United Nations - UNAI SDG Hubs Celebrate One Year of Innovation, Engagement and Empowerment!

Advancing Development through Education for Everyone

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000

One year ago United Nations Academic Impact announced the inauguration of the UNAI SDG Hubs, UNAI member institutions selected as exemplars for their innovative scholarship and engagement related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) who serve as resources for best practices for the UNAI network, currently composed of over 1,400 universities and colleges in more than 130 countries.

On the anniversary of the program launch, we’re taking this opportunity to check in with some of the hub schools to highlight their scholarship and activities over the past twelve months and look ahead to future initiatives. The next school profiled in our anniversary series is University of La Punta (Argentina), hub for SDG 4: Quality Education.

The University of La Punta (ULP) was created to provide intellectual, social and cultural opportunities in the province of San Luis, contributing to development at the local level while ensuring access to quality education for all. The institution offers a wide range of scholarships as well as free housing to students, and several educational choices to populations in rural areas, senior citizens, persons with disabilities and underprivileged communities.

Along these lines, over 25,000 students of the university are currently enrolled in courses delivered online; 70% of those enrolled are women and 90% are the first generation in their families pursuing tertiary education. “Training of professionals, regardless of the place in which they reside, is our top priority,” said Alicia Bañuelos, Rector of the University. “The more students we have, the more innovative the province will be,” she explained, pointing out that everyone must have access to the same opportunities.

A highlight of the university is the ‘Knowledge Olympics’, which offers a non-traditional learning experience by hosting contests that help students become global citizens. This is tied with the activities carried out by the Language Institute in ten different foreign languages to over 2,000 students in order to foster multilingualism, and a partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to integrate and provide education to refugees and asylum seekers within the framework of the ‘San Luis Humanitarian Corridor’.

In July 2019, inmates of the San Luis Penitentiary System were tested in their final exams as part of their university studies at ULP. The University provides assistance as well as resources to inmates to either continue or finalize their studies within the framework of the ULP Virtual program. “This modality is a great benefit for these persons as it offers them access to education, and with it they will have a much better future once they recover their freedom,” stressed Karina Matera, director of the Institute of Science and Technology.

In October the university started in October to implement an innovative educational methodology called SOLE (Self-Organized Learning Environment) among schools in the province to increase knowledge in scientific fields. Some weeks later, the university supported the Quality Education Assessment undertaken in almost 200 schools for some 50,000 students to assess reading and calculus skills, with the institution serving in an advisory capacity. Results will allow ULP to offer tailored tools to elementary and secondary schools.

In December 2019, a Class of over 80 students graduated from the Rural Digital Public School initiative promoted by ULP, aimed at providing opportunities to adults who were unable to complete their secondary education and lacked the necessary skills to be employed or have better work opportunities within their communities. This is achieved thanks to a virtual education platform and the extensive use of information and communications technologies (ICTs).

In addition to training educators on the use of ICTs in classrooms and software programming for educational purposes, the university also offers a bachelor’s degree in Educational Management, with the objective of training teachers on the formulation and coordination of programs and projects in the field of education. ULP also offers a Diploma Course in Direction of Educational Institutions to improve tools needed to lead schools and the various processes within them.

By making education accessible to all, the University of La Punta seeks to increase not only economic development in the region, but social inclusion and equality for all citizens.

To learn more about the UNAI SDG Hubs, including University of La Punta, visit the United Nations Academic Impact SDG Hubs.

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SDG 4: Quality Education

Taking Sustainability from Campus to the Community

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000

On the anniversary of the program launch, we’re taking this opportunity to check in with some of the hub schools to highlight their scholarship and activities over the past twelve months and look ahead to future initiatives. The next school profiled in our anniversary series is Carlos III University (Spain), hub for SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Carlos III University (UC3M), established in 1989, is a Spanish public university committed to excellence in research, teaching and academic management. The Sustainable Development Goals are a key component of UC3M’s Strategic Plan, which sets the scientific production of the institution towards their advancement, focuses the research and existing academic resources on the 2030 Agenda and calls to increase awareness on campus around the SDGs as well.

UC3M encourages the active involvement of students in its SDG policy through initiatives such as the Global Challenge and a dedicated course on the 2030 Agenda in addition to various training programs. In its own region (the Community of Madrid), UC3M developed the project Energy Poverty Intelligence Unit (EPIU) in partnership with local governments and other stakeholders, to implement solutions to the energy poverty caused by economic and social exclusion.

While energy poverty is usually defined by the percentage of rent that a household dedicates to energy consumption, for EPIU energy poverty implies people unable to keep households in a comfortable temperature whether it is because they cannot pay for a sufficient amount of energy for its domestic needs and/or because it is forced to allocate an excessive part of its income. This situation is aggravated by the economic situation of the city of Getafe, whose average income is lower than the rest of the Madrid Region.

The project aims to establish a prediction system and mitigation programs that target different social groups. EPIU will collect information on energy consumption, income and other factors determining energy poverty based on data analytics in two vulnerable areas: Las Margaritas and La Alhóndiga. Almost half of the households in these areas do not have any heating system. EPIU will cluster vulnerable groups by their sociodemographic and physical characteristics and then tailor-made solutions will be proposed in coordination with local authorities.

Along the same lines, the university has adopted an environmentally responsible energy policy. Three dozen buildings have been refurbished to improve energy efficiency, water management and sustainability, and as the university campus keeps growing plans for new infrastructures have incorporated demanding sustainability requirements.

A commitment to sustainable cities and communities inspires UC3M’s policy of infrastructure investment and management. The university has contributed to the improvement of rundown urban environments, with the new Center for Postgraduate Studies housed in a rehabilitated, crumbling building that had been home to an old fish market, for example. The presence of the institution itself has boosted urban regeneration and connectivity by stimulating new investments.

UC3M’s Research Institute for Higher Education and Science, a joint initiative with other Spanish higher education institutions, recently launched the Science Shop, a project intended to create scientific knowledge in response to specific societal needs and problems. It is currently working on pressing issues such as urban pollution, mobility problems and possibilities to reuse public spaces for social uses.

UC3M also actively promotes recycling through various campaigns on campus, including ‘Libera’, to reflect on the impact of garbage in nature, tied with a comprehensive waste collection system that has been implemented across campus. Related to this, in November 2019 UC3M took part in the European Week for Waste Reduction by promoting the reuse of materials and products and organizing a visit to a recycling facility.

In other areas, university researchers are conducting studies on waste management and measurement of air pollution in urban centers. The latter include innovative metrology technology for the detection of pollutant gases. Previously, UC3M developed infrared and remote systems able to detect pollutants from cars on highways or high capacity roads of up to three lanes.

The Center for Environmental Education, with the participation of volunteer students, is running an ongoing ‘ecoaudit’ to ensure compliance with sustainability guidelines on campus. The university also offers a Master’s program in Sustainable Urbanism and Urban Policies, focused on the design, management, operation and control of urban and territorial activities that address environmental and economic sustainability.

This program is hosted by the “Pascual Madoz” Institute of Land, Urbanism and Environment, which is a research center dedicated to the study of land as a resource of strategic importance that demands an interdisciplinary perspective. The Institute looks to nurture specific professional and managerial skills connected to sustainability, rehabilitation of degraded areas, resilience and climate change.

UC3M has also implemented initiatives that address another critical target of SDG 11: access to public transport. The University has launched solutions on campus such as electric vehicle charging stations and an awareness raising strategy to encourage the use of public transport. In September 2019 it participated in the European Mobility Week to promote the health benefits of walking and cycling, through campaigns, seminars and workshops held on campus.

To learn more about the UNAI SDG Hubs, including Carlos III University, visit the United Nations Academic Impact SDG Hubs.

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SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Reducing Inequality through Accessible and Inclusive Education

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000

On the anniversary of the program launch, we’re taking this opportunity to check in with some of the hub schools to highlight their scholarship and activities over the past twelve months and look ahead to future initiatives. The next school profiled in our anniversary series is Western Sydney University (Australia), hub for SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.

Western Sydney is an Australian region undergoing rapid social, economic and ecological transitions and upheaval. It is home to a growing multicultural population and the hub for migration to Australia. WSU was founded with the requirement that the university must have a “particular regard to the need to contribute to the social, economic and intellectual life of Greater Western Sydney”, while also having a vision to be a university of national and global importance. Access to and participation in higher education is widely seen as way to reduce inequality and for more than 25 years, WSU has been committed to widening participation in and access to university education.

As a result, there has been a rise in the number of students from non-traditional backgrounds. Priority students include those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds or with Aboriginal, Pacific Islander and Torres Strait Islanders origin and refugees and asylum seekers. The institution provides high-quality academic pathway programs, English language courses and proficiency testing. Almost 65% of WSU students are the first in their families to attend university.

The Badanami Centre for Indigenous Education has been offering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students a supportive and culturally appropriate learning environment that caters to their needs, thus contributing to the process of reconciliation. The university as a whole also offers academic programs tailored to these communities, focused on education and health sciences, taking into account their cultural backgrounds.

The idea of these programs is to nurture teaching skills with a cultural perspective and increase the number of medical practitioners in these communities. As a result of these overall inclusivity efforts made by WSU, 2018 figures published by the Government of Australia showed that nationally WSU had the largest cohort of domestic students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and the greatest number of students from socio-economically disadvantaged communities.

The university hosts the Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development, which organizes the Asia-Pacific SDG Youth Challenge. In 2019 the youth challenge focused on SDG 10: Reduce Inequalities in and Among Countries, resulting in projects that included conferences and workshops, community cleanups, and technological and app innovations. In total, 10 individual youth-led sustainability projects were delivered across the globe from youth in America, Mexico, India, Malaysia, Australia and South Korea and they collectively engaged over 10,500 individuals.

In addition, the Centre has also promoted the “Our Place Our Voice” exhibition to highlight Australia’s cultural and linguistic diversity. The exhibition showcases sustainability initiatives from local communities, allowing them to tell their stories through their own photos and languages.

As Goal 10 calls to empower and promote the inclusion of all, including persons with disabilities, while reducing discrimination against them, WSU has taken some recent measures to consider precisely the needs of students and staff with disabilities. WSU included a Disability Representative in the Student Council, academic integration plans were developed for 1,580 students and, by the end of 2019, the university will have provided almost US$50,000 worth of equipment to staff with disabilities. WSU introduced assistive technology to 240 students with disabilities that impact their note taking skills, and the WSU Disability Collective has been advocating for their rights while partnering with local NGOs.

The Institute for Culture and Society, which researches transformations in culture and society in the context of contemporary global change, conducts ongoing research projects on the effects of transnational mobility on youth transitions, youth employment for culturally and linguistically diverse young people and mapping of the educational experiences of refugee students.

The Institute has diversity and globalization as one of its key research programs, aimed at exploring the impact of the “diversification of diversity” -people relating to more hybrid identities instead of single or unique ones, due to the shifting of diversity caused by globalization and phenomena like cultural adaptation and migration- investigating its implications for a range of issues such as education, housing and Indigenous policy. This research seeks to create understanding around social order, identities and relations and to lead to the better management of diversity and its impact on everyday life.

In 2019 the university announced its investment in two new research initiatives. The first, Transforming Early Education and Child Health, seeks to ensure that no child should have their potential limited by the settings into which they are born and live. The other, the Young and Resilient Research Centre, wants to strengthen the resilience of young people and their local communities, enabling them to participate fully in social and economic life.

WSU celebrates the one-year anniversary of the UNAI SDG Hubs and looks forward to continuing to support the work of UNAI through research, learning, engagement and empowerment.

To learn more about the UNAI SDG Hubs, including Western Sydney University, visit the United Nations Academic Impact SDG Hubs.

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SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

Education

Partnering Globally and Locally to Advance the SDGs

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000

On the anniversary of the program launch, we’re taking this opportunity to check in with some of the hub schools to highlight their scholarship and activities over the past twelve months and look ahead to future initiatives. The last school profiled in our anniversary series is the American University in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), hub for SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

The American University in Dubai (AUD) has two goals within its mission that are directly connected with core components of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: to foster intercultural understanding as a basis for preparing students to be members of a global community, and to contribute to the economic and societal development of Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and beyond. With this in mind, between 2018 and 2019 AUD has expanded its work related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Goal 17 in particular, is a guiding principle of the wide range of international activities conducted by AUD, not only to advance its own mission but to help with the actual implementation of the 2030 Agenda, in particular at the national and regional level. Partnerships are at the core of any successful collaboration, from public-private sector work and with entrepreneurs, to academic institutions and research centers.

Over the past year, AUD has sustained and enhanced its partnerships with various stakeholders to address global issues and prepare students for a life of global service and citizenship. For example, the university partners with diplomatic missions to the UAE to regularly host the Diplomatic Speaker series with ambassadors in order to discuss global affairs. AUD is a strong proponent of open discussions on different topics of interest to help raise awareness among its students and better equip them with the skills needed to operate in today’s world.

In 2019 AUD launched its YPO Partnership, connecting youth and students with top employers in the region. Partnerships are fundamental as they allow young students to be able to witness achievements first-hand and learn the ropes going forward. Accessing such a network is not always as straightforward in the Middle East and fresh graduates may often struggle to secure a job, particularly in a region where unemployment is considered relatively high.

“Partnerships have always proven to yield great success in different fields,” said Dr. David A. Schmidt, President of AUD. “By striking up different partnerships across multiple sectors, AUD ensures it covers all grounds to provide as many opportunities to its students as possible. Partnerships allow diversification, added resources and a broader network that students are able to tap into for their own success and self-development. In today’s world, partnerships are not only vital, they are necessary.”

In 2019 AUD also organized the STEP Conference, which hosted more than 1,000 start-ups. The large experiential technology festival included interactive workshops and prominent tech leaders. Students were able to interact with the world’s most sought-after technologists, investors, entrepreneurs and creatives. In a similar fashion, the university invited Acciona, a multinational company that focuses on sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy to showcase sustainable energy solutions in the automotive sector. AUD’s School of Engineering collaborates with Acciona to develop such solutions.

The Middle East in general, and the Gulf in particular, is home to some of the world’s largest oil reserves. But with predictions that the world will run out of oil in 2030 and other fossil fuels in 2050 and the dire need for environmental action, renewable energy is increasingly viewed as the way forward for the region. AUD views this shift as a key opportunity and it has found massive potential in partnerships to help meet the UAE’s future demand in the energy field.

The AUD School of Engineering and the university as a whole are part of the ongoing strategic partnership created with the Institution of Structural Engineers to organize joint events for students, faculty, and the general public with the objective of bridging the gap between the academic and professional sectors in the UAE. In September 2019 for example, a panel of experts took place within this framework to promote sustainable development and discuss the role of civil engineers in advancing the SDGs.

Recently, AUD renewed its partnership with Harvard University for the Harvard College in Asia Partnership, in which it offers cross-cultural seminars and workshops on regional technology and media. The university also invites external parties to share their cultures at the university and in 2019, the Year of Tolerance, AUD hosted a global conference with the participation of several non-governmental organizations on how to integrate and build tolerance, a critical topic in the UAE, a melting pot of different nationalities and religions.

The American University in Dubai will continue to build and sustain partnerships across sectors to advance solutions to pressing global issues, and prepare future leaders to tackle these challenges locally and globally.

To learn more about the UNAI SDG Hubs, including the American University in Dubai, visit the United Nations Academic Impact SDG Hubs.

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SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Working with Communities to Advance Health Care

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000

On the anniversary of the program launch, we’re taking this opportunity to check in with some of the hub schools to highlight their scholarship and activities over the past twelve months and look ahead to future initiatives. The next school profiled in our anniversary series is New Giza University (Egypt), hub for SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being.

Over the last year New Giza University (NGU) has worked on several levels to promote SDG 3. Through research and empowering its students to extend their medical services to those who are in need, NGU has had a positive impact on both students and the population the university serves. A lot of the work done at NGU for Goal 3 is focused on creating opportunities for students to engage in community service and work on research that ensures sustainability. From volunteering activities and leadership training to academic research, NGU students have worked to create awareness and empowerment.

The Health Sciences schools provide hands on experiences for students throughout their academic life. In addition to the training medical students receive, they have been exposed to the health care system through regular visits to medical institutions. NGU adopted an abandoned public hospital in a less privileged village and renovated it to provide medical services once again. In addition, during the past summer students attended internships at local non-governmental organizations working with patients in vulnerable communities, and students in the School of Dentistry offered dental checkups to children in orphanages.

In 2019 students were also active in a wide range of projects, participating in 16 medical convoys in underprivileged areas where they shadowed doctors and provided basic information on important health issues. The university also collaborated with the Ministry of Health of Egypt in a campaign for blood donation and with various civil society entities for awareness campaigns on breast cancer to promote early screening. Medical students also interviewed HIV/AIDS patients, and while protecting their identities, they shared their stories extensively on campus and social media to fight the negative misconceptions around HIV/AIDS.

Other initiatives undertaken by NGU and its students included a series of art activities to overcome the stress of medications to treat mental diseases, a first aid training for members of the community, a campus visit for autistic children and informative sessions led by those in the School of Pharmacy, on counterfeit medications available over-the-counter in many stores and the best way to avoid them. Students also performed patient-centered medication education at the National Diabetes Institute and the Children Cancer Hospital, two of the most prominent health care facilities in the country.

NGU has actively promoted significant research in which sustainability and resilience have been the highlight. Among the research topics, the most relevant ones are those related to innovative procedures and techniques in various medical fields as well as in dentistry. Results of this research have been published in several peer-reviewed or scholarly journals such as Archives of Virology: The Journal of the Virology Division of the International Union of Microbiological Societies, Frontiers in Genetics, Frontiers in Physiology, the Journal of Periodontal Research and the Journal of Tissue Engineering.

Moreover, NGU also participated in several events on health issues held in Egypt and abroad, including the First Regional Low Vision Conference and a joint international medical education workshop co-organized by NGU and academic partners in Africa, Europe and North America.

In April 2019, the School of Dentistry at NGU opened the first of its dental clinics. The state-of-the-art facility comprises 52 dental chairs and will allow undergraduates to provide supervised dental care of adults requiring restorative dentistry and/or oral surgery. In addition, the clinic will soon provide dental care to children.

NGU offers an extensive and modern educational experience in medical sciences with the focus of achieving Goal 3 at the community level.

To learn more about the UNAI SDG Hubs, including New Giza University, visit the United Nations Academic Impact SDG Hubs.

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SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being

Leading the Transformation to an Energy Efficient Future

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000

On the anniversary of the program launch, we’re taking this opportunity to check in with some of the hub schools to highlight their scholarship and activities over the past twelve months and look ahead to future initiatives. The next school profiled in our anniversary series is the Energy Policy and Development Centre, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece), hub for SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy.

Sustainable Development Goal 7 is critical for achieving net zero emissions and combating climate change. Challenges and opportunities for our world are, and will be, defined by the shift of the current global economy to a sustainable green one. The implementation of SDG 7 will be fundamental in this economic and environmental transformation in the coming 25 years.

Over the past year, the Energy Policy and Development Centre (KEPA) of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens signed agreements with stakeholders such as the municipality of Moschato – Tavros, covering projects on fuel switch, energy efficiency and energy poverty as well as “smart zero energy buildings” because KEPA believes that academic action on SDG 7 must go beyond campuses and be implemented in communities.

The SDG 7 Hub made a presentation for the 7th National Communication and 3rd Biennial Report of Greece for the purpose of the review of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol. It also promoted a youth contest for college and high school students from all over Greece with the Hellenic Association of Physicists to present their ideas on how to achieve SDG 7.

KEPA believes institutions of higher education must take the lead among stakeholders, and in this regard, it organized and hosted the Green Energy Investment Forum and the International Conference on Energy and Climate Change. The latter, held in October 2019, addressed issues related to green energy investments and the transition to a low carbon economy. It also covered opportunities for cross-interaction on innovative ideas and cooperation, bringing together policy and decision makers, scientists and industry representatives from different countries. In addition, the Hub also promoted research and cutting-edge technologies by issuing a call for parties interested in undertaking specific actions leading to measurable CO2 reductions to collaborate in an “SDG 7 Global Society”.

The idea of this initiative is to share knowledge and experiences that could be replicated in different contexts. Along these lines, KEPA is actively promoting, including through and with the support of local governments, the development and networking of small scale liquefied natural gas installations in remote areas and islands and the progressive introduction of this type of fuel in maritime transportation.

As the coordinator of the Green Energy Network of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), KEPA participated in the meeting of its Working Group on Energy, presenting the challenges towards the achievement of SDG 7 and the critical relevance of regional cooperation initiatives in this regard, not only between governments but also between academic and research institutions, the scientific community and energy consumers.

KEPA fosters scientific knowledge about new energy alternatives and provides policy guidance to relevant parties under the premise that the combined action of academia, governments, international organizations, the private sector, students and civil society is necessary to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and SDG 7 in particular to ensure energy efficiency and security for all.

To learn more about the UNAI SDG Hubs, including the Energy Policy and Development Centre, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, visit the United Nations Academic Impact SDG Hubs.

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SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Empowering Women by Creating Awareness

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

On the anniversary of the program launch, we’re taking this opportunity to check in with some of the hub schools to highlight their scholarship and activities over the past twelve months and look ahead to future initiatives. The next school profiled in our anniversary series is Ahfad University for Women (Sudan), hub for SDG 5: Gender Equality.

Since its establishment in 1966, Ahfad University for Women (AUW) has been a leader in the education and empowerment of women. Aligned with its vision of being a leading institute in gender equity and social responsibility, AUW has implemented initiatives and evidence-based activities to empower women to become agents of change and transform their communities.

This past year AUW’s School of Psychology Trauma Outreach, Recovery and Community Healing (TORCH) Center organized lectures, seminars and workshops to end discrimination and eliminate violence against women and girls. It has also provided skills and vocational training tailored for women, including on self-reliance and income-generating activities, to increase their employment opportunities.

During the annual Rural Extension Field Trip conducted by the university, junior students from the School of Psychology and Preschool Education contributed to raising awareness about female genital mutilation (FGM). Students participated in structured theatrical plays that reflect the harmful effects of FGM and the social, physical, and psychological advantages for girls who have not undergone FGM.

The Regional Institute of Gender, Diversity, Peace and Rights (RIGDPR) developed a training manual on gender concepts and gender mainstreaming in development policies, programs and gender budgeting as well as good governance principles and peace. The manual was used to train almost 400 participants between October and November 2019, who are then going to replicate the experience within their own communities.

On 20 November 2019 RIGDPR contributed to the celebration of the African Universities Week by participating in a dedicated seminar where Professor Balghis Badri, director of the center, spoke on the new perspective in defining and conceptualizing quality education in relation to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with emphasis on Goal 5. Gender equality, gender needs, women’s empowerment and potentials were the highlights of the presentation.

The university’s Gender and Reproductive Health Rights and Advocacy Centre (GRACe) celebrated the International Day of the Girl Child with a research forum on 14 October 2019 on the current status, challenges, opportunities and future prospects for promoting reproductive health in Sudan. In November GRACe, along with other AUW entities, observed the 16 Days of Activism to eliminate Violence Against Women by mobilizing and enhancing the role of youth in combating gender-based violence (GBV).

This year, in collaboration with the PanAfrican Youth Union (PYU), this initiative included not only students but also the community and some participating celebrities and dignitaries. It involved a wide range of activities, including a bicycle race, a lecture on sexual harassment and rape, a film featuring the story of a survivor of GBV, theatrical programs and an accompanying exhibition.

Through education, research and evidence-based community activities, Ahfad University for Women will continue to advance women’s rights and empower succeeding generations of women and girls to be full and equal participants in society and change agents in Sudan and beyond.

To learn more about the UNAI SDG Hubs, including Ahfad University for Women, visit the United Nations Academic Impact SDG Hubs.

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Women and Gender Equality

Research to Ensure Access to Clean Water for Everyone, Everywhere

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

On the anniversary of the program launch, we’re taking this opportunity to check in with some of the hub schools to highlight their scholarship and activities over the past twelve months and look ahead to future initiatives. The next school profiled in our anniversary series is the University of Manitoba (Canada), hub for SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.

Over the past year, the University of Manitoba (UM) has undertaken numerous interdisciplinary research and community-based activities to help build sustainable, resilient communities in Manitoba and across Canada, including research with Indigenous communities on water quantity and quality management issues and the impacts of climate change.

UM scientists are teaching water quality essentials to young learners through initiatives like this year’s Freshwater Ecology Day in partnership with FortWhyte Alive. The next generation of water quality specialists visited learning stations about water sampling, water chemistry, shoreline erosion, aquatic invasive species, invertebrates and their interactions within the watershed. The session was led by graduate students from the Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS) at UM. CEOS leads the Canadian Watershed Information Network, a web-based, open-access data and information network created as part of the Lake Winnipeg Basin Initiative under Canada’s Action Plan on clean water.

The institution, as part of the Mino Bimaadziwin Partnership, is working on housing and land use planning projects that should help remote Indigenous communities secure clean drinking water and adequate sanitation. Other UM researchers continue to publish results of research on contamination of drinking water in Indigenous communities and strategies for accelerating improvement.

Wa Ni Ska Tan: An Alliance of Hydro-Impacted Communities is another major ongoing research program. Its overall goal is to explore both the positive and negative implications of hydropower for nearby environments and Indigenous communities in the province of Manitoba and other affected regions across Canada, and to further explore how and to what degree this research alliance might enable healing as well as meaningful and desirable social and environmental change.

An offshoot of this program is Land-Based Indigenous Science Camps, Kis Kin Ha Ma Ki Win, an initiative that provides local youth with opportunities to learn about environmental sciences through Indigenous worldviews and customs. “The impact of the UM’s research, teaching and learning over the next 25 years will be largely influenced by the work underway today through the leadership of our faculty members and students,” said Dr. Digvir Jayas, Vice-President (Research and International) at UM.

“With the recent update and focus of our institutional Sustainability Strategy around the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, we have a roadmap for how UM can continue to support sustainability through research, teaching and community engagement for generations to come,” he added.

In addition, UM’s Visionary Conversations public speaker series began the 2019-2020 season around climate change critical issues, which are also the main focus of new research activities that are underway.

“The University of Manitoba’s recognition as the UNAI Hub for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 in 2018 for our commitment to research in clean water, sanitation and related areas is one milestone that ensured the continuation of research excellence in these critical fields and the ability to share the impact of our research on a global scale,” Dr. Jayas said.

To learn more about the UNAI SDG Hubs, including the University of Manitoba, visit the United Nations Academic Impact SDG Hubs.

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SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

Strengthening the Economy by Empowering Youth

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

On the anniversary of the program launch, we’re taking this opportunity to check in with some of the hub schools to highlight their scholarship and activities over the past twelve months and look ahead to future initiatives. The next school profiled in our anniversary series is Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering, and Management Sciences (Pakistan), hub for SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.

The mission of Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering, and Management Sciences (BUITEMS) is to provide quality education with a focus on research and to equip students to be productive members of society, contributing to the socioeconomic uplift of Pakistan in general, and Balochistan in particular, by providing programs and services that empower students, improving their evolving understanding of themselves and their communities.

BUITEMS has an enriched experience working with local, national and international organizations, and has signed agreements with over forty partners around the world. The university also collaborates with them on projects of mutual interest with direct impact on specific targets related to SDG 8, including the establishment of seven dedicated centers to foster youth employment.

It also started consultancy projects in the province along with other local universities to address economic growth issues. For instance, through the National Incubation Center (NIC), we created more than 200 jobs for young people in the province and more than 8,000 students and graduates have obtained internships or employment thanks to the work of the Career Counselling Center.

The China-Pakistan Economic corridor (CPEC) Center of Excellence aims to empower youth with vocational training and foreign languages courses. In addition, the institution has formally adopted the “Outcome Based Education” (OBE) strategy for enabling students to focus on valuable skills and knowledge and learn at their own pace. It also has actively promoted STEM-related fields by hosting the hackathon “NASA’s Space Apps Challenge 2019” with more than 100 participants.

In 2019 BUITEMS also organized the Undergraduate Research Colloquium, in which undergraduate students were able to present their final year projects to industry representatives for job placement and start-up opportunities with a significant social impact. It also carried out the Entrepreneurial Idea Exhibition to cultivate the mindset of a successful entrepreneur by offering entrepreneurship courses and encouraging students to innovate solutions and display their business ideas.

The exhibit included several initiatives related to online shopping, graphic design, event management, and many other areas. Finally, BUITEMS hosted a seminar on job opportunities for youth to present the employment potential for recent graduates in CPEC.

To learn more about the UNAI SDG Hubs, including Balochistan Institute of Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences visit the United Nations Academic Impact SDG Hubs.

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SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Striving to Feed 10 Billion People in 2050

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

On the anniversary of the program launch, we’re taking this opportunity to check in with some of the hub schools to highlight their scholarship and activities over the past twelve months and look ahead to future initiatives. The second school profiled in our anniversary series is the University of Pretoria (South Africa), hub for SDG 2: No Hunger.

The University of Pretoria (UP) is committed to conducting research and training that advances and supports the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While UP hosts the �山��Academic Impact Hub on SDG 2, much of the research and innovations tackle multiple SDGs simultaneously. Since 1930, the university has been conducting impactful research that aims to provide food sustainably. Our research includes fundamental science, embracing new technologies and conserving Africa’s rich biodiversity.

UP’s research inspires hope that we can meet the food needs of future generations. The university produces research that is innovative and inclusive, but our work does not end there. Through our partnerships with various international, continental and national networks, we aim to put this research into the hands of people who can use it to make an impact.

A breeding project by the Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences to produce cattle that were efficient and effective was started in the 1930s. The Bonsmara has now become the breed of choice in South African beef production. Our Department of Plant and Soil Sciences is researching the potential of vertical farming using 25 square meters to grow over 1500 plants at a time. This aeroponic technology uses ten times less land (SDG 15) to produce nutritious food (SDG 2). The Department of Consumer Science contributes to research that aims to end hunger and malnutrition (SDG 2) by relying on indigenous food that is readily available and can withstand drought.

Informing national, continental and global development

The Department of Agriculture Economics, Extension and Rural Development has contributed to the increased capacity of African policymakers in agriculture through its training. Direct support is also extended to national governments through capacity strengthening programmes, inputs into policy process and the development of tools to support policymaking. The research work cuts across issues of poverty (SDG 1), gender equality (SDG 5), climate action (SDG 13) and inclusive, sustainable partnerships for development (SDG 17).

In the spirit of leaving no one behind, our Faculty of Education continues to showcase and advance research that draws on the capacities of African communities to drive economic, social and rural development. Similarly, for more than ten years the Center for Resilience Studies has researched community cohesion and capabilities for improving well-being (SDG 3) through school gardens (SDG 2 and 4).

At a national level, a transdisciplinary team from the University of Pretoria supported the development of the South African SDG report. The report, launched in September 2019, at a side event at the 74th Session of the �山��General Assembly (UNGA), highlights South Africa’s progress on the SDGs and indicates areas requiring increased attention. UP also hosts the South African SDG Hub which connects policymakers with the research needed to meet the SDGs.

Many of our staff participate in international platforms where they inform national and continental development agendas. Prof. Rashid Hassan has and continues to serve as a member of many international and national boards and science councils including the United States Academy of Science, the United Nations Committee on World Food Security High-Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) on Food Security and Climate Change, and the United Nations Committee for Development Policy (CDP). His participation in these and several other capacities has contributed to informing key global environmental and development initiatives and processes including the sustainable development agenda. Dr. Moraka Makhura led the development of the Committee on World Food Security’s High-Level Panel of Experts Report on Multi-Stakeholder partnerships to finance and improve food security and nutrition in the framework of the 2030 Agenda. Prof. Sheryl Hendriks continues to participate in the Malabo Montpellier Panel, which provides policy guidance and support to African countries, showcasing success stories for other countries to consider.

Training and Collaboration

The University of Pretoria offers a transdisciplinary Masters in Development Practice programme focussed on building the leadership competencies needed to achieve the SDGs. Also, for the third consecutive year, students from UP were selected to participate in the 2019 UNLEASH programme. UNLEASH is a global innovation lab, aimed at bringing together specialists from around the world to identify solutions to addressing the SDGs.

UP collaborates with partners from across the world to develop innovations. For example, the collaboration with the Virtual Irrigation Academy investigates irrigation technologies. The research includes trails of the use of the Chameleon Sensor, a clever invention that helps farmers decide when to irrigate their crops. This technology improves food production (SDG 2), water usage (SDG 6) and incomes (SDG 1). As part of the Africa Australia University Network (AAUN), UP collaborates with the University of Nairobi, the University of Ibadan and University of Western Sydney to develop technologies that aim to improve people’s diets. Through this collaboration, the Ustawi mobile app was designed to combat hidden hunger (SDG 2).

The Centre of Excellence in Food Security (CoE) – hosted by the University of the Western Cape and co-hosted by UP – is a virtual organisation that brings together expertise from South African and international institutions across various disciplines. UP also hosts the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Centre of Excellence (ACoE) in Food Security which aims to create a network of talented researchers to move institutions forward in pursuit of ending hunger and malnutrition. ARUA’s Director, Professor Hettie Schönfeldt, has been involved in the development of the West and East African Food Composition Tables.

Transporting UP into Future Africa

In the wake of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, UP has almost completed the construction of a state-of-the-art engineering 4.0 building, which will host the first independent transport reference and testing facility. This facility will take students, particularly in civil engineering training, out of the classroom and enable them to put into practice theoretical aspects of their training. The research possibilities of this facility offer innovations for connecting people to food that is often wasted.

The Future Africa campus, launched in March 2019, provides a platform for bringing together African researchers to conduct transdisciplinary research that aims to achieve the Africa we want. The Future Africa academic programme is built on the recognition that finding effective solutions to Africa’s complex challenges requires converging approaches, and the integration of knowledge from the life, physical, social, and economic sciences, and engineering (SDG 17). Future Africa will foster the development of science leaders and provide links for them to research networks across the continent and the world, enabling an exchange of ideas, the building of partnerships, and the development of relevant sustainable research programmes.

The challenge of feeding 10 billion people by 2050 is formidable, but the University of Pretoria is providing a platform for research, innovations and partnerships that will make this possible.

To learn more about the UNAI SDG Hubs, including the University of Pretoria, visit the United Nations Academic Impact SDG Hubs.

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