Sustainable Development Goals
EUA is dedicated to international cooperation. Likewise, universities in Europe and around the world are crucial to global sustainable development. Therefore, it is natural that the Association is an active part of the worldwide agenda for achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Universities contribute to the goals through research and education in a wide array of disciplines that can potentially contribute to a better future. In a complex and developed context like Europe, it is essential that the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals rests on knowledge, new research, innovation and citizens who are empowered by critical thinking. The Sustainable Development Goals clearly need strong societal actors, like universities, to ensure their success.
To further the understanding of the broad role of universities in society, EUA was invited to join the European Commission’s Multi-Stakeholder Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals. It is also a member of the GUNi Group of Experts in SDGs and Higher Education.
In particular, EUA is working on the following Sustainable Development Goals in the context of its policy and project work:
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Education is crucial for the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals and is a goal in and of itself. EUA works towards “Goal #4: Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning” by facilitating debates and knowledge-sharing on how to best provide for Europe’s students and lifelong learners. Discussions cover opening flexible learning paths for people in the workforce, as well as upgrading and reorienting skills and careers in response to rapidly changing societal needs.
EUA conducts this work primarily through its activities in learning and teaching, quality assurance and the European Forum for Enhanced Collaboration in Teaching (EFFECT) project.
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Sustainable development is dependent on knowledge, as is “Goal #9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation.” Universities provide deep insight into human society and the world around us. They also work intensively with businesses and civil society to create new knowledge and new ways of applying it. EUA promotes this by highlighting the role of universities as providers of that new knowledge and as vital partners throughout society - in particular in ensuring that research is open to all.
This work is seen primarily in EUA’s extensive portfolio of activities covering Innovation and its key role in the pursuit of Open Science.
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EUA connects universities across Europe to tackle the energy challenge through research, education and innovation. This is crucial to achieving “Goal #7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.” In this context, EUA supports higher education institutions in the development of their institutional strategies and approaches to energy education, research and training.
The EUA Energy & Environment Platform (EUA-EPUE) is at the centre of this work. It aims to facilitate the full participation of European universities in energy- and environment-related EU programmes and to achieve the creation of the Energy Union and a sustainable energy future for Europe. -
Sustainable development can only be achieved if discrimination is eradicated and all are empowered to take part in society independent of gender, ethnic origin or socio-economic and cultural background. Universities have an important role in this regard and social mobility and inclusiveness have become strategic questions in higher education. EUA is working to ensure that universities across Europe have a platform to share their approaches and strategies. This is key to “Goal #5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls,” as well as to “Goal #10: Reduce inequality within and among countries.”EUA’s conducts this work through its diversity and inclusion efforts, as well as the “Higher Education Supporting Refugees in Europe” (inHERE) project and the “Refugees Welcome Map”. EUA is also active in monitoring gender equality, especially in university leadership.
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Universities are closely connected to their regions, and they play a crucial role in education, innovation, culture and civic life in their local communities. This is very important to “Goal #11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.”
EUA supports this role through its work on innovation, in particular regional “smart specialisation” and innovation ecosystems. Its work is highly-informed by the EUA Expert Group on Smart Specialisation.
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In order to fulfil their missions, universities need to have an enabling legal framework to make them strong institutions, particularly institutional autonomy and sufficient funding. This is strongly linked to “Goal #16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies.”
EUA active in monitoring and shaping European trends in university autonomy and governance as well as in university funding. In particular, its University Autonomy Scorecard and Public Funding Observatory are unique and instrumental barometers in the field.
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European universities are part of the larger family of universities around the world, and EUA actively promotes dialogue on five continents, working for an inclusive global higher education and research community. This is very relevant to “Goal #17: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.”
EUA work in this area is highlighted in its extensive global relations activities and, in particular, in its focus on the EU Neighbourhood.
Resources
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Sustainable development in the European Union — Overview of progress towards...
External resource
3 Jul 2019 view more -
EUA addresses Sustainable Development Goals in Asia-Europe dialogue on higher...
News
16 May 2019The 7th Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) Rectors’ Conference and Students’ Forum (ARC7) took place in Bucharest, Romania from 11 to 15 May. The Conference, entitled “Higher Education taking Action Towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Perspectives from Asia and...
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Universities and Sustainable Development Towards the Global Goals
Briefing
3 Dec 2018Sustainable development is crucial to the future of Europe and the entire planet. The framework of...
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International Higher Education Declaration to Support the Implementation of...
External resource
15 Nov 2018 view more -
Europe moving towards a sustainable future
External resource
15 Oct 2018 view more -
New interactive Eurostat publication on the Sustainable Development Goals
Partners news
25 Sep 2018Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, has released a new interactive publication on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This publication aims to help EU citizens understand the meaning of these 17 goals and invites them to explore and evaluate the situation of their...
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New interactive Eurostat publication on SDGs
External resource
20 Sep 2018 view more -
Reminder: Help EUA advocate for Erasmus+ grants for international talent with...
News
18 Jan 2018EUA Members and partners are invited to voice their support and to provide feedback on a draft advocacy proposal to the EU to establish a specific grant under the Erasmus+ programme for support of the placement of scholars and students with international protection status at European higher...
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Higher education cooperation for development and the Sustainable Development...
News
19 Oct 2017On 18 October, EUA and EARMA, the European Association of Research Managers and Administrators, co-organised a seminar entitled “Higher education cooperation for development and Sustainable Development Goals: Meeting global and regional challenges”. The seminar was hosted by MEP Bogdan Wenta at...
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Female university leadership in Europe
News
8 Mar 2017EUA has updated its latest data on women in leadership positions in Europe’s universities. The...
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More women become university leaders - equality still far away
News
13 May 2016EUA has updated its latest data on women in leadership positions within Europe’s universities. The...
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Expert voices
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Doctoral education and the Sustainable Development Goals
21 Jun 2019Doctoral education has a major role to play in the achievement of the Sustainable Development...
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Why smart universities care about sustainable development
16 May 2019Why should sustainable development be on universities’ agendas? Monika Skadborg from the European...
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Universities move to achieve the SDGs – and approach the next hurdle
16 May 2019Universities have a key role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and it is clear that...
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Projects
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Refugees Welcome Map
An inventory of higher education supporting refugees.
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UNI-SET
Mobilising the research, innovation and educational capacities of Europe's universities in the SET-Plan The UNI-SET (UNIversities in the SET-Plan) project aims to mobilise European universities to...
