The world has changed dramatically in the last two decades, but four shifts are severe. Firstly, we are closer than ever to eradicating extreme poverty. Secondly, human societies are causing more damage than ever to the planet and the environment. Thirdly, inequality among and between countries is increasing. Finally, governance is becoming more complex, especially with the growing influence of technology. Therefore, in September 2015, United Nations adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with 17 objectives and committed to achieving them by 2030 to have a greener, healthier, more peaceful, and equal planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

The function of higher educational institutions is to prepare future managers, doctors, engineers, and social scientists to serve the people at a larger level. They are responsible for taking care of society and getting rid of all the hurdles in sustainable socio-economic development. Universities are the primary institutions for disseminating knowledge, a key player in attaining SDGs. Thus, academia has had to develop new educational measures that couple the formation of citizens with human awareness and learning communities. Academia plays a fundamental role in forming global citizenship and designs strategies to develop socially responsible competencies in students, who will be the agents of change in the future. A large part of the direct education that should address transcendental problems occurs in the area of teaching and research, which generates active feedback in the society where the university develops. Therefore, universities must act on Sustainable Development Goals.

Engaging with the SDGs will greatly benefit universities by helping them demonstrate university impact, capture demand for SDG-related education, building new partnerships, accessing new funding streams, and defining a responsible and globally aware university. The contribution of universities to the SDGs is broad. Some of the main areas of contribution are:

Learning and Teaching

Providing students with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to understand and address the SDGs (broadly ‘education for sustainable development); providing in-depth academic or vocational expertise to implement SDG solutions; providing accessible, affordable, and inclusive education to all; providing capacity building for students and professionals from developing countries; and empowering and mobilizing young people.

Research

Providing the necessary knowledge, evidence base, solutions, technologies, pathways, and innovations to underpin and support the implementation of the SDGs by the global community – through both traditional disciplinary approaches and newer interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and sustainability science approaches; providing capacity-building for developing countries in undertaking and using research; collaborating with and supporting innovative companies to implement SDG solutions; improving diversity in research, and training students for sustainable development research.

Organizational governance, culture, and operations of the university

Implementing the principles of the SDGs through governance structures and operational policies and decisions, such as those relating to employment, finance, campus services, support services, facilities, procurement, human resources, and student administration.

External leadership

Strengthening public engagement and participation in addressing the SDGs; initiating and facilitating cross-sectoral dialogue and action; ensuring higher education sector representation in national implementation; helping to design SDG-based policies; and demonstrating sector commitment to the SDGs.

Through their current actions in these areas, universities already make important contributions to the achievement of the SDGs. However, for the SDGs to be truly successful on a global scale, universities need to become champions of sustainable development and play a leading role in the 

Implementation of the SDGs. For this, a whole-of-university approach is essential, and universities can use the following steps to start and deepen their engagement with the SDGs:

1. 1. Mapping what they are already doing
2. 2. Building internal capacity and ownership of the SDGs
3. 3. Identifying priorities, opportunities, and gaps
4. 4. Integrating, implementing, and embedding the SDGs within university strategies, policies, and plans
5. 5. Monitoring, evaluating, and communicating their actions on the SDGs

Along these lines, the universities should incorporate the vision of the SDGs and the development of appropriate competencies in the various professional disciplines. Through teaching and searching for information aimed at social improvement, academia can manage to respond to the problems set out by the 2030 Agenda to address. Using sustainable development objectives as benchmarks for educational administration makes timely implementation possible. It gives an advantage to those universities that want to build alliances with other involved stakeholders and have access to various funding sources.

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