learning is associated with the Sustainable Development Goals. A systematic review was carried out as indicated by PRISMA through the following databases: WOS and Scopus. WOS found 15 articles on AoP and 6 on Project-Oriented Learning and sustainability. In Scopus 2 were found in 2019. The main results show that in the University, especially in the branches of engineering, AoP is widely used, however, it is rarely related to SDGs. Among the conclusions, we highlight the need for research on project-oriented learning and sustainable development goals.


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